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REFLECTIONS *y nelson dunstan NEW YORK, N. Y., May 18.— Three-Dot Shorts: Doubtless II., the South American horse for whom John Hay Whitney paid 09,000, ran a good second to Make-Up Man in his 1949 debut at Belmont Park on Monday. In his three starts of 1948, he was badly beaten, but like other South American horses, he may improve sharply in his second year of racing in this country. . . . On the same day, the 06,000 Algasir ran fifth in a six-horse race at six furlongs, his best distance. . . . Tom Bragg has started four of his crop of five homebred two-year-olds and all have won — that is a good showing for any stable. . . . The biggest stumbling block that the racing commissioners face year after year is the uniformity of rules. . . . Track handicappers still respect Armed for, in the weights for the Valley Forge Handicap at Garden State Park on Saturday, the old champion was assigned 116 pounds, while his stablemate, Faultless, got in with 115. . . . Catalogs for the Remount Service sale at Fort Reno, Okla., on May 25 are being distributed, and they include thoroughbreds, half-breds, Arabians and foreign horses. . . . Only eight polo clubs are still active in England, for few people on the other side can now afford to own polo ponies. . . . Gordon Glisson won his first race at Longacres on July 2, 1948. A A A * Although there is still a question as to the number of starters in the Withers Stakes at Belmont on the week-end, it is fairly certain that Fred W. Hoopers Olympia, who failed in the Derby, and Crispin Oglebays Noble Impulse, who ran third in the Preakness, will fight it out over the one mile route. "The Hooper contingent was wise in giving their colt a slight respite after an arduous campaign for, during the week, he has convinced t dockers that he is once again at the top of his form and ready to meet the Oglebay speedster who made all the pace in the Preakness. It is difficult to say what three-year-olds will start in any race these days for the reason that so many of the events between now and the end of June are for members of this division. A week from Saturday, the 0,000 Jersey Stakes will be run Withers Mile Promises to Be Speed Duel Olympia, Noble Impulse Can Turn It On Frank Kearns Writes About Bargain Horse Loser Weeper, Vulcans Forge to Meet Again at Garden State Park, and events with such high value are naturally going to attract many of the best three-year-olds in training. But regardless of the events to come, the Withers should be a magnet for the best milers in the three-year-old ranks. Capot would add a great deal to the Withers, but, at this writing, he is a doubtful starter. AAA In this column recently, we commented on the fact that Blue Lancer, winner of the Swift Stakes at Belmont, cost 00, while two of the horses in the beaten field were Danherst, who sold for 9,000, and Algasir, who as a two-year-old gelding, brought the astonishing price of 06,000. Frank Kearns, who trains Blue Lancer, writes to say, "That colt came to me last spring very unsound, but showed me that he could really run. I had him fired, so was uanble to train him until late last fall. He was real sore all winter and, if you have seen him, you will remember that he had plenty of scars. But, more important, he has the heart of a champion. I would have shipped him to the Preakness if he was anywhere near being a sound horse. When he was put up for sale, I expected I would have to bid up to ,000 to secure him, so I was as much surprised as you were when I bid 00 and no one raised me." Unfortunately, Blue Lancer has not been named for any of the remaining stakes at Belmont. He is already a "bargain horse," however, and, should he continue in training, he could prove to be one of the best bargains taken out of a sale of horses-in-training in recent years. Saturdays Valley Forge Handicap at Garden State Park has drawn many of the horses who ran in the Metropolitan last week-end and are also eligible for the Suburban Handicap on Monday, May 30. Vulcans Forge, winner of the Santa Anita Handicap and who ran second to Alfred Vanderbilts Loser Weeper in the Metropolitan last week-end, drops two pounds to bp the highweight of the field, while Loser Weeper mil tote 110, which is five more than he carried when he was a surprise winner at Belmont last Saturday. The quartet of Better Self, Double Jay, Mount Marcy and Ocean Brief were all assigned 120 pounds for the Valley Forge, but just which of them will answer the bugle is a question. This race will, naturally, be watched by John B. Campbell, the New York racing secretary, as he is due to release his weights for the Suburban this coming Monday. There is. hardly a doubt that the Calumet contingent will eagerly wait the poundage assigned Coal-town for, as Jimmy Jones has stated, their real objective for their speedster in New York is the 0,000 Suburban, which is at one and one-quarter miles. Coaltown would be a splendid drawing card for this historic event, which is to be run on Decoration Day. AAA Calumet Farm horses have accomplished many unusual feats in racing, and it could be that before this month is out they could add another item to that department. On Saturday, May 28, they plan to start Wistful in the Coaching Club American Oaks which, as you know, has a value of 0,000. As we see it now, there is not a filly in the East capable of matching strides with this three-year-old miss, who has already won the Kentucky and Pimlico Oaks. Then, on Monday, May 30, they would have a very good chance of winning the Suburban with Coaltown. It is unusual enough for any stable to win two 0,000 races on two successive racing days, but the renflarkable part of this feat would be that both of their horses are out of the same mare. Coaltown is by Bull Lea out of Easy Lass, while Wistful is by Sun Again and also out of Easy Lass. Ben Jones keeps saying that Wistful can beat any of the colts and, judging by the three-year-olds of the present season, she could come mightly close to doing just that. Long Is- " landers naturally want to see Coaltown in action, but the interest in Wistful is growing daily. It is little short of astonishing how the Warren Wright contingent turns out champions year after year.
