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REFLECTIONS by nelson wnstan LEXINGTON, Ky.. May 9.— Bill Evans, general manager of the Breeders Sales Co., was talking about the summer sales at Keeneland and it was very obvious that he was optimistic. "We did have a problem when both Mereworth and then Claiborne consignments were withdrawn but we have decided that under no circum stances will we lower the standards of the quality that we have demanded in previous years. This of course will make something of a dent in our income but we are pre-*f pared to meet it. We will not have as many yearlings to offer this season but I do believe that those who attend the sales will see an increase in the quality of those sold by us. We plan no major changes. The sales should take less time because of the smaller number of horses being offered. Also we are going to limit the announcer to 15 or 20 seconds for each yearling. Prospective buyers have plenty of opportunity to study the pedigree from the catalogues and have had time to inspect the yearling in whom they are interested. A long announcement is not necessary." Evans, and just about everyone else we have met, is confident that the sales will be strong and well attended. AAA About 90 to 100 stallions will have colts and fillies in the Keeneland summer sales, this figure including those whose first crops are going to the auction ring. The speedster, Bolero, is one of the newcomers and he will be represented by 10 babes. Among the older sires who are always popular, and there are quite a few there, will be only one by Bull Lea, three by Mahmoud, six by Alibhai, nine by Polynesian and 13 by Count Fleet. Royal Gem II., the sire of Dark Star and Royal Bay Gem, will have 19 youngsters in the sales and they should be popular with the buyers. All entries for the sale, originally Evans Optimistic About Keeneland Sales Again Stresses Quality Will Be Keynote Sires Represented by Attractive Babes Polynesian Draws Many Visitors Daily some 700, are being screened by the pedigree committee and then the colts and fillies must pass the conformation committee, who will start their inspections next week. In this work the veteran, Robert Frakes, will be joined by John Ward, a brother of Sherill Ward. Ward has the confidence of breeders in the Blue Grass and his work has mainly been with the breaking and care of young horses. They are starting their inspections later than usual this year so that they may give the babes a greater opportunity for development. AAA Polynesian, one of the best race horses of his day. has become something of a personality around the Lexington countryside. He is standing at Ira Drymons farm and scarcely a day passes but many visitors come to see this horse who is the sire of Native Dancer. "Many people have tried to buy him but I doubt if Mrs. Widener has ever given a thought to selling him," Drymon told us. The breeder went on to say, "it seems that everyone wants to send a mare to him but we try hard to keep his books to a limit of 35. This year we went to 37 for besides Geisha. Alfred Vanderbilt sent us Next Move and Bed o Roses." Now 11 years old, Polynesian is one of the most powerful solid stallions we have seen in many a day and it is surprising to us that he does not weigh more than 1,200 pounds. He loves to roll and wallow in the mud and the men on the farm are constantly apologizing to visitors for the fact that he is not brushed down and sleek in appearance. In our opinion this horse has one of the most intelligent heads on a thoroughbred we have ever seen, for with a massive jaw, clear and fearless eyes, and neck that fits perfectly into the body, he is really a picture to behold. The only marking he has is a star on the forehead and Drymon tells us that he often stamps his get in the same way. With all his strength and his obvious energy and independence, he is a very easy horse to handle and is called "Poly" by the men who work on the farm. AAA Although he has only two fillies in the Keeneland sales there is plenty of interest in the sons and daughters of Nasrullah that will be going to the races next year. This famous horse, who now stands at the Claiborne Farm at Paris, Ky., has already made his reputation on the other side and Noor, Curragh King, Master Gunner and Indian Hemp have indicated that we can expect success on this side. Recently the cables told us that his son, Nearula, was the winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, which is Englands first race of the Triple Crown and is followed by the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger. He is now favorite for the Derby and it could be that he will eventually join the small list of those who have won the three coveted events that are Englands greatest for three-year-olds. Nasrullah, along with Citation, Coaltown and still others. are sires whose get are eagerly awaited by American racing fans. Royal Charger is another son of Nearco who will be coming to this country within the next three or four "months and accompanying him will be Norseman, the French sire who has made good for Ralph Strass-burger on the other side. This son of Umidwar has sent stake winners to the races in the last three years and the latest is this years Noemi, who won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom on April 21. Imported horses, regardless of their country of origin, have been good for the breeding structure in this country and although our breeders Continued on Page Forty-Four REFLECTIONS | By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Forty-Eight have sometimes picked one who failed, we doubt that will be the case with those mentioned here. When a sire can get good ones in one country, he is very likely to continue his success in another. AAA With all the importations during the past decade, there are still some American breeders who place their faith in the old American lines of Fair Play, Domino and Ben Brush. Undoubtedly the foremost of these is Thomas Piatt, the veteran who has been sending yearlings from his Kentucky farm for 50 years or more. Just today we sat with Piatt for quite a spell and as in his advertising, he stressed the racing records of Battlefield, Intent and Straight Face. Piatt was the man who bred Alsab, who was one of the greatest sales ring bargains in the sales annals of this country. He has never deviated from his faith in the old American lines and while it cannot be denied that imported horses have made their impression in this country it remains that the three lines mentioned still play their part in thoroughbred production. As usual Piatt will be a consignor to the Keeneland sales once again, and you can depend upon it that" his offerings will be sired by horses that are American in pedigree even though if you go back far enough, they were established in this country by foreign ancestors.
