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REFLECTIONS By NELSON DUNSTAN NEW YORK, N. Y., May 13.— We have been reading in the newspapers, somewhat to our surprise, that this years crop of three-year-olds are "not much." Just how anyone can make such a statement after only the Derby and Preakness have been run, when there are still two dozen important events for that division to be run, is a bit beyond us. Strangely, very few people seem to take the victory of Jet Pilot in the Derby very seriously. This was especially true on Preakness Day at Baltimore when Phalanx was made a solid favorite and Faultless the second choice in the wagering. At .60 to , Jet Pilot was a bad third in the wagering, and he ran like one. It may be that this years crop of three-year-olds are below par, but it is a bit premature for anyone to make that statement. The true test of the three-year-old group as a whole is the number of worth while prospects that it sends into the handicap division the following year. That is why we claim that the 1946 three-year-old lot was one of the poorest to race during the present century, and this, despite the record of Assault. If you do not agree with our statement, just take the list of eligibles for the Suburban Handicap, which will be run at Belmont Park on May 30, and, beyond Assault, see how many four-year-olds are eligible to add some luster to that important race, which is one of the true classics of spring racing. When you do it, be sure to have a very strong pair of eye-glasses close at hand. AAA Some folks say that good crops of three-year-olds come in cycles, but we do not agree, and the records bear us out. The last good crop of three-year-olds — and by that we mean a division that sent some worth-while members into the handicap ranks the following year — was in 1941 when Whirlaway, Market Wise, Attention, Staretor, King Cole, Our Boots and Porters Cap were in Too Early to Judge Three-Y ear-Old Crop Cycles Have Little Bearing on Quality First Flight May Start in Top Flight Suburban Most Interesting Race in Offing action. Strangely enough, it was exactly 10 years before that, or in 1931, that Twenty Grand, Equipoise, Mate, Jamestown, Ladder and still others made it one of the most scintillating seasons during the past 50 years. But our theory of "cycles" falls down when we go back to 1921 for, in that season, the three-year-olds were really nothing to brag about. There seems to be no telling just when an outstanding group is to come upon the horizon. AAA This appears to be a season when there will be no such three-year-old standout as Count Fleet and others before him. Just before the running of the Kentucky Derby, we ventured an opinion that we would not be surprised if three different horses were returned the winners of the three "Triple Crown" events. To date, it has turned out that way, with Jet Pilot winning the Derby, and then Faultless coming back to take first honors In the Preakness. We are still of the opinion that the Jones boys will hesitate to start Faultless in the Belmont. This would not be the first time for three different winners, in fact, it was just two years ago, for in 1945, Hoop Jr. won the Kentucky Derby; Polynesian won the Preakness Stakes, defeating Hoop Jr., and then Pavot won the Belmont Stakes from Wildfire and Jeep. The point we want to make is that while Hoop Jr. went wrong, both Polynesian and Pavot went on to perform very well in the handicap ranks. AAA The three-year-olds have a long way to go, but from now on they will have to share the glory with the handi cap performers and two-year-olds. On May 28 and May 30, Belmont Park will stage two exciting races in the 0,000 Top Flight Handicap and the 0,000 Suburban Handicap. The Top Flight Handicap, for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upward, will be run at a mile and a sixteenth, and will give Gallorette, Bridal Flower, War Date, Miss Grillo, Elpis, Good Blood and other members of the so-called weaker sex an opportunity to match strides with such three-year-old fillies as Cosmic Missile, Miss Kimo, Bee Ann Mac, But Why Not, First Flight and still others of the younger ranks. While the colts of the three-year-old division have apparently not been too impressive, the same can hardly be said for the three-year-old fillies, for there appears to be some very promising young ladies of that age and division. First Flight is an eligible for the Coaching Club American Oaks next Tuesday, but there is also a possibility that if she turns in a good effort in that race, she will come out to oppose the older fillies and mares in the Top Flight Handicap. AAA Not in years has there been a race for older horses that is attracting so much attention as the 0,000 Suburban Handicap, which will be run at a mile and a quarter on Memorial Day. If we only said that Assault, Armed, who is a doubtful starter, and Stymie were among the eligibles those three horses would be sufficient to fill the Elmont course from end to end. It is too early, of course, to make any statement that all three will be starters, but we rather imagine that Assault and Stymie will start. The three-way race to topple Whirlaway from his money-winning crown took on added impetus last Friday and Saturday when Assault won the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico, and Stymie won the Metropolitan Handicap here in New York. Yet, the Suburban cannot be narrowed to these three horses, for the event closed with 47 nominations and among them are Coincidence, Pavot, Natchez, Lets Dance and Polynesian.
