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JUDGES STANDS charles hatton It is not unusual for race horses to be better at five than they are at four, but Herb Woolf s sprinter, Delegate, seems to be a rather notable exception. The tall Maeda gelding gave a Saturday crowd of 19,000. one of his best performances when he picked up 125 pounds and won the Steger in 1:17. This was his second success in Lincoln-at-Washingtons traditional sprint stake, and he was a trifle of two-fifths behind the track record. It also was his fifth tally in six tries this season and his fourth in a stakes event, bringing his total earnings to 41,600. Delegate has been favored to win each of his starts this season, and a good many enthusiastic Chicagoans seem prepared to back him against any sprinter who might be led up to him. By the way, trainer J.ohnhy Nerud has made Delegate eligible for the 0,000 La Salle Handicap of a mile and a furlong here next Saturday, and its possible he will be a starter. He ran in rather uninspired fashion when efforts were made to get him a distance last year, and many consider that he is out of his element going a mile, but then he has been coming from behind this season. It would be interesting to see him try this technique in the La Salle. AAA A. B. Hancock, Sr., tells us that Black Tarquin and Double Jay will be added to the roster of stallions at his vast Claiborne Stud next spring. William Woodward bred and owns Black Tarquin, who is by Rhodes Scholar out of Vagrancy, and won the important St. Leger in England last season. He now has won three straight abroad this year, is hailed by the least generous Britisher as "the best four-year-old in Europe," and is quite the-one-to-peat for the Ascot Gold Cup. Not long ago a horse called Fighter Command won an English handicap under Delegate Proves Chicago Sprint Leader Notable Additions to Claiborne Sires Blue Grass First Is Count Fleet Filly Commissioners Study Claiming Rules 133 pounds and gave away as much as 32, but then he met Black Tarquin and could do nothing with him even though "Tarquin" gave him 21 pounds. We dont pretend to be well informed about foreign turf affairs, but thats a lot of weight to give away anywhere. Double Jay certainly needs no introduction to U. S. turfmen, and only last week won a seven-furlong race at Hollywood-at-Santa Anita in 1:22. He is pointing for the 00,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 16. Double Jay is distinctly American, Domino on Ben Brush; and the master of Claiborne says, "His pedigree suggests he will be a very suitable mate for mares having English and French blood." The cross proved highly successful at the old Keeney and Bradley studs. AAA Chicagoans old favorite, the Kentucky Oaks winner, Blue Grass, is one of about 150 mares to foal at Claiborne this spring. Her first foal is a nice bay filly by Count Fleet, and A. B. Hancock, Jr., has bred her to Bull Lea. Sums well along in five figures have been rejected for Blue Grass. Broodmares seem to recognize a sort of caste system, and the stylish daughter of Blue Larkspur is the leader of those with whom she is turned out. The Hancocks own mares number from 40 to 50, but about 200 of a grand total of 11,540 having produce at the races in the United States roam its 2,117 acres. This should give you a vague idea of the scope of operations at Claiborne. Discussing the forthcoming yearling sales, Hancock said, "I do not look for any skyrocketing. In fact, I do not anticipate any very remarkable change either way." AAA Illinois now has the claiming rule, recently approved by the NARC, which requires that only winning horses must run for 25 per cent more than their claiming prices if they start in 30 days. This regulation has not resulted in any wholesale traffic in platers, so far as we can see, and it should tend toward more formful sport in claimers, where it is particularly spotty. Naturally the David Harums do not advocate it, but then they cant be expected to care for any rule which makes claiming a horse easier. Its pretty difficult to achieve much uniformity in some of the rules, but this one appears to have a good chance of being adopted in most states. We shouldnt wonder if there would be some interesting reactions to it in Kentucky, where there seems to be some agitation for a return to the closed claiming rule. It is felt that the open rule may have had something to do with trainers reluctance to enter at the Downs spring meet. Of course, the closed rule is subject to abuses, and long symposiums have been conducted on the question of whether to have open or closed claiming. It seems to depend a good deal upon dates and the location of the track. AAA Turf ana: Ben Whitaker may name Albanias twins for twins in his family. . . . Royce Martin tells us Tall Weeds has seemed off form ever since the Kentucky Oaks, in which she was caught in a jam. . . . Les Combs was a week-end visitor at Detroit Fair Grounds, where he is a director. ... A good many of Alibhais mates appear in foal. . . . Ben Lindheimer is here in Chicago, directing the work of setting the stage for Arlington. . . . Bill Stremmel will race some two-year-old "Native Sons" there. . . . Sixty-two of a possible 117 stakes run up to now this year have been won by sales horses.
