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, i 1 l JUDGES STANDI By Charles Hatton 1 Chicagos Fast Set in Saturdays Crete Too Early to Judge Years Three-Year-Olds Hallieboy May Race at New Michigan Track Illinois Board Regulates Jockeys Agents LINCOLN-AT-WASHINGTON, Homewood, 111.. May 15. What is called the major season of racing here in Chicago begins with the Lincoln Fields club meeting at Washingtons lovely course tomorrow. "The trend of racing" in the Prairie , i 1 l State State was was down down sharply sharply last last year, year, but but it it State State was was down down sharply sharply last last year, year, but but it it leveled off in Kentucky this spring, and Pete ODonnell hopes Lincoln will approximate its 1949 play and attendance. Much depends upon the whims of the lake weather, particularly on the five Saturdays and Memorial Day. Lincolns 0,000 stakes become a bit more attractive each year, and they have brought some high-class entertainers to Chicago that will remain for Arlington and Washington, First of the clubs feature is the Crete Handicap of six furlongs for three-year-olds and up on Saturday. Ol Skipper, Provocative, Provocative, Donke Donke Serenade, Serenade, Hypostyle, Hypostyle, Provocative, Provocative, Donke Donke Serenade, Serenade, Hypostyle, Hypostyle, Enforcer, Ky. Colonel and others of the local fast set are possibilities for this stake. It was won last year by Delegate, who shared the 1949 sprint title with Royal Governor. Washington Park has one of Americas best turf courses, and we note that Larry Bogenschutz has written a number of races to be run on the grass. This colorful phase of the sport is nowhere more popular than in Chicago. We should think it will please horsemen that Bogenschutz also proposes an assortment of two-year-old races and overnighters for fillies and mares. Of course, the piece de resistance at this meeting is the 5,000 Peabody Memorial for three-year-olds at a mile and an eighth on Decoration Day. It will hardly attract any of the aspirants for the "Triple Crown," but it is expected to bring together Black George, Bo-man Bath, Lot O Luck and possibly Hallieboy and others of the best in the West. Only one of the "Triple Crown" events has been decided, but already we are assured that "the three-year-olds are an ordinary lot." This tourist always has envied those who could discern these things so early in the season. Frankly, we saw no resemblance between the Kentucky Derby and Lexingtons Plug Horse Derby, and we. fail to see anything so awfully commonplace about a colt who can win the Hopeful, top the Experimental Handicap, then win the Downs classic in 2:01%. On the contrary, this i Texan strikes us as a lot of horse, and he is expected to improve off his race in the Withers. We note that Middle-ground can run on the pace or come from behind, and that he doesnt need any help in the way of blinkers, lead ponies and so on. His ankles were fired last autumn and they are enlarged, but if we judge correctly from his form this spring they cant be quite so bad as they look to paddock sharps. Middleground is preoccupied with the Preakness and the Belmont at the moment, but he is also a candidate for the Arlington Classic, and it is probable he will ship for it if .he continues to train satisfactorily for Hirsch. His sire, Bold Venture, is a very good stallion, though he doesnt seem to get many foals, and his son, Assault, unfortunately is quite sterile. It is to be hoped that Bob Kleberg enjoys more luck with Middleground, who is a better individual than either. - The latest on Hallieboy, who is perhaps the most colorful of the seasons three-year-olds, has it that he may race at the MRAs new DetroitPark, which is to open its gates a week from Thursday. There arent any stakes exclusively for three-year-olds at the meeting in Lavonia Township, but he could run in the ,000 Col. F. M. Alger Memorial, the ,500 Michigan Mile and the 0,000 Governors Handicap. Naturally there will be rejoicing in the Deep South if the colt from Chicamauga gets home in an important stakes event this season. As the story goes, it occurred to Walter Fugate, a Chicamauga neon engineer, that it might be fun to own and race horses. So he bought Hallieboy from Joe Engel for 0,000 last year, along with several mares that brought the total transaction to 5,000. Engel had reared Hallieboy at his farm near Chattanooga. The colt is by Silverdale, who was owned by J. C. Elder, a Chicamauga druggist. Elder died three years ago and the stallion died the following day. Engel gave Hallieboy his name before he was sold to Fugate. It seems Mrs. Engels given name is Hallie, and the colt was quite a pet about the farm, where he came to be known as Hallies boy. Engel is head of the fair association at Chattanooga, owns the local radio station and is president of the baseball club. Several decades ago he was a major league pitcher. It is said that nothing has stirred Chicamauga like Hallieboy since the battle. He must be a tough colt. He shipped 1,000 miles from Lincoln Downs to Louisville, and the waggish Red Smith reported that he got up all by himself the next day. Amazingly enough, he finished the Derby right with Your Host. The racing commission in Kentucky this spring required jockey agents to fill out. applications for licenses similar to those for trainers and jockeys, and we note that the Illinois Racing Board also has some regulations that concern agents. Theres a clause that "each jockey agent shall keep, on a form provided by the association, a record by races of all engagements made by him of the riders he is representing. This record must be kept up to date and held ready at all times for inspection by the -stewards." Any rival claims for the services of a rider are adjudged by the stewards. The application forms in Illinois have a section which empowers the board to revoke a license at any time for misstatements or omissions on the part of the applicant. Most of the cancellations and suspensions of licenses reported are to the central offices of the NASRC are for falsified applications. Turf ana: Downs play was up 10 per cent going into the last few weeks... For the first time in 30 years, no photogs got pix of the Derby winner sporting the roses. . .Frere Jacques, former turf course champion, now runs in claimers. . .Hawthornes Bob Carey is going racing here. . .Middlegrounds form is encouraging to Mexican breeders, for there are a good many of Bold Ventures production there... The Downs innerfield was ornamented with a lake after last weeks deluge. . .The Acorn winner, Siama, is a Hialeah development. . .Oil Capitol has the Arlington Classic as his next important stakes objective.
