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REFLECTIONS Bv NELS0N dunstan LEXINGTON, Ky., May 7.— Hardly had Count Turf entered the winners circle at Churchill Downs when, as last year, the three-year-olds were being condemned as an "ordinary lot." With Middleground and Hill Prince fighting it out during the season, the sophomores of 1950 added to the the interest interest throughout throughout the the year, year, the the interest interest throughout throughout the the year, year, even though they did not send too many topnotchers to the handicap ranks of 1951. While there is no standout three-year-old at the moment, it is much too early to condemn the present crop. The "prep" events leading up to the Derby simply demonstrated, this year at least, that they were more conditioning races than they were yardsticks for measuring the ability of "Triple Crown" aspirants. Battle Morn, the favorite, had no excuse, and it may be before the running of the Belmont Stakes that a complete revision of earlier ratings will be necessary for the Cain Hoy colorbearer, along with Hall of Fame, Repetoire, Sonic, Big Stretch and Mameluke. The latter, a sore-going horse, stopped so badly that he was beaten by a wider margin than Rochesters Burnt Cork was in the renewal of 1943. In fact, his showing was so bad that we are throwing it out of our reckonings. Before the three-year-old division can be reliably appraised we must await later races to see what develops with Uncle Miltie, Battlefield, Roughn Tumble, To Market and others who skipped Derby competition. AAA The two happiest men at Churchill Downs on the week end were Jack Amiel, owner of Count Turf, and Herman B. Delman, whose filly, How, was the winner of Might Need Revision of Sophomore Ratings Exciting Preakness Renewal to Draw Throng Battlefield Awaits Kentucky Derby Horses Many Rich Races for Three-Year-Olds Ahead the Kentucky Oaks on Friday. Immediately after Count Turf came back to the winners circle Delman turned to this writer and said, "I must meet Jack Amiel for I want to arrange for my filly to be the first to be sent to Count Turfs court when he is retired to stud. I have always liked that idea of breeding an Oaks winner to a Derby winner, and I can think of no more apt mating than an Oaks winner on Friday and a Derby winner on Saturday. In England they hold that there is no more ideal mating than that between a winner of the Epsom Oaks and the Epsom Derby. It has not worked out so well on the other side, but I would be anxious to see what would come of breeding a winner of the Kentucky Oaks to a winner of the Kentucky Derby." No two finer men could have won these races, and it is our pleasure to introduce them. "Mr. Delman meet Mr. Amiel, Mr. Amiel shake hands with Mr. Delman." There were other men, of course, who were happy to see Count Turf the winner, and especially Dr. Frank Porter Miller, of Riverside, Calif., who bred Count Turf, and also John D. Hertz. For this was the first time in Derby history that a granddaddy, a father and his son entered the winners circle at Churchill Downs. Reigh Count, Count Fleet and Count Turf. Last year Bold Venture added to the Derby lore by being the only winner to beget two sons who also won the Derby, Assault and Middleground. With the Derby now in the record books, the Preakness takes on greater proportions than it has in many years. Man o War skipped the Derby, as he was not quite fit for the one and one-quarter miles on that day. But he was ready for the Preakness. Then, in 1934. Cavalcade and Discovery fought it out in the Derby, only to find High Quest awaiting them at Baltimore and to dash their hopes for "Triple Crown" honors. We cannot recall a year when both the two-year-old champion and also the top horse in the Experimental Handicap were rested to await the Derby starters who will journey to Pimlico for a try at Preakness honors. Rather than rush Battlefield, Bert Mulholland has brought him along slowly and he should be ready for a keen effort on May 19. "What happened to Uncle Miltie?" has been the question heard for weeks, and his later performances should be the answer. Both of these impressive two-year-olds of 1950 may yet play a definite part in the three-year-old picture. AAA We do not hear as much about "iron" horses as our fathers did, but our modern three-year-olds would need a combination of iron and steel to compete in but one-third of the many rich events that are ahead for members of that division. Bringing a horse through the Experimentals, Wood Memorial, Chesapeake and Blue Grass Stakes to Derby competition is an accomplishment in itself. Although* there is a short respite of two weeks to the 5,000 Preakness on May 19, that is followed by the 5,000 Withers Stakes on May 26 and the 0,000 Jersey Handicap and 5,000 Peabody Memorial on May 30. June is even more crowded in both the East and West, but confining it to the East there is the ,000 Constitution Handicap, June 9; 0,000 Peter Pan Handicap, Continued on Page Thirty-Eight REFLECTIONS j By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Forty-Four June 9; 00,000 Belmont Stakes; June 16: 0,000 Yankee Handicap, June 18, and 0,000 Shevlin Stakes on June 30. It goes on and on, with many rich races through the summer and fall months. They are all tempting to owners and trainers, but a horse can take only so many of them. "Sweating a horse for the brass," as they used to say in the old days, seldom pays off. The wise owner today is the one who conserves his three-year-old for handicaps a year later. AAA Those who attended the Derby had another reminder that racings popularty is on the upswing this year. This was an "unusual" Derby, true, but it would have drawn a huge throng under any conditions. Laurel, in Maryland; Garden State, in New Jersey; Suffolk Downs, in Massachusetts, and Jamaica, in New York, all reflect that well conducted racing holds its own with other sports. Pimlico is underway and, as said above, the Preakness should draw the biggest throng it has attracted in recent years. Followers of steeplechasing will have opportunities to see the jumpers at Pimlico and also at Belmont Park, where the gates will be thrown open next Monday. As usual, the racing at Belmont is stake-studded, with many of the most important events, including the Belmont I Stakes, to be run.
