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I THREE-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS OF 1939 VOLITANT By NORRIS ROYDEN . Volitant never has been worse than second, although his efforts have ranged from five furlongs to a mile and one furlong, and against good horses. This record of last season and. during the winter makes the son of Display and Flighty Anna, by Flight of Time, one of the most prospective of the three-year-olds, even though the Saratoga Stable of George H. Bull and John A. Morris was not disposed to nominate him for the Kentucky Derby. One of the best of Volitants efforts was in the Junior Champion Stakes at Aqueduct, in which he finished at the heels of El Chico after gaining steadily through the stretch. Observers were divided in their opinions as to whether Volitant would have overtaken the champion within a few more strides. Previous to his clash with El Chico, Volitant had made and won three starts. The first was by a nose over Entracte at long odds, and the second was a month and a half later at Saratoga over Trailer, Heather Broom and Easy Mon, encouraging his owners to start him in the Saratoga Sales Stakes. In this dash of five and one-half furlongs, Volitant came from behind, as he had in his two earlier starts, to nip Ariel Toy on the post for principal honors as Impound finished third and Donita M. fourth. Lacking in engagements, Volitant did not start again after his effort in the Junior Champion until the Spalding Lowe Jenkins Handicap at Laurel late in October. The track was deep in mud and the Saratoga Stable colt did not appear very impressive in defeating Tin Devil by half a length, Harry Richards being required to ride him briskly. However, in the Walden Handicap, also offered over a slow track, Volitant gave much more freely of his speed and took a good lead entering the stretch as Time Alone and then Impound faltered, but he shortened his stride in the final sixteenth, where Inscoelda came up steadily on the outside, to beat him a head in the mile and a sixteenth race. Trained for the Flamingo Stakes, Volitant didnt have the speed to keep up with Easy Mon in a dash of seven furlongs as a preliminary to Hialeahs Parks three-year-old feature, but he was brisk enough to lead a large part of the mile and a furlong of the feature. He hung in the latter stages of the drive however, and lost the decision to Technician by a neck, and the latter now is regarded as one of the more prominent Derby candidates. In both the Flamingo and Walden, Volitant was beaten from behind after being in front turning into the stretch. In his other races he was not called upon for pace-making duties and appeared more willing at the finish, even though he was running against a colt like El Chico. Perhaps the pace in the Flamingo and Walden was such that Volitant couldnt be taken back, but if he is to gain a top position among the three-year-olds over the longer routes, we believe he will have to wait until the final quarter or even later to make his bids. Volitant ought to have plenty of stamina even though his dams sire, Flight of Time, was only a sprinter. His second dam produced numerous good winners in France as did his third dam, while St. Celestra, the fourth dam, was a half-sister to Star Shoot and to the dams of Under Fire and Ecouen. It is a line of classic horses and Volitant should prove himself a better three-year-old than he was as a juvenile, although one of the topnotchers. , . f Spendthrift Australian r Hastings. J Aerolite , J Cinderella . tBIue Ruin 1 Manna f -is UairyGold J Bend Or j Doncaster tt, "S Rouge Rose LDameMasham Galliard "Eh . Pauline 5 rv f William the Third j St. Simon fNassovjan. .J Gravity J L Veneration II Laveno g "j Admiration C Umlock......... j Sp-rmmt. j Carbine h 5 SS I . Maid of the Mint 2 S J LKeystonell ; Persimmon- H T Lock and Key 3 8 c, JNegofol. .. Childwick O , fHourless Nebrouze 5 J I Hour Glass II 3 Rock Sand foS Hautesse II. , l-Impetuous. T , fPeter Quince Commando c g J j Fair Vision J L Wilful Maid II ; !Sundridge Marian Hood j JFlorizelU t st. simon E TDoricles... LRosali j! Perdita II. Z J 1C, . Rosicrucian S Pitteri 5 k- . . JLadas , Ha L St. Astra..... ...A Illuminata I St. Celestra j St. Angelo Astrology fOr Tomahawk.
