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r . .... ....... Here and There on the Turf Hash Must Improve Will Be Tested Again Early Date Aids Derby Doesnt Hurt Preakness A Hash, the aptly named son of Questionnaire and Delicacy, by Chicle, among the Greentree Stables galaxy of three-year-old prospects,, made good in his 1939 debut, as have some of the others of Mrs. Payne Whit- neys colorbearers, but his effort was not as convincing as his closest admirers would I have preferred. Improvement may be ex- pected of the colt, however, now that he has ,had his first competitive effort of the season, but whether it will be sufficient to tempt trainer John Gaver to start him in the Kentucky Derby remains to be seen. One of the Greentree Stables four eligibles for the Blue Grass Stakes, Hash, may be expected to start in that Keeneland attraction along with Third Degree and possibly Roll and Toss. One by One, the other Greentree eligible to the Blue Grass, is in New York and there is no reason for shipping him to the Lexington track, as his stablemates appear to have the event at their mercy. A dry but dull track prevailed for the race in which Hash made his debut and he only had to carry 111 pounds, being a pound over, yet the lightweight of the small field. He ran the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:46, three and three-fifths seconds slower than the track record, and he had to be ridden briskly by Eddie Arcaro to make this time as well as to defeat Viscounty by a head. The manner in which he responded when called upon to run down Viscounty after the Valdina Farms colt, likewise a Kentucky Derby and Blue Grass Stakes prospect, had taken a clear lead on him in the back stretch, gave some encouragement to the Continued on twenty-seventh page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page Greentree camp as to Hashs prospects to go over a distance of ground. But if either Hash or Viscounty is to be considered a dangerous candidate for the three-year-old classic, he should have beaten the other in easy fashion. Time is the principal factor why the Preakness attracts some three-year-olds not entered for the Kentucky Derby, not that owners are any more anxious to win the Pimlico classic than Louisvilles great event, properly termed the nations most popular race. The Preakness comes a week after the Derby, and is at one-sixteenth of a mile shorter distance, so trainers of eligibles are not called upon to drill them so severely in getting them ready. If the Derby was to follow the Preakness this condition would be reversed. With the situation being as it Is, the Preakness has several among its eligibles which were not named for the Derby, but it is nothing to cause any disappointment to Churchill Downs officials. The Derby has an ample number of candidates as it always has and at this time a wide-open race appears in prospect whether the field is large or small. Just now an average number of starters as Derby line-ups go is likely. Col. Matt Winn has a reason for staging the Derby early and it is a good one. By presenting the classic at an early date, he is assured of a good sized field, because the three-year-olds havent had a chance to become thoroughly tested and more owners will take a chance of winning the event than they would if the race came later when one or two colts may have been established as outstanding. Also in being staged early in the season, the Derby has a better chance of attracting visitors from out of town before they have had a lot of racing in their own sector. This year the classic promises to draw a greater throng than ever before, particularly from New York and Maryland. With Challedon considered the most solid candidate for the Derby by many observers, he only has to live up to his promise to excite more interest among Marylanders than ever before. Just as the Derby is likely to prove a thrilling and spectacular race, the Preakness should do likewise. The leading contestants in the Churchill Downs classic will move on to Pimlico to engage those three-year-olds which were pointed especially for the Preakness. It doesnt always hold true that the horses held out of the Derby for the Preakness, whether or not considered to be more promising, are able to win the latter race. Starters in the Derby ordinarily may be considered to have the greater seasoning and this always is an important factor in the spring. In recent years such horses as War Admiral, Bold Venture, Omaha, Burgoo King and Gallant Fox have been able to capture the Preakness after having been successful in the Derby and their opposition at the Baltimore course always included horses which had sidestepped the earlier special.
