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Assault Not Only Big Horse in Barn Trainer Hirschs Charges At Belmont Include Giant Juvenile Colt, Vigilante BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y.. June 15. There are several interesting "items" in barns one and two at Belmont Park, the "horse houses" which are occupied by the powerful contingent Max Hirsch trains for R. J. Kleberg, Jr., master of the 970,000-acre King Ranch in Texas. Heading the newsy subjects, of course, is Assault, the home-bred colt who has achieved international fame through his conquests as a three-year-old. Anything Assault does these days rates at least a few lines. He might not be outstanding for looks, but beauty is only skin deep even with horses and he is the undisputed king of his division. As one trainer of a rival for his crown puts it, "Assault is a real good horse. In fact, he undoubtedly is a much better horse than most people think. Hes just about ruined everything his age, making em look a lot worse than they actually are. I wish I had him!" However, Assaults performances, and his so-called crooked hoof have been amply dealt with by this papers scribes. One may pass up the winner of the Experimental Handicap, Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont and Dwyer and go on to a virtually unheard of youngster in the same barn who will be known as Vigilante when he goes a-racing. Over Sixteen Hands and Still Growing Vigilante is a giant among horses. Hirsch. who has trained thoroughbreds of all sizes and varying degrees of quality during his many years as a conditioner, says, "I never had a juvenile as big as Vigilante and cant recall training an older horse who measured un to him in size." The" "baby" stands IB hands three and three-eighths inches and is still growing. He is a son of Bold Venture, who sired Assault, and is out of Dawn Play, who won the Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks and the American Derby in 1937. He is bigger than either mom or pop and if his performances measure up to theirs he is also going to carve himself a niche in the turfs hall of fame. Because Vigilante is so hefty Hirsch has had to exercise considerable care in training him. "I must make sure," he said this morning, "that his legs are able to carry his body. They are subjected to quite a bit of strain. I dont know just when Ill start him. It may be some time yet." Though Hirsch did not say so, it is obvious that he regards the giants size as something of a challenge. The astute conditioner is trying to teach the youngster his racing A, B, Cs and admirers of this "professor of form" believe he can do it. Lost His Dam Early Vigilante, who seems well proportioned despite his size, lost his dam, Dawn Play, when he was four months old. That unfortunate happening necessitated his being fed on formula until he could be turned out to pasture, where he could rustle his own food. He has done right well for himself. His massiveness makes him something of a "problem child" for Hirsch and his assistants, because it is not going to be easy to transport him from track to track. They may need a special horse car for him before he. is through growing and, as this newspapers chart-caller, Chuck Connors, puts it, "they may even require a special race track!" Incidentally, though this writer was in the King Ranch barn all morning, he did not hear Vigilante called "tiny" even once. What are they waiting for? One of Vigilantes pals is a dog named Homer, an energetic, smart four-year-old whose daddy was a wandering minstrel of unknown identity but whose bitch was purebred. Homer no one seems to know how or why he got his name plays no favorites. He is as friendly with Assault as he is with Vigilante. Hirsch, though extremely busy training the many horses in his charge, has found enough time to teach Homer a few tricks. The dog can do a somersault in mid-air, but that stunt is minor-league so far as he is concerned. His best feat is running up the trunk of a tree a good eight or nine feet to fetch a handkerchief that Max Hirsch, Jr., pins there. He would be a competent steeplechaser if he could carry the weight.
