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REFLECTIONS by nelson dunstan BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. X, N. Y., June 14. The Belmont Stakes, despite the absence of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners, was one. of the most thrilling three -year-old events seen in New York in many a day. There are some who believed that the sophomores had deteriorated and that they are a mediocre erroun. This writer does not see it that way at all, for well do we recall the year of 1941 when Twenty Grand, Equipoise, Mate, Jamestown and others beat one another in stakes after stakes. High Gun, the Belmont winner, actually did not come into prominence until the running of the Peter Pan, but Max Hirsch, always cautious in his statements, never lost faith in this son of Heliopolis, who took the lead just two jumps from the finish to score over C. V. Whitneys game, little Fishermon. The latter was some five lengths in front of Mrs. Walter Hoffman, Jr.s, Limelight. How the division will finally shape up remains to be seen. The 0,000 Dwyer is to be run on July 3 at Aqueduct and, although Determine and Hasty Road will not be starters, it has drawn the nominations of High Gun, Porterhouse, Correlation, Pinetum, War of Roses, Limelight and others. While it will not settle the issue between the top-notchers, it does promise to offer New Yorkers a revealing race, engaging those who will eventually fight it out with the Derby and Preakness winners. What a horse race it will be when the winners of the three "Triple Crown" events meet for the first time. AAA Chicago racing switches to Arlington Park , on Thursday, June 24, and all indications point to the best meeting ever staged at that track. Ben Lindheimer, executive director of Arlington and Washington Parks, hasmore than Belmont Stakes Was Thrilling Contest High Gun Came From Behind, as Usual When, Where Will Crown Winners Meet? Chicago To Attract Sophomore Stars fulfilled his promise to give the people of the Windy City a brand of racing comparable to that at any other center. Arlington will operate for 35 days and then the sport will move to Washington Park oh the other side of the city. There is every indication that the Arlington Classic will mark the meeting of various three-year-olds who have been winning since Florida and Santa Anita. Hasty Road is already bedded down at Arlington and there seems to be a very good chance that the "rubber match" between the Hasty House horse and Determine will be at that meeting. Artismo, The Pie King and other sophomores who missed the spring features will probably be on hand to give the Derby and Preakness winners a battle for honors. We cannot recall when the division has been as. wide open as at the present time, but some clarification must come at the famous Chicago tracks. We believe Porterhouse, High Gun and other good ones will go to Chicago for the 00,000 races slated for three-year-olds. AAA Newest adventurers into the realm of thoroughbred racing, Clint Murchison pronounced Murkeeson, Sid Richardson and the others in that fabulous coterie of oil-rich Texans, is a healthy sign for the turf in the West. Californias mighty Santa Anita has shown the way for glamour, richness in its stakes and purses, and its treatment of the public. Now Murchison, Richardson, et al, buy themselves the "Little Saratoga of the West," and are ready certainly most able, to spend over ,000,000 to improve Del Mar. The purchase price for control of the seaside race course, about 20 miles north of San Diego, was just under ,000,000. Theres a prominent La Jolla, Calif., traction tycoon, breeder and owner of race horses, back of the operation. For the time, he remains anonymous, but it is no secret in the land of the Osunas. The story of his backing of Murchison, Richardson and Co., was printed some time ago in the San Diego papers. With this group behind Del Mar and keeping their promises to the public of California, the racing fan of the Golden West is offered quality presentation, south to north, at Del Mar, Santa "Anita, Hollywood Park, Golden Gate Fields and Tanforan. The star of racing is in the ascendancy in the West as elsewhere. AAA While Kentucky and Saratoga consignors to the yearling sales are quietly confident that prices will hold firm, the two sales of horses in training at Belmont Park last week stressed that the thoroughbred market has never been as strong as it is this year. It was a foregone conclusion that Brother Tex in the Woodvale Larm consign-metn would bring 5,000 or more, but he went to 8,000 after spirited bidding from the start. This also held true of Tremere, a two-year-old colt by Alibhai, out of Monogamy, consigned by the Yolo Stable of Mr. and Mrs. John DeBlois Wack. He brought 2,000. There was considerable demand for the 10 horses consigned by the Yolo Stable. After the running of the Belmont Stakes, we prepared to depart for Lexington, Ky., to look over as many yearlings as we can, although we already have seen quite a number on previous visits. Annually, it is claimed that "this is the best crop in many years," but we will go so far as to say that we have seen many real beauties. The Citations, Nasrullahs, Alibhais and others should be in high demand at both sales points.
