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W E I G H I N G I N By EVAN shipman AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 16. With the success of Laudy Lawrences Le Petit Prince in the French Prix du Jockey Club, or the French Derby, as this mile and a half race at Chantilly is generally known, American-owned colts, and colts bred by American sportsmen, have scored in all three great classics to which the title "Derby" can be honestly applied. Le Petit Prince at Chantilly; Never Say Die at Epsom, and Determine at Churchill Downs, represent a thoroughly international pattern of breeding, but all three testify to the enthusiasm, purpose and intelligence with which American horsemen are well endowed in their quest for international honors on the turf. We can, at this short notice, tell you little concerning the pedigree of Lawrences colt besides the fact that he was sired by his owners farm stallion, Prince Bic, a son of Prince Rose, the Belgian phenomenon of 25 years ago, who gave this country Princequillo, a brilliant stayer himself and a pronounced success in Kentucky as a sire of classic colts and fillies. Getting back to Prince Rose, this horse, vivid in our memory for his race behind Pearl Cap in the Prix de lArc de Triomphe, and for his score the following season in the Prix du President at Saint Cloud, is usually credited with the revival of the St. Simon line in tail-male, his influence now strong in England as well as in France and America. Lawrence, of course, is to warmly congratulated on this notable victory, and Le Petit Prince will carry American good wishes with him when he starts a week from Sunday, in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp. A A A Lawrences responsibility for the importation of Ali-bhai, sire of the Kentucky Derby winner, Determine, and Americans Win Derbys in Three Countries Victory in French Classic Latest Success Laudy Lawrence Has Expert Eye for Horse Is Mr. Turf Outgrowing Inherent Weakness? so many other good thoroughbreds, has been frequently mentioned in this space. We can add that his keen eye has picked out many continental or English and Irish mares for shipment to this country, either in his own interest or in that of his long-time associate in both sport and business, Louis B. Mayer. From the very first, we have admired these selections as unusual individuals, combining beauty of conformation with bloodlines that made them precious additions to our national stock of broodmares. In marked contrast tq the indiscriminate buying that once made American breeders suspicious of European reputations, the thoroughbreds that carry the seal of Lawrences approval are of a type that can only prove beneficial as it merges with our native product. It may be fair to say that, with the exception of the late William Woodward, no other modern American breeder has better understood the peculiar requirements of this country in our effort to draw upon the most vital sources of thoroughbred speed and stamina. AAA When Jack Amiels Sun Again horse, Mr. Turf, scored handily in yesterdays feature here at Aqueduct, defeating Real Brother, Hilarious and a field of clever sprinters, the rugged five-year-old bay was only a couple of ticks of the watch off Doublrabs track mark of 1:10 for the six-furlong distance. Mr. Turf has always possessed his share of class, and has, on occasion, threatened to graduate to top company, but his career has always, we think, been compromised by unsoundness, an unsoundness that, as with many of the get of Sun Again, becomes less rather than more apparent with age. Knees are supposed to be the weak point with this tribe, but, time end again, you will find a Sun Again that failed to make the grade as either a two- or three-year-old gradually improving until, with full maturity, the horse or mare is at last ready to meet the best in stake company. This was true of our beloved Sunshine Nell; it may also apply to the extraordinary sprinter, White Skies, and we will not be at all surprised if Mr. Turf intensely inbred to Teddy, by the way proves another example of this familys eventual worth. In any case, Mr. Turf is now rewarding Amiels patience in no uncertain manner. AAA Extra Points, the steeplechaser who created a real sensation by making a clean sweep of his Belmont Park engagements in magnificent style, will have his work cut out for him Thursday in the featured Hitchcock Memorial Handicap, a two-mile test here over the big jumps. Col. Nelles brilliant fencer has been assigned a crushing 164 pounds by handicapper Jack Cooper, and that will mean conceding seven to the steadily improving Sun Shower; 14 to last seasons Steeplechaser of the Year, The Mast; 27 to the excellent young prospect, Mighty Mo, and 34 to Banner Wave. That Extra Points is capable of accomplishing such a feat is not at all beyond the realm of possibility, but make no mistakes concerning what a victory in this good stake will mean; if the Canadian-owned Grand Slam gelding should win and a true price against this field would be at least 2-to-l he will have proved himself, beyond dispute, the best of this division seen out in many, many years. Our good wishes will be riding with "Dooly" Adams, Extra Points jockey Thurs- Continued on Page Forty-Three WEIGHING IN By EVAN SHOPMAN Continued from Page Fifty-Two day, but we have no intention of minimizing the severity of this race. AAA Time was when we doubted whether a pattern of breeding had any particular importance where steeplechasers were con-j cerned, but we are forced to admit that, both here and abroad, certain specific families seem to furnish the majority of top specialists over the fences. In this country, it is the Fair Play line, to which Extra Points traces through his sire, Grand Slam; in France, it is the gray blood of Isard n., a descendant of the Roi Herode stallion, Le Sancy; in England and Eire it seems to be the strain of Cottage. In each country, so many of the leaders go "back to these sources that one is forced to conclude that chance has nothing to do with it, and that a predilection for jumping is ingrained. If we recall, the late Thomas Hitchcock, the great horseman in whose honor Thursdays stake is named, was inclined to pooh-pooh this theory, but then Hitchcock could make a fine jumper out of anything with four legs. Other Americans without the old masters positive genius, are quite content to string along with the Fair Plays.
