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;„- . . . . „, JUDGES STAND By Charles Hatton Record Breakers Meet in Bashford Manor Detroit Book Promises Good Entertainment Bold Venture Bids for New Stallion Honors Corum Gratified by Downs Attendance, Play CHDBCHIIIi DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 12. One shudders to think how fast they may run in the Bash-lord Manor here tomorrow if the track remains as speed conducive as it was last week-end. Mrs. Emil Denemarks lively ;„- . gelding, gelding, Mais Mais Boy, Boy, set set a a Headley Headley course course rec- gelding, gelding, Mais Mais Boy, Boy, set set a a Headley Headley course course rec- record at Keeneland, and, earlier in the week, Mrs. Harry Trotseks colt, Robust, qualified for the Bashford Manor when he set a new five-furlong mark of :58% here at the Downs. That was his first appearance under colors and he beat a 38-year-old track record. Robusts run would have been even more impressive had not old Porters Broom set a new track mark of 1:10 "4 for six furlongs a few minutes later. The fallacy of fast time is that tracks sometimes are faster than the horses. When that occurs, it has "about about as as much much significance significance as as if if they they are are . . . „, "about about as as much much significance significance as as if if they they are are running downhill on a tin roof," in the opinion of Plain Ben uHJr. mterest y°u. Robust is one of the first crop of foals by righting Step, who won the American Derby in 1945. when ne was voted the seasons champion three-year-old colt. We suppose Mais Boy will be the favorite for this Bashford Manor, put at somewhat longer odds than it appeared likely he would be a few days ago. Dale Shaffer and George Haggerty are well pleased with the way things are shaping up at the MBAs new Detroit Park course, where the Michigan season begins on May 25 with the first renewal of the ,000 Curtain Up for two-year-old fillies. There is to be a sort of open house at the stylish new track on the Sunday preceding the Thursday opener. Charley McLennans condition book for the first 15 of the 35 days was distributed about a week ago and the purses are of ,000 and ,500, with eight events daily and a 2:30 first post time. About half of the races are at a mile or farther and there is a generous sprinkling of overnighters for two-year-olds and fillies and mares. One of the six stakes to be renewed at this meeting is the ,500 added "Michigan Mile" on June 24. The potential earnings of the milers has been increased considerably in the last few years, what with Washington Parks Whirlaway, Belmont Parks Sysonby Mile, and the new Centennial Parks 0,000 Colorado Mile. As a matter of the utmost unimportance, this tourist has a notion that Middleground holds an excellent chance of becoming the ninth American Triple Crown winner, and the second by the Texas stallion, Bold Venture. The King Ranch horse now is the first Derby winner to sire two Derby winners,, and no horse has yet sired two Triple Crown winners. Bold Venture seemed about to win a Triple Crown, but he went wrong in his final work for the Belmont after winning the Derby and the Preakness. Middleground stripped for the Derby carrying more substance than the others of the field. To be percently candid about it, some of them hadnt much middle left after the gruelling Derby prep, and were sporting what are called "poverty creases" about their flanks and quarters. Middlegrounds chances of emulating Assault in the "Triple Crown" may depend in some degree on track conditions at Pimlico and Belmont, for he seems to prefer reasonably firm going. Of course, that on The Hilltop will be firm enough if it is dry. John de Blois Wach and other Californians tell us that Your Host seemed to have more dash at Santa Anita than he showed at the Downs, and those who saw Oil Capitol back at Miami wonder if he is quite so sharp as he was in February. Very possibly, both of these colts were better in the late winter. Certainly, they are meeting better horses than they did at that time. Californians really were quite astonished that Your Host could not breeze on the lead down the far side in the Derby. We have never seen it done in the Downs classic. War Admiral and Count Fleet led from the drop of the flag, but they had to sprint the entire route. "Bill Corum goes to New York following the Bashford Manor tomorrow and his many readers will be interested to know that his sports column resumes on May 16. Corum returns here briefly for a business conference later in the Downs meet and, of course, he will be on hand at Pimlico when the Preakness is run. He thinks there is a good chance Middleground will confirm the form of the Derby in the "Run for the Black-Eyed Susans," and looks for Mr. Trouble to be a formidable rival in that 0,000 added run of a mile and three-sixteenths. For one thing, it isnt expected the Whitney colt will make his move at the five-furlong pole in that one. Corum will be back in Louisville for a good part of the fall meet, which will be highlighted by a renewal of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. He is delighted with the way things have gone at the Downs this spring and there is a prospect the average play and crowds will mark an increase over 1949 statistics in the final analysis next week-end. Turfana: Downs estimates place the actual Derby crowd at •"well over 100,000". . .The recent first-time- starter, Fleur de Lis, is the last foal by Boojum and the last from Xhe mare Lilly. . . First Flights striking two-year-old sister, Swanky, who trained very well this spring, developed a filled ankle and will be pointed for Spa stakes. . .Among other traditions established at this years Derby was two bottles of rare champaigne for the winners caretakers at the barn... One may race under nom du course at the Downs and Keeneland, but the owners names are given parenthetically on the race cards. . .Mr. and Mrs. Dan Kennedy, the Canadian breeders, have acquired the well-bred Beau Dandy from Calumet, to serve at stud in the Dominion. . .Myrtle Charm is a prospect for the Top Flight, which will mark her first attempt beyond a sprint distance.
