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REFLECTIONS By Nelson Dunstan Escadru Ran Her Best Race in Peter Pan Injects Interest in Belmont on WeekEnd Mr Busher Makes an Impressive Debut Good Colts in National Stallion Stakes StakesNEW NEW YORK N Y June 7 7Saturdays Saturdays racing went far in injecting interest in both the Belmont Stakes and the colt division of the National Stallion Stakes which will be cofeatured at Belmont Park on the week ¬ end Since April 19 when W L Branns Escadru won from Better Self at Jamaica racing fans have been awaiting the day when this chestnut son of Challenger n would finally reveal the form of which they thought he was capable That day came on Saturday when he ran the most brilliant race of his career to take the honors in the Peter Pan Handicap at one and oneeighth miles Ridden by Kirkland Escadru drew clear of his opposition to win by four lengths from G H Bostwicks Stunts with Vulcans Fnrcrp the oddson favnritp a wpll beaten horse to finish fifth By this victory Escadru looms as Cita ¬ tions most formidable opponent on the weekend and the longer distance of one and onehalf miles will be in his favor in New England Better Self was an easy winner over Sal ¬ magundi in the Yankee Handicap and the manner in which he handled himself in this one and onequarter mile race may be the factor which will cause Max Hirsch to send this son of Bimelech against Citation Escadru and possibly Whirling Fox in the Belmont BelmontDelaware Delaware Park will stage only one stake event this week and that will be the 25000 Kent which like the Belmont Stakes is exclusively for threeyearolds Prac ¬ tically every threeyearold of note is eligible for this one and onesixteenth race with the exception of Citation Coaltown is on the list along with Escadru Better Self Alphara and Looser Weeper and all of these with the exception of Coaltown have been winners during the past week Salmagundi Dart By Splash and Quarter Pole all of whom were beaten by Better Self in the Yankee Handicap are named and while Salmagundi is a probable starter there is a question if any of the other three will go to the post A goodsized field seemed assured how ¬ ever for there are quite a few at the Wilmington track who are eligible for this race and especially Bovard Macbeth and Frenchtown C V Whitney has six named and although it is doubtful if Quarter Pole will be a starter they may have a colorbearer in one of the trio of Mount Marcy Black Majesty or Vulcans Forge who was unimpressive in the Peter Pan Two weeks later or on June 26 the feature at Delaware will be the Leonard Richards Stakes which is also for threeyearolds at a mile and a furlong and also has practically the same list of eligibles as the Kent KentIn In the filly division of the National Stallion Stakes which was won by Green Baize there were only six starters and prior to the days racing there was a question just which of the colts would try conclusions with the Green tree Stables Wine List in the colt division of the same race this weekend We can be very definite in saying that Mr Busher winner of the first race at Belmont and Noble Impulse winner of the Christiana Stakes qualified handsomely for this race Mr Busher who cost 50000 as a weanling was making his first start and in winning by six lengths he stirred the imagination to the thought that before the year is over we may see one of the all too few brother and sister combinations who have earned fame on the turf This youngster has a long way to go but in running the five furlongs down the Widener Course in 57 he served notice that he will be the one to beat should he start in the National Stallion Down at Delaware Crispin Oglebays homebred Noble Impulse a bay colt by Bull Dog defeated nine other youngsters impressively The National Stallion now shapes up as the most interesting event for twoyearold colts contested so far this season seasonIn In the East the only event for older horses on the weekend is the 10000 Spring Handicap which at six furlongs will be the feature at Narragansett Park The Roseben Handicap which will be run at Belmont next Monday the closing day is the first of three sprint races that are named for famous sprinters of a bygone day the other two being the 10000 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park on June 21 and the 30000 Equipoise Mile at Arling ¬ ton Park on June 26 The Roseben which has 15000 in added money is at six furlongs and closed on April 1 of this year with 40 nominations Such well known sprinters as Rippey King Dorsett Brown Mogul Concordion Buzfuz The Doge and Mangohick have been named Of the three races the Equipoise Mile is the most important and like Stymie in the Suburban Armed has never been successful in this event In 1946 the Calumet gelding ran third to Witch Sir and Old Kentuck while in the 1947 renewal he was second to With Pleasure the horse who battled him so stoutly in Chicago last summer In all probability Armed will not be a starter this year but this would seem an ideal medium for Coaltown to repeat the victory of Sun Again who won for Calumet back in 1944 1944History History repeated itself somewhat in the victory of My Love in the Epsom Derby on Saturday for it brought home once again that England is very shy of threeyearolds who can be classed as stayers My Love is a son of Vatellor who was also the sire of last years Derby winner Pearl Diver In 1947 there were few critics in England who were enthusiastic about Pearl Divers chances although prior to the race they judged him the best looking horse in the paddock Pearl Diver proved the only stayer of class in the field and due to this he was a very con ¬ vincing winner The sire Vatellor is by Vatout out of Lady Elinor who was a daughter of the famous Teddy sire of Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog It is clearly obvious why Henry Knight and other American breeders are now looking to France more than to England for the type of sires that will makp good in this country That the Aga Khan is one of Europes most successful breeders is once again reflected in that he purchased a half interest in My Love before Saturday running of the English Derby from Leon Volterra in whose colors Royal Drake ran second to My Love
