Assaults Future Races Undecided: Trainer Hirsch Will Await Outcome of Belmont Stakes Before Mapping Out Plans, Daily Racing Form, 1946-05-31

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Assaults Future Races Undecided Trainer Hirsch Will Await Outcome of Belmont Stakes Before Mapping Out Plans BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 30. — Trainer Max Hirsch, the Texan, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preak-ness with the Texas-owned and -bred Assault, thus making that three -year-old something of a "lone star" in his division, has no immediate plans for his brilliant charge. When questioned here today regarding what he intends doing with the King Ranch colt after the Belmont Stakes, he said: How he runs in Saturdays race, and how he looks after it, will determine just what Ill do with him in the future. Assault has had a long, hard campaign and everything depends upon his condition after the Belmont. Hes a tough little horse but there is a possibility he will have to be freshened up a bit. If and when he does look good to me Ill send him to the post." Hirsch, who has saddled numerous top-not chers during his long career, including Assaults sire, Bold Venture, who also won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. was asked whom he thought would give his horse the most trouble in the Belmont. He was in complete agreement with a majority of others, saying: "Hell have to beat Lord Boswell, I guess." The sensational finish of the Preakness, which found Maine Chance Farms Lord Boswell closing on Assault like the proverbial "Wild Horse," has provoked considerable discussion of their relative merits. A liberal proportion of the fans who were at Pimlico that day maintain that Warren Mehrtens, who rode Assault, made his move too soon and, as a result, his mount had little left when they neared the wire. Admirers of Lord Boswell Others, not so numerous but just as vehement, declare that Mehrtens ride had nothing to do with the close finish; that Lord Boswell, something of a disappointment in the Derby, had his running shoes on in the Preakness and almost proved too much for his agile opponent with the crooked hoof. What does Max Hirsch think of the way the Preakness was run? "The boy Mehrtens made too much use of him after he got into trouble shortly after the start. He got him running too fast and you know you cant get hold of a horse who is stepping along at a top clip. *T though he was finished in the stretch, because he was completely off his feet. However, he lasted long enough to win it. I cant censure Mehrtens too much because I know its a lot easier to ride a horse from the grandstand than it is when youre actually on his back and you havent the time to decide just what would be exactly the right thing to do. "When I spoke with Mehrtens after the race he asked me: What would you have done, Mr. Hirsch, if you had been in my position? I could not answer him. "Assault ran into plenty of trouble after the break and, in my opinion, the jockeys who were responsible for the interference caused when they came over too quickly with their mounts, should have been reprimanded or fined." Hirsch has the Belmont Stakes favorite tuned to concert pitch. Because R. J. Kleberg, Jrs, colt has done so well, he has been the target of a wide assortment of photographers. He doesnt relish being "posed" and, naturally enough Hirsch doesnt like to bother him too much. "Hes like a fighter — a real good fighter, not a punch-drunk boy — right before a scrap. Hes razor sharp, doesnt like to be bothered by any one. He knows what he wants and if any one tries pushing him around hell push right back."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1940s/drf1946053101/drf1946053101_3_1
Local Identifier: drf1946053101_3_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800