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W E I G H I N GIN BY EVAN SHIPMAN SARATOGA, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Aug. 22. Call it a "tempest in a teapot" if you like, and remind us, if you care to, that one should not become irritated over trivialities, but the evasion by which the New York State Racing Commission refuses to call such events as the recent renewals of the Wilson Mile, the Whitney Stakes-and now the Spinaway by their proper designation as "races" continues to provoke us to protest. ifrue enough, all this is simply a question of definition, but anyone who has ever attempted to read a condition book knows that definitions, in racing as elsewhere, can be of vital importance. The reason whey we persist in insisting -that the Wilson, the Whitney and the Spinaway actually were "races," quite apart from what they were called or not called" by the commission and the associations printed program, is that we consider the fact of wagering to be immaterial in arriving at the definition of a race. By its position, the commission appears to us to be giving an undue importance to the fact of wagering, this false emphasis obscuring and diminishing the commissions often proclaimed role as the "supervisory authority" of a sport. " AAA At first sight, it may appear strange that todays Grand Union should attract a large field of juveniles while yesterdays rich Spinaway only brought out something named Alines Pet to oppose George D. Wideners Evening Out, an opposition that was nominal at best. There are three.or maybe four, fillies on the grounds who could reasonably be expected to give the robust and striking Widener colorbearer a tussle, but two of them were not eligible for the Spinaway, and two were down with the prevalent cough. All the others had had quite enough of Evening Out. As we kept our binoculars glued Racing Commissions Quibble Causes Protest Evening Outs Action Suggests a Distance War Rhodes Dominates the Hurdle Division Loss oK Bug Often Hard on Young Riders to her during an effortless progress over the six furlongs yesterday, we thought of how easily her smooth action shoul adapt itself to the longer distances in the fall, and we even went beyond those fixtures in our own imagination to picture her in next years filly classics. Evening Out is one who lends herself admirably to such idle fantasies, while as we see her now, even the loftiest ambitions concerning her future would appear soundly based. AAA Allison Sterns five-year-old Rhodes Scholar gelding, War Rhodes, looks to us like the best of the hurdle horses, his victory in yesterdays Lovely Night Handicap under topweight of 154 pounds being accomplished with considerable authority. Only lightly campaigned last year, War Rhodes has now been out 11 times this season, winning seven races and progressing from the claiming ranks to the top of his division. Tariner J. H. V. Davis, whose patience and sound training methods are well reflected in this good performer, was lucky not to have lost War Rhodes when running him for first ,000 and then ,000 at Belmont Park last May because horses of this ones class and consistency over the little jumps are not easily come by. Jockeys Albert Foot and Charley Harr have both won with War Rhodes at this meeting, and he appeared a perfect race tool for each of these capable boys, running a well-raced trip on the head-end for Foot and then lying off the pace for Harr. King Commander, winner of the Midsummer Handicap at Monmouth recently, was slightly favored over War Rhodes in the Lovely Night, "and the Brown King four-year-old in receipt of five pounds in actual weight from the winner, did show a powerful race. In the final quUrter mile, however, War Rhodes superiority was -manifest, Harrs resort to the whip merely making "assurance doubly sure." AAA Thursdays running of the Saratoga Steeplechase Handicap represents for the fencers what this meetings Saratoga Cup does for the aged flat horses, and the Hopeful does for the two--year-olds. Time was when all three fixtures were contested on get-away day, and we well recall a memorable afternoon when Ossabaw, War Admiral and El Chico placed their names in the records as winners of these three fine, time-honored stakes. Less prodigal than formerly, the association now spreads these attractions over the final week, and we will readily grant that this appears the wiser plan. Our first renewal of the important Chase was back in 1927, the late Joseph E. Wideners black jumper, Lorenzo, taking that one from a field that included Thorndale and Madrigal II. The winner of next weeks steeplechase, no matter who it turns out to be, will hardly be a horse to excite anyones recollections a quarter of a century later, but there is a reasonable number of well-schooled, reliable jumpers on the grounds, and there should be no over-optimism in our prediction of an exciting contest. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ogden Phipps once redoubtable Oedipus has "tailed off" sadly, but The Mast, judging from a recent sparkling score here,, was never in better shape, while the Shillelah and Beverwyck, Sun Shower, has improved enough these past weeks to warrant respect in top company. AAA Now that Willie Lester- only retains his bug" when Continued on Page Forty-Seven I WEIGHING IN I By EVAN SHIPMAN . Continued from Page Fifty-Two up for the Ziegler Stable that holds his contract, the standard of apprentice riding locally has fallen off sadly. Lester from our first glimpse of him last March in Florida, had impressed us as a capable boy, and we are confident that he will continue to make his way as a full-fledged jockey, even though the transition is far from eary, and often discouraging to a boy who, only a short while previously may have led the jocks room in- the number winners. The sudden change from flattering acclaim to relative obscurity may be excellent for what ails the ego, but it is none the less hard to take, calling for other qualities than simple horsemanship. Of those who remain now that Lester has graduated, Charley OBrien is outstanding. Horses run. kindly for this lad, and he knows both how to keep one "alive" with hands, and also how to ride a strong finish. OBrien is aggressive, but he has now curbed a youthful tendency to foolhardiness that, a few months ago, threatened to comprise his better qualities. As for the others, their flagrant mistakes can often be extremely aggravating, although it is well to remind ourselves that these boys have to learn somewhere, and that there is absolutely no acceptable substitute for experience. -
