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it :; ? farm?; tarms. Thpv They are arp JUDGES STAND Sy Charles Harton Look to Future at Elmendorf Pete Widener Discusses Plans Roman Makes Good Beginning World Wars Influence on Stud LEXINGTON. Ky.. April 3. Elmendorf, P. A. B. "Pete" Wideners sylvan estate, is one of the proudest boasts j among the Blue Grass showplaces. It once , once , Delonged to the fabu-km James Ben Ali ! Haggin. It is on that j salubrious stream, the I North Elkhorn. which ! wends its way pic-turesquely through neighboring Old Ken-ney Farm, the property j of Peters cousin. G. D. Widener. There is no distinguishable bound- ary between the two on ■»n lnnri land nriorinnllv originally a a mrt part farm?; tarms. Thpv They are arp on ■»n lnnri land nriorinnllv originally a a mrt part of "Elk Hill," which was owned by that strange and lonely man. Carter Henry "Dandy" Harrison, the disappointed swain of one of the countrysides legends. It is said that the lovely southern colonial farm ! managers residence at Old Kenney. with its broad porch and tall, white pillars, is i the very same home the over-confident - Harrison built for his elusive lady fair. Elmendorf has its landmarks, too. On the ; brow of a hill tower the great columns and steps which are all that remain of Haggins famed Green Hills Mansion. And by the side of a road is Laura Gardner Frasers ; imposing statue of Fair Play, executed during the last months of that celebrated sires life. Indeed, the sculptress completed the moribund stallions likeness just before he 1 died and it marks his final resting place. Thus far this spring, filly foals far outnumber the colts at Elmendorf. just as they do at most other thoroughbred nurseries here in "the dark and bloody ground." Rather than complaining along with his neighbors about this quirk of nature. Widener tends to have a liking for some of these fillies, especially Romans symmetrical daughters. And he reposes confidence in the proposition that this swift son of Sir Gallahad III. has a future at stud. "He is siring some of the nicest foals we have at Elmendorf," Widener said, "and lam told that Walter Jeffords and Harrie Scott are well pleased by the Romans at their places. He has speed to transmit, you know." Roman has some splendid mares at Elmendorf. many of them imported, home under urgent circumstances, as war refugees. : "We managed to ship those horses we had . in training in France here during 1941." Widener recalled, adding that "more than 30 mares and the stallion Victrix, who won a number of stakes abroad, were left behind. " " It is somewhat of a 4 question of what has become of them. The sire Unbreakable, incidentally, was hastened to a British port and embarked for the United J States the night before war was declared. Twenty-six years earlier, in World War I., the late J. E. Wideners stallion Maintenant had departed from France even more melodramatically, Tom Welsh wrapping him in an American flag and escaping the war zone. Maintenant sired Haste, maternal j gtandsire of Count Fleet, in America. Misty Isle, the champion filly of several seasons back, is one of the better regarded Elmendorf mares. "She and Evangelist, a mare by As-terus. will be bred to Eight Thirty this season," Widener vouchsafes. Two others of the Elmendorf matrons. Breathless and Jezebel II.. are to foal to Eight Thirty this spring. Widener shares his Blue Grass neighbors esteem for The Adonis of Old Kenney. Jezebel II. is a half-sister of the champion French filly. Gossip, while Breathless was trained by Danny Stewart and won several races in the Mid -West. Miss Brief, Brevitys sister, will be returned to War Admiral this season. Peace, dam of the Belmont Stakes winner and sire Peace Chance, is to be bred to Firethorn. Pukka Gins daddy. Additional bookings to outside stallions include one for a Chance Shot mare visting Blenheim II. and an imported producer that will be bred to Mahmoud P A. B. Widener likes breeding and raising thoroughbreds. Further, we find him thoroughly versed in bloodlines, and much more profound in his knowledge of practical horse breeding than those of you : who are accustomed to thinking of him as a casual racegoer might guess. There are I at present seven horses-in-training under the care of young George Odom at Bel- mont Park that are to carry the inter- ; nationally-famous red and white Widener stripes this season. These do not, however, include Fair Weather, the most recent runner to distinguish herself under the Elmendorf colors. She is to be bred this spring. Also in service at Elmendorf is her dam. Fairday. by Fair Play. [ ,
