view raw text
?"™"*"*,"~* ,",*""Pi — m™ WEIGHING IN *y EVAN shipman BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y., May 27. — Tom Fool did just what was expected of him in last Saturdays renewal of the Metropolitan Handicap, first of three races that go far toward establishing leadership in the aged division, the others, of course, being this Saturdays Suburban ban and and the the Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Greentrees Greentrees — m™ ban and and the the Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Greentrees Greentrees magnificent four-year-old not only picked up topweight of 130 pounds, a burden that has rarely been successfully carried in this mile test, but turned bock the determined challenge of another absolutely first-class thoroughbred when he held Mrs. E. duPont Weirs Royal Vale safe in the drive. Intent, who had not been seen in public since his victory in the mile and three-quarters B Juan Capi-strano at Santa Anita last winter, was distant third in this Metropolitan, but there is no doubt at all that the Brookfield Farms fine son of War Relic "needed the race." John Banks Campbell, veteran secretary and handicapper for the Metropolitan racing associations, is given to a frank expression of his views, nor does it irk him in the least is these sometimes run counter to current "propaganda." Campbell, then, has been recently quoted as saying, "We have no handicap division this year," but with Tom Fool, Royal Vale and Intent available, our guess is that he was referring to quantity and not quality. AAA Perhaps the Suburban field will not be large this year, and yet at this writing at least a dozen seem likely to go to the post. As for quality, the probable starters compare favorably with those in the very best renewals, Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords One Count, chosen Horse of the Year last season, being almost certain to go in addition to the trio already named. Campbells weights, released on Monday, jpromise to bring these horses close together, so close that Greentree Has Powerful Entry for Suburban Forsee Good Field for Decoration Day Stake Tom Fools Staying Ability Will Be Tested Intent May Not Be Ready to Show Best Race predicting the public choice is extremely precarious. Tom Fool will start coupled with last years Suburban winner, One Hitter, as the Greentree entry, this pair naturally presenting imposing credentials. One Count, Royal Vale, Intent, the Fitzsimmons entry of Golden Gloves and Great Capital, and the Max Hirsch pair of High Scud and Risque Rouge, as well as the South American, Iceberg n. All are assured of a following, the weights and their present form giving all of them a fighting chance. The recent Metropolitan may have been conclusive as to Tom Fools superiority at a mile, but the Suburban is a full mile and a quarter, a distance that will be to the advantage of Royal Vale, One Count and Intent, while a certain doubt still persists as to how far Tom Fool can carry his great speed. AAA No three-year-old has been named for this Suburban. We think the owners of good colts have been wise in steering clear of the big handicap. In addition to being one of the hardest races on the seasons calendar to win, it cannot bring a three -year -old quite the same prestige as one of the true classics. The result of modern renewals have been a warning of just how tough this race is for a younger horse, and you have to go back to Crusader in 1926 to find one successful. In the interim, such fine performers as Granville and Hill Prince — to name but two — tried and failed, and Hill Prince, we have always felt, lost a lot more than the Suburban in the attempt. After a narrow defeat in the Kentucky Derby, Hill Prince had won the Preakness, and he was being pointed for the Belmont Stakes. Being such a robust individual, his connections may have thought that a 10-furlong race against older horses would be a useful preparation for the mile and a half Belmont. If this was the reasoning, they got more than they bargained for. Looser Weeper and My Request, receiving weight on the scale, finished ahead of Hill Prince, while the latter lost his keen edge in this terrific race and went on to show a dull effort in the Belmont. That Suburban was a temptation that should have been resisted. AAA Although he will carry two pounds less than he did in the Metropolitan, Tom Fools 128 makes his top weight for this renewal of the Suburban, One Count having been assigned 126, Royal Vale 123 and Intent 121. One Count has started twice this spring, winning an overnight at Jamaica for his re-entry and then finishing back of Royal Vale and Cold Command in the Gallant Fox. A comparison between One Count and the Greentree colt is hard to make, and we prefer that they speak for themselves on Saturday afternoon. Up to the present, one has the impression that Tom Fool is more brilliant at distances up to and including nine furlongs, but that One Count is the better stayer. The reservations concerning Tom Fool spring partly from his parentage, his sire, Menow, being a horse of much class and quality, but one for whom 10 furlongs was a shade too far. Menows son, Capot, proved not to be limited in this way, and it is possible that Tom Fool, too, can shine at longer distances than did his sire. We might have known about this last year, but sickness in the early part of the season disrupted the Greentree colts schedule, and we rather doubt that he ever showed his best form as a three-year-old, the form that has won Continued on Page Forty-Four WEIGHING IN I By EVAN SHIPMAN Continued from Page Forty-Eight him three impressive victories in quick succession this spring. AAA If Intent had a few more races under his belt, we would take his chances more seriously as a threat to his younger rivals on Saturday. The War Relic horse has never been sound, and he appears to reach his peak very gradually. We recall his campaign before last in California, the campaign when he captured the Santa Anita Handicap only to be disqualified for fouling Miche at the head of the stretch. Intent got better and better as the season progressed, and when he concluded the Santa Anita meeting by capturing the mile and three-quarters San Juan Capistrano in near record time, we thought him at least the equal of any thoroughbred in training. Frankly, it seems to us impossible that he should come out for the Suburban in comparable condition, but we wish that you could see him as he was that day. As for One Hitter, Tom Fools stablemate, this one already has a Suburban to his credit, nor can the game little fellow ever be ignored. He will carry 116 pounds in this renewal, four more than he had up last Decoration I Day, and the difference may prove just enough to stop him. One Hitter is small, his slight frame not adapted to carry much weight. He can always be counted on to do his best, and, if the pounds do not anchor him, he will be running powerfully through the stretch. It will take a stretch runner to win this Suburban.
