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REFLECTIONS *y NELS0N dunstan NEW YORK, N. Y., June 2.— Three -year -olds will dominate the racing at Belmont Park on the next two week-ends and, before the month is out, there should be some clarification of the sophomore standings. The Peter Pan Handicap at a mile and a furlong will be contested next Saturday and on June 16 the 00,000 Bel mont Stakes will bring the survivors together in the race at one and one-half miles. There may be an added attraction Tuesday when Count Turf, winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Bold, winner of the Preakness, are likely to meet in a race called the Polynesian, which is at one and one-sixteenth miles. These horses have not been out since they won the "Triple Crown" events and this race could be a tune-up for the Peter Pan, which, on paper, gives promise of being one of the best three-year-old races to date this season. Besides Count Turf and Bold, it is fairly certain that Battlefield, winner of the Withers Stakes, and Uncle Miltie will answer the bugle. Should Count Turf and Bold clash in the Polynesian, Belmont fans would have a good line on their respective abilities but they will still have Battlefield and possibly Uncle Miltie to contend with. i AAA The Belmont Stakes, important as it is, does not always point out the three-year-old champion. Last year, Middleground was the Belmont winner, and, had a vote been taken after that race, the King Ranch horse, who had previously won the Derby, probably would have received the majority of votes. Hill Prince ran seventh, but he was the three-year-old who eventually became the champion of his age and sex. The Belmont is a "milestone," by there are many races after it which play a Belmont Events May Clarify Sophomore Ranks Derby, Preakness Winners to Meet Tomorrow Record Breaker, The Pimpernel, Promising Colt Lone Eagle, Like Noor, Now Foreign Threat telling part in pointing out the one horse who will be voted the king of his division. There are many other races to come which will play their part. While we would expect something of a letdown after the Belmont Stakes, it is surprising how many three-year-old races are to be run this month. The Yankee Handicap at Suffolk Downs, the Keni Stakes at Delaware Park, the Select Handicap , at Monmouth, the inaugural running of the Warren Wright Memorial Stakes at Arlington Park, the«-West-erner at Hollywood Park and the Shevlin Stakes at Aqueduct are still to be contested and July offers such events as the Leonard Richard Stakes, Dwyer Stakes, Arlington Classic and others. AAA Owner by W. Goadby Loew, The Pimpernel has become one of the most discussed two-year-olds in, racing today. While in Florida, we were of the opinion that Jet Master was one of the fastest juveniles we had seen in years, although there was no guarantee at that time as to how far this Jet Pilot colt wQUld carry his speed when he moved north. Then came a day at Belmont Park some three weeks ago when we saw The Pimpernel, a colt by Pavot, smash the world record that was established a year ago by Black Douglas over the Widener course. Black Douglas ran the four and a half furlongs in :50%, and then failed to live up to the promise given in that particular race. On May 17 this year, The Pimpernel led from start to finish, defeating such a highly regarded youngster as Jet Jewel, in :49%, which was a new world mark. Last Wednesday, at Garden State Park, The Pimpernel accounted for the Christiana Stakes by seven lengths, being timed in :58%, one-fifth of a second off the Delaware track record. He is not in the colt division of the National Stallion Stakes, which will be run June 13, but he impresses us as a youngster who will make his way in the two-year-old division this year. At the moment, he is a definite credit to the young sire, Pavot. A A. A After the running of the Suburban, we made the observation in this column that the handicap ranks were in need of a name horse or two. We have been discussing this -division with veterans and they appear to be of the opinion that the older ranks are in need of some good horses, even though they are not in the "name" category. The Suburban result was an upset, not only with the filly Busanda winning, but with Lone Eagle running second. There is no doubt that the Suburban was the best race that Lone Eagle has run since he arrived in this country. He was purchased by Gustave Ring at Hia-leah last, winter. Although he was badly beaten in many of his previous starts, his showing in the Suburban was little short of a revelation. It is held by some that, like Noor, he is now acclimated and will show to much better advantage in his racing in the future. It is still this writers opinion, however, that County Delight is the horse they all must fear in the rich races ahead for older horses. AAA From Los Angeles, come a letter from Robert G. Gain-sell, who says, "Out here on the Coast, Citation is making the headlines, and despite your recent article saying he should be retired, he is also making them in the East. Continued on Page Thirty-One REFLECTIONS I By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Forty I am enclosing a copy of an article which appeared in the Thoroughbred Record by one of our western writers, in which he says, "The old champion is not washed up and he certainly wasnt disgraced. The jury is still out on Citation, but there is no doubt on what its verdict would be. You may not agree that Citation will come back, but many of us out here feel that way." This writer never said that Citation would not come back, and if he does we will be the first to give a cheer for this horse that we have admired from the first day we saw him in action. WJaat we did say was that he is obviously a long way from being the champion he was as aj three - year - old. Rather than see him humiliated in a series of defeats by horses who would not come within 15 lengths of him as a three-year-old, he should be retired, we think, regardless of what any jury might say. To us, the expression HHe was the first horse to win a million dollars" is merely an empty phrase.
