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Nelson Dunstan REFLECTIONS By Nelson Dunstan Count Fleet Has All His Speed Remarkable Withers Exhibition Older Stars Share Belmont Stage Juveniles in Chicago Limelight NEW YORK N Y May 24 24Bill Bill Corum is awaiting orders for about three or four months Work somewhere in the war zone The Calumet Farm string will definitely go to Chicago but Ben Jones is also studying the stake books from Suffolk Downs and Garden State Park Entries for the 50000 Massachusetts Handicap close June 15 Cocopet winner at Belmont was a good yearling buy at 900 The Dearborn Stable Detroits own won the first three races of the 73day Detroit meeting with Tower Maid Albino and Swain Twenty more days for Bill Kyne at Bay Meadows means more thousands for War Relief Orchids to Belmont officials for contributing the entire proceeds on Decora ¬ tion Day to the National War Fund Kathleen Mc Inerney 14 years old was awarded a gold medal at the Parliament House N S W for riding her pony ten miles daily to school for eight years without one miss Having covered over 15000 miles she created a worlds record i Hon T J Curran Secretary of State was given a fine reception when he told Belmont fans the state was interested in horse racing We look for keen bidding when Attention goss under the hammer at Belmont on Friday morning Ask Earl Sande how he felt when Jim Dandy beat Gallant Fox and he will tell you a real funny story T The War Department has turned back over 350 Miami hotels to their owners In running the Withers mile in 136 Count Fleet did not break any records Yet with the track condition and no opposition his speed was remarkable in that it appeared so effortless Little Johnny Longden piped If the track had been fast wed have done 134 the way that horse went No horse has ever done it officially at Saratoga Sun Briar was unofficially credited with 134 flat but we are inclined to strinff along with The Fleets pilot For with 126 pounds the Hertz colt ran a far more impressive race from a time stand ¬ point than Man o War and the other two who won the Withers in 1353 Slide Rule is now eliminated so if this horse is to be stopped repeating the word if the job narrows to Occupation Ocean Wave and Devils Thumb That probably means the Classic in Chicago although there are other events which might be the meeting place of these top threeyearolds After the Withers Ben Jones said Theres no taking it away from Count Fleet He just keeps running and a mile and a half is no different than a mile to him He was much more impressive today than he was in the Derby If Occupation can go the Classic distance he might give The Count a real tussle I dont say Ocean Wave can beat either one of them but I am going to go slow with that injury and then give him his chance to try it itBeyond Beyond the three horses mentioned above and Blue Swords opponents for The Count will be hard to find Neither Occupation nor Devils Thumb are eligible for the Belmont and it is a foregone conclusion Ocean Wave will not be ready Second money is 5000 and third money is 2500 and we rather think that anyone who shoots for second money will find Blue Swords ready to argue even though Walter Kelley is pointing the Blue Larkspur colt for the 25000 Dwyer to be run on June 19 Count Fleet is not eligible for next Saturdays 7500 Peter Pan Handicap and it could be that Kelley will send Blue Swords after it skip the Belmont and then train his guns on the Dwyer Threeyearolds will by no means hold the remainder of the Belmont spotlight for tomorrows Ballot Handicap is an indication of the class of performers who will step out for the Suburban Handicap on Decoration Day That timehonored and popular race will be preceded by the Roseben which will cofeature the Peter Pan this Saturday At six furlongs the Roseben will draw the fastest horses now in training in the East the eligibles including Devil Diver Doublrab Boysy Thumbs Up and Apache MarKell who defeated Vagrancy by eight lengths recently is a possible starter Last years winner Some Chance will probably endeavor to make it a double Twoyearolds will hold the Chicago stage this weekend for the Lincoln Fields feature will be the Joliet Stakes a fivefurlong affair that will draw the most promising babes now in the MidWest sector Easterners now have a wholesome respect for those Lochinvars from out of the West and the Joliet Stakes roster reflects the Tiause Anita Peabody was the winner back in 1927 and in 1941 a youngster named Alsab was the winner over Kirwin and Valdina Orphan Last year Littletown a fast trick defeated a lad named Occupation who was later to win four Futurities and then have the seasonal championship snatched from him by the present sensation Count Fleet Black Swan winner of the Bashford Manor Whirlabout Ogham Civil Liberty and Occupy are eligibles and it could be that one or more of this group will be prominent when Arlington Futurity day rolls around Occupy a full brother to Occupation holds high promise but he is only one of the four named by the Chicago sportsman John Marsch who upheld the turf as a liberal buyer of War Bonds last season Seldom does lightning strike twice in the same place and especially in so far as thoroughbred brothers are concerned We are pulling for Occupy because of his owner and Tom Carr Piatt his cobreeder but he will have tough competition from the start startOver Over 100000 persons attended racing in the various sectors on Saturday Although the Belmont attendance fell to 22000 as opposed to 31000 on the same day a year ago the turnout was a remarkable one From 11 oclock on fans trudged from Queens Village to the track and by race time comparatively few cars were to be seen Racing people are more and more complying with the travel regulations and it is unfortunate that the New York City authorities cannot take the same attitude that the Hon Thomas A Curran manifested when as Secretary of State he spoke to the fans over the loud speaker Suffolk Downs is today a trolley car race track and the same can be said for Detroit Chicago does not have the stringent rules that apply in the East but when the Arlington meeting opens they will be using the electric cars thus in no way interfering with the war effort Racings critics are finding it more difficult to complain but it seems to us the more they talk of the turfs short ¬ comings that many more people demonstrate that horse racing is their form of relaxation and that they are going to liave it Detroit is today one of the greatest defense cities in the country but the have so arranged their programs that absenteeism cannot be charged The best thing to do with racings critics is to just let them alone If their pleasure is in knocking racing what does it matter providing 100000 people find their way to the track by travel within regulations to have their afternoon of fun
