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■■■■■■■—■■ mmmmmm REFLECTIONS * NELS0N m"*™* LEXINGTON, Ky., May 6.— There is every indication here in Kentucky that the coming yearling sales at Keeneland will be highly successful. There are many angles to substantiate the confidence of breeders and just this morning Baron Fred dOsten reminded us that the imminent threat of war, which was at its peak prior to last years vendues, has abated considerably during recent months. While yearlings will be sold at open auction, the fact remains that about the hardest thing to do in r the Blue Grass today is to buy a broodmare of any prominence or, for that matter, a two-year-old who has been trained here and is about to go to the races. A prominent New York owner has been here since last Saturday and, although he was willing to go to a high price, he could not buy a mare outright nor again could he obtain two-year-olds to bolster his racing stable. Not within this writers recollection has the demand for racing and breeding stock been so apparent as it is at present. Breeders who have taken many years to develop a broodmare group of high quality naturally hesitate to sell any of their mares and the result is that a top broodmare is harder to acquire than a stallion. The peak of the yearling market was reached back in 1946 when 1,287 colts and fillies brought the highest average of ,909.24. Last year, 1,640 yearlings averaged ,320.91. While the 1946 record will be hard to beat, we believe that the coming sales will top those of a year ago, providing the quality of the youngsters offered is comparable to that of the 1952 babes. AAA A year ago at this time the Mereworth Farm of Walter J. Salmon created something of a stir when they announced that they would withhold their large yearling crop from the salesring and enter into contracts with Breeders Preparing Yearlings for Sale Buying Mares Difficult Task in Kentucky Derby Result Stimulates Interest in Babes Some New Sires Sending Out First Crops responsible owners who would race the colts and fillies. The agreement was that 60 per cent of the earnings of a particular horse would go to the lessee and 40 per cent would be paid over to the breeder. At first there were many who doubted that such an arrangement would work out to the satisfaction of both parties. But that thought has now been dispelled as Mereworth announced just a week ago that they would continue the same policy this season. Many prominent stables took the yearlings on that basis and now that the plan is more generally understood the demand for the youngsters is even keener this season than it was a year ago. A few days back, this writer visited Mereworth Farm and although there are many colts and fillies still to be had, quite a few have already been selected by owners who will race them next season. The encouraging part to the Mereworth Farm interests is that so many who originally obtained yearlings under this plan have returned this year to select more for the two-year-old racing of 1954. The Mereworth list of babes included those by Ardan, Bimelech, Shut Out, Polynesian, Noor, Eight Thirty, First Fiddle, Stymie, Swiv and the two Italian horses, Sirte and Vezzano. The farm managers tell us that owners and trainers have come from all parts of the country to select yearlings under the unique arrangement. While the time is too short to obtain complete results from last years crop leased under this plan, the Mereworth Farm officials are frank to say that they are willing to give it a fair trial regardless of the fact that it ties up considerable capital rather than give a quicker return if the colts and fillies were sent into the salesring. AAA Success in important stake events is the best yardstick by which to measure the quality of yearlings who were bought out of the salesring. Needless to say, the Breeders Sales Company is justifiably proud of the fact that Dark Star, Invigorator and Royal Bay Gem, who finished first, third and fourth, respectively, in last Saturdays Kentucky Derby, were offered by breeders two years ago. The coming catalogues will show that there are 19 or 20 colts and fillies by Royal Gem II. to be sold this year and in the group there is a half-sister to Dark Star and a full sister to Royal Bay Gem. Much of this years interest will center on the racing of Cumma Sum, who brought a bid of 8,000 from James O. McCue. This colt is by Alibhai, out of Miss Dogwood, but unfortunately there will be no yearling from Miss Dogwood offered this season. As in every year, there are yearlings who, like Alsab, cost the buyer less than ,000 and go on to win many times their purchase price. Alsab, who was bred by the veteran, Thomas Piatt, went on to win over 50,-000. In the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs last Saturday the filly, Golly, a daughter of Alorter — Timely Tune, by Eight Thirty, was the winner for Mrs. E. Bris-bine and the net value to the winner of that race was 3,350. According to the American Racing Manual, this filly was taken out of the "Buck" Browning consignment for 00. She has a long way to go to be compared with Alsab as the bargain horse of the salesring, but this one purse alone returned the owner more than 12 times the purchase price. We hear a lot more about high-priced horses who did not make good, but each year has its Continued on Page Thirty-Four £ c , , ] , i ] ] ! 1 ] 1 : : : 1 i 1 1 REFLECTIONS 1 By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Forty-Four youngsters within the price range of the smaller buyers who return a handsome dividend on their investment. AAA In the few short days we have been here in Lexington we have not had an opportunity to look over many of the groups of yearlings to be sold at Keeneland. We only wish we had the time to inspect every colt and filly to be sold, but that is virtually impossible. Speaking of Cumma Sum, we went out to the Spendthrift Farm of Leslie Combs II. a day or two back and once again we saw one of the finest groups of youngsters it has ever been our pleasure to see. When he was here on his visit to Kentucky, Lord Derby of England offered Combs any filly in his crop in exchange for a bay miss by Mahmoud, out of Durazna. The noted Englishman returned to the farm on three occasions just to look at her and that was not surprising, for she is one of the finest of her sex we have ever looked at. Lord Derby was accompanied by his wife and her pick of the crop was a gray colt, by Mahmoud, out of Gallawood. This writer was very much taken with a bay colt, by War Admiral, out of Distaff, a daughter of Beau Pere. Here is a colt that, in our opinion, has everything and it would not surprise us if he was to draw one of the highest bids at the Keeneland sales. The splendid consignments have always been of the highest quality and the same can be said for those that will be sold this season. Many of the fillies to be sold will attract bids for their value as producers, as well as racing prospects. AAA As in previous seasons, quite a few stallions will be sending their first crops to the races and if a horse has had a good racing record and that is supported by the bloodlines, their youngsters often bring fine prices. We do not know as yet how many by Nocr will be sold, but if the others are comparable to the black colt we saw at the Mereworth Farm they should be well received. This colt by Noor is out of Miss Doreen, the daughter of Pilate, who won 16 races and 30,000, including the Santa Marguerita Handicap. In that race she defeated such a fine pair as Elpis and Miss Grillo. The second dam, Princess Doreen. by Spanish Prince II., was a winner of 34 races and was one of the best known race mares of her day. The Keeneland sales are not to be conducted until late July, but in the weeks to come this paper will carry many stories summarizing the groups to be offered by various farms and also those by sires who have sent winners to the races in previous years. Last year there were many who had youngsters selling for over 0,000 and in that group must be listed Count Fleet, Eight Thirty, Alibhai, War Admiral, Mahmoud, Polynesian, Roman and Heliopolis. They by no means tell the whole story, however, for this years Derby is recent proof that many yearlings who sell far below that figure go on to make good on the race course.
