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REFLECTIONS By Nelson Dunsian Suburban, Belmont Should Attract Throngs Stymie May Write Earnings History Today Faultless Probably Odds-On in Belmont Pipette Sale Cheering to Market Breeders NEW YORK, N. Y., May 29. You can never tell about racing crowds. On Tuesday, although there was no stake event down for decision at Belmont, some 23,000 were on hand. Yesterday, when they staged the Meadow Brook Steeplechase Handicap and the Top Flight Handicap, approximately 21,000 turned out for the days sport. This much you can be sure of, however, that on tomorrow and Saturday, Belmont will establish its own season record for two consecutive days. Last year 60,600 attended the Suburban running and 43,600 were on hand to see Assault win the Belmont Stakes. Assault and Stymie will be the magnets to draw the throng to Belmont tomorrow, for this particular race could mean a great deal to either of them in the climb on the money- winning ladder where Whhiaway now sits with earnings of 61,161. There is hardly a doubt that the Belmont fans will favor Assault, even though he is asked to carry the top weight of 130 pounds. The Kleberg colorbearer worked impressively on Tuesday for his Suburban engagement and, after the horse had cooled out, Max Hirsch was well satisfied with the condition of last years "Triple Crown" winner. When we asked Hirsch Jacobs about the condition of Stymie, he answered, "We are ready." After Faultless worked impressively on Tuesday, the pricemakers told us he was almost certain to be an odds-on choice at the Belmont Stakes post time. This is not surprising, for, since the running of the Kentucky Derby, Faultless has added to his reputation by winning the Preakness and Withers, while Phalanx lost prestige when he was beaten by Tailspin in the Peter Pan. During the past 10 years there have been odds-on choices in the Belmont who won and some who could not live up to the confidence the public placed in them. In 1927 Chance Shot was the winner at 1 to 4 and, some four years later, Twenty Grand defeated twd other horses at the odds of 9 to 10. Omaha, in 1935, closed at 7 to 10, and two years later War Admiral ran what is often said to have been the greatest race of his career in winning at 9 to 10. In 1939 Johnstown closed at 1 to 8 and, in 1941, Whirlaway was at 1 to 4 in defeating three rivals. The last odds-on choice to win a Belmont was Count Fleet, who, in 1943, defeated two rivals at a pay-off of 1 to 20. To give the other side of the picture since 1927, Victorian, Whichone, Brevity, Dauber, Alsab and Pensive were all defeated as odds-on choices. Oftentimes it is said that owners and breeders would prefer to win a Belmont Stakes renewal than they would any other three-year-old classic. The arguments mostly used are that the Belmont represents the "survival of the fittest" in early three-year-old competition, and that the third race of the "Triple Crown" is Americas counterpart of the Epsom Derby. Undoubtedly, the winning beedroll of the Belmont is one of the most impressive to be found in any race run in this country. It is literally a "whos who" of three-year-olds who have gone on to establish themselves as top sires of the land. Yet, we can never recall an owner lamenting the fact that his horse was only capable of winning the Derby or Preakness, but could not go on to earn a victory in the Belmont Stakes. In our opinioii, tl angle of the Belmont is greatly overplayed, for a check of the "Derby and Preakness, to say nothing of the Classic, American Derby, Travers or Lawrence Realization, would reveal that there were many winners who went on to success when retired to the stud farm. True, the Belmont Stakes and the Epsom Derby are both run at one and one-half miles, but, beyond. that, there are very few points which justify the Belmont being referred to as "the American counterpart of the Epsom Derby." Since Tuesday we have had numerous inquiries as to whether or not the defeat of four consecutive odds-on choices at Belmont Park constitutes a record. One reader wrote us that he had made a wager with a friend of his that a new record had been created and they would abide by our decision in the matter. We certainly do not wish any wagers settled on our say-so, for, while it is a record since we came on the turf, it could be that somewhere, in the dim past, there was four or more odds-on choices defeated in a row. To get an absolutely correct answer the research that would be necessary is absolutely impossible. There have been times when two or three odds-on choices have been defeated on th same day, but we doubt whether a careful check would reveal four being beaten at one track in succession. Racing is full of rarities, and this certainly must be classed among them. It has always been the contention of people who closely study the races that any one who makes a specialty of reserving his play to horses who are less than even money will wind up a loser at the end of any season. Yesterday morning the Fasig-Tipton company staged a sale of horses in training, and the three-year-old filly Pipette, in the consignment of the estate of W. H. LaBoyteaux, brought 8,000. The second highest price of the morning was the ,000 paid for the Jack High filly Imperieuse. The rest of the horses in the consignment dropped sharply. One of the most astute buyers of ready-made racing stock and yearlings looked upon this sale as a yardstick for the coming vendues of yearlings at both Keeneland and Saratoga. He said, "The sale of Pipette to J. B. Ryan Jr. is just another indication that buyers are willing to bid high for the stock they want, but that there is no such demand for the cheaper horses. I have been reading a great deal about this years yearling sales and I am of the opinion that, as in former seasons, we will see spirited bidding for the top yearlings of 1947, but a downward trend in the cheaper youngsters that are offered year after year. The overall averages may show a drop this season, but I still believe the best yearlings will draw bids that are comparable to the prices paid in the past few years." It is the general opinion that there will be a drop of from 10 to 15 per cent this season, but only the sales themselves hold the true answer.
