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I THREE-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS OF 1939 1 EL CHICO By NOBRIS ROYDEN , Every few years a two-year-old appears with sufficient speed to thoroughly master the division. Man o War was such, Morvich another, and Top Flight a third during the past twenty years. The latest juvenile with a similar capability was El Chico, which ruled the roost last season with seven stakes victories in as many starts. Man o War further proved himself a champion as a three-year-old, but Morvich flattened out after winning the Kentucky Derby, and Top Flights later victories were scored only at the expense of fillies like herself. El Chico hopes to carry on as Man o War did not see others take the three-year-old honors, as did Morvich and Top Flight. With the son of John P. Grier and La Chica, by Sweep, it is not only a question of ability to go the longer distances of such important races like the Kentuckv Derbv. Preakness and Arlington Classic, hut onp. of dp.vplrmmenr. of himself and contemporaries. To be the three-year-old champion, El Chico must be able to carry his speed over the greater routes and to be good enough to offset the improvement certain to be forthcoming in some of his rivals, either by developing likewise or having that much superiority left over from his juvenile campaign. El Chico is something of a freak, but that he is a free-running colt there is no question. Speed is his forte just as in War Admirals case, and he may dash away from his opposition and keep right on running regardless of how his engagements may be this season. He is not of the established distance-running type, but he is sound and apparently takes to his training kindly. His physique shows the quality of his sire, John P. Grier, a great grandson of Ben Brush, and of his maternal grandsire, Sweep, a son of Ben Brush. John P. Grier was from a granddaughter of Domino, as was Sweep, while another speed cross is forthcoming from El Chicos second dam, La Grisette, a daughter of Roi Herode. Only rarely is such a pedigree found in stayers. El Chicos racing record is easy to recount. He made his debut in, the Youthful Stakes on April 16 at Jamaica, running the five furlongs in a minute, flat, to triumph by four lengths over Jack Horner. Trainer Matt Brady then laid him away for nearly two months, probably because the colt suffered bucked shins. In his second effort, the New York-owned colt equalled the Delaware Park record of :59 for five furlongs in capturing the Dover Stakes by a length over Star Runner, with Cherry Jam third, drawing awajr in the final furlong after being second turning into the stretch. Asked to go six furlongs in the Great American Stakes at Aqueduct, El Chico was rated off the pace by Nick Wall until the final furlong, where he went to the front, with such a rush that he triumphed by four lengths over Lovely Night, Maeline running third. Another vacation was ordered for El Chico, and he didnt resume campaigning until the United States Hotel Stakes, nearly five weeks later. The going was slow for this six-furlong dash, but it made no difference to the flashy colt. Although given deter-! mined opposition from Eight Thirty in the opening quarter, he safely put away that hard-hitting colt to draw away to a victory of eight lengths over Invader as the G. D. i Widener youngster dropped back to third position. r. wexek later aSain with Eight Thirty as a stubborn opponent, El Chico equalled the Saratoga record of 1:10 for three-quarters, held jointly by the older Polymelian and Jyntee for many years, in winning the Saratoga Special. Eight Thirty waited until reaching the stretch before challenging, but the John P. Grier speedster moved away when called upon, to win by three lengths. Third Degree was third and Impound fourth. J. hen, In the Hopeful Stakes at six and one-half furlongs, El Chico took command early and simply galloped to his field, beating Ariel Toy by two lengths, as Johnstown, Easy Mon and other good youngsters trailed. 1. f-1 ,Chicos Hopeful effort, although not the fastest in the history of the event at the distance, was made more impressive by the fact he took up 126 pounds, his heaviest impost, and gave considerable weight to all his opponents. io He. was to haye been put away for the year after the Hopeful, but in a change of ll 5J,evt ?Ut lZ the ,Junior Champion, likewise at six and one-half furlongs, f2S inot een kePfc on edande quite as well as trainer Brady would have ftnwr 7m in Hi hSessJltiJ,a xable to stand off a stronS bid y the improved John-charThJ Voh? hlv ?edei-fl the furlong pole, to win by a length over the late-fourth. V0lltant Porter 3 Mlte destined to be the Futurity winner, was a distant fBcn Brush Bramble f Broomstick ? 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