Reflections: Count Fleet Rated Preakness Cinch; Riverland-Attention Controversy; Rivals May Meet Again in Grey Lag; Belmont Park Has Fine Stake Roster, Daily Racing Form, 1943-05-04

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Nelson Dunstan REFLECTIONS Bv Nelson Dunstan Count Fleet Rated Preakness Cinch RiverlandAttention Controversy Rivals May Meet Again in Grey Lag Belmont Park Has Fine Stake Roster BALTIMORE Md May 3 3Count Count Fleet should now gather some blackeyed susans to mix with Colonel Winns Churchill Downs roses The Hertz colt will move over to Baltimore for the Preakness and nothing short of a broken leg will prevent him from taking the second leg vof the Triple Crown His Derby time of 204 was slow when compared to Whirlaways 201 but when a horse has no serious opposition there is usually a time lag In the months to come The Fleet may encounter some opposition from nation Devils Thumb or Ocean Wave but as it stands today they have more justification for calling him a Preakness cmcn tnan a Derby standout There is no High Quest waiting to catch the Derby money horses on the rebound in the Preakness Vincentive is to start a few hours after these lines are written The Brann threeyearold ran a good race here last week and may again today but we doubt if he will show that he can upset The Fleet A large throng will turn out for the Preakness neverthelejss for the Hertz colt has the appeal which is a magnet to the many who like to see a turf champion that promises to write last ¬ ing history Like Shut Out last year he has a chance to break Gallant Foxs earning record of 308275 for one season Ah injury stopped Shut Out and it now appears to be the only thing that will stop the Hertz colt Riverlands Dixie Handicap victory in new track record time proves he is one of the halfdozen top handicap performers in this country Woolf on Attention had some hard luck when he was blocked and pocketed by his own running1 mate Tola Rose ridden by Mehrtens But no credit can be taken from Riverland who had to go around his field to get clear racing room Woolf was no iceman when he was walking back to the jockey room while Steve Brooks who rode Riverland was as happy as Longden said he was when called to the mike at Churchill Downs Bierman who was scheduled to ride Burnt Cork in the Derby but made a lastminute switch to Anticlimax in the Dixie gave his mount a million dollar ride to third place Anticlimax could not stand Attentions rush but he fought it out gamely and was beaten less than a length for the major portion of the rich purse Mioland had some early speed but althpugh it looked for a time as if the Howard horse was going to stage a fine comeback we doubt if he has the stamina of a few years back It was one of the best Dixie renewals seen in years and while many thought Attention would have been the winner with better racing luck we left Pimlico with the thought that Riverland is capable of holding his own with any mans horse while in his present condition Riverland and Attention will have an opportunity to settle the Dixie arguments in Saturdays running of the Grey Lag Handicap In the Dixie they each carried 123 pounds and on another page of this edition will be found Jack Campbells assign ¬ ments for the Saturday feature at Jamaica With the interest added by the con ¬ troversy after the Dixie the Grey Lag shapes up as the most interesting race for older horses so far this season Marriage winner of last years renewal is a likely starter along with Devil Diver Tola Rose Mioland Apache MineeMo Requested and others of the 54 nominated The veteran Tom Healey enthused over the way Max Hirsch brought Attention back to the race On Saturday morning Healey said to the writer Attention is in magnificent shape When he makes his move he reminds me very much of Eight Thirty You will hear much of him this season Wordfrom New York reminds us that Market Wise is coming to hand handsomely and that he will add interest to the older division in the months to come George Washington Carroll is pointing him for the Suburban on May 31 but will probably start him once before that Many keep asking us how Count Fleet will shape up against these older horses but next fall will be time enough to tackle such questions as that For The Count still has quite a few races to go in his own division before the Hertz camp sends him after the older boys Pimlico has had a very successful meeting to date and the stake events to be run for the next five days should make it even better Tuesdays feature is the Survivor mile and a sixteenth prep for the 50000 Preakness This race has yet to develop a Preakness winner and while we doubt if it will this year it will be an interesting contest in its own right The 10000 Pimlico Oaks will feature Wednesdays card and also at a mile and a sixteenth promises a keen contest with Askmenow probably opposed by Royal Flush La Reign Too Timely Opera Singer and Challedonna Royal Flush defeated La Reigh in the Regret Purse last week but the Pelleteri filly needed that race and will be the better for it on Wednesday Askmenow generally regarded as the champion of her age last season has a busy campaign mapped out and it naturally includes thisOaks which is one of the highlights of the Maryland spring season There will be no stake event on Thursday but on Friday the Pimlico Nursery will attract the youngsters who have shown ability above the ordinary this season Due to curtailment of winter racing twoyearolds have been somewhat retarded but the Nursery is one of the events that will aid on the shaping of the contenders for the Fashion Juvenile and National Stallion at the Belmont meeting With Saturdays closings the spring season passes another milestone Maryland will see no major sport until the fall Narragansetts successful meeting will close and Suffolk Downs will carry on in New England opening next Monday The 5000 Povernors Handicap will be run on May 15 and the Paul Revere Handicap will follow a week later Jamaicas meeting which has been successful beyond all expecta ¬ tions will end and beautiful Belmont will open on Monday for what gives every indication of a record meeting With few exceptions the best horses in the land are on Long Island and will be seen before the meeting ends on June 5 Next Mondays feature is the 5000 Fashion for twoyearold fillies at four and onehalf furlongs The first weekend card May 15 will have the 10000 Metropolitan Handicap as its magnet With 30000 added the Suburban Will be the richest race of the meeting although threeyearolds will have their oppoTtunities in the 5000 Swift on May 12 15000 Withers on May 22 7500 Peter Pan Handicap on May 29 and the 25000 Belmont Stakes on June 5 the last day of the meeting New Yorkers are certain to see Count Fleet in the Belmont barring accidents Belmonts stake events are well divided all divisions getting opportunities to share in the attractive purses


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800