Reflections: Shevlin Adds to Sophomore Confusion Porterhouse is Far from Top Condition Find Giving, Daily Racing Form, 1954-06-23

article


view raw text

™""JI£k""" R E F L E C T I O N S by nelson mnstan AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 22. — The Shevlin simply added to the confusion in the three-year-old ranks this season. Quick Lunch, the Wheat-ley Stable colorbearer, was the winner in a close race over Hal Price Headleys Revolt, with Due de Fer third. Porterhouse has now been decisively cisively beaten beaten in in his his last last three three starts, starts, ™""JI£k""" cisively beaten beaten in in his his last last three three starts, starts, and, while excuses have been made for him because of his twisted back, he is a long way from being the colt who ran so brilliantly as a two-year-old that he was voted • the juvenile champion. The only remaining stake for members of the division here will be the Dwyer on July 3. Whether Porterhouse- will start is a question, for it is evident that there is something radically wrong with this colt. He lacks all the zip that he once had. There are many leading three-year-olds eligible for the race named after the Brooklyn butcher boys, but quite a number are as doubtful as the Llangollen colt. Limelight was scratched from the Shevlin and it is our understanding he is pointing for the Dwyer. This Nasrullah colt ran a good race to finish third in the Belmont Stakes and on that showing he could be the one they will all have to beat in the 0,000 event. The division has become so confusing that it will take many events to straighten it out. AAA It is fairly certain that Determine, winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Hasty Road, winner of the Preakness, will meet again at Arlington Park in Chicago. In Kentucky last week, we had a chat with R. J. Kleberg, Jr., master of King Ranch, whose High Gun won the Belmont Stakes. We asked when High Gun would start again and he answered: "I dont want to race my horse every day, nor for that matter every week. I honestly cannot tell Shevlin Adds to Sophomore Confusion Porterhouse Is Far From Top Condition Find Giving Much Weight in Edgemere Del Mar Picked Right Man in W. Marty you at this time when we -will start him again." We understand that Max Hirsch, King Ranch trainer, said virtually the same thing when on television after the running of the Gazelle Stakes, in which Klebergs color-bearer, On Your Own, won over the good George D. Widene"r filly, Evening Out. We do not believe there is a race at scale weights for three-year-olds in the immediate weeks to come. The question is: "What would be the result of a meeting between Determine, Hasty Road and High Gun, all carrying even weight at one and one-quarter miles?" There is an event that would be a natural and it would pack the track to the rafters if it was brought about. Some enterprising track would do well to consider this three-cornered match. We daresay that each of the" three would have a large following. There is no event on the horizon that would have more appeal. AAA Aqueduct will stage three stakes within a short period. The Tremont is the. feature Wednesday, the Edgemere Handicap will be run on Saturday, and then the Distaff Handicap on Monday. The Tremont, which has been won .by many top two-year-olds, is one of the oldest events run on Long Island, the inaugural having been in 1887. There is no standout in the two-year-old ranks at present, and this race may bring some clarification in the division. The 5,000 Edgemere Handicap is for three-year-olds and upward at a mile and a furlong, and Alfred G. Van-derbilts Find has been assigned topweight of 126 pounds, four pounds more than he, carried in winning the Queens County Handicap on opening day of the meeting. Capea-dor, who finished fifth in the Queens County, is asked to . carry 120, and Cold Command, who finished third, picks up one pound,, carrying 119. Naturally, Native Dancer was declared, and so was Greentree Stables Straight Face. This race simply proves again that racing is shy of top performers in the older ranks this season. Even though he will be giving plenty of weight to his oppenents, Find appears the winner. . AAA The title of executive director for Del Mar race tracks new alignment has fallen on able shoulders. Walter Marty, named by Clint Murchison and company, is a veteran of almost half a century of racing. In late years Marty was noted for the renaissance he brought about at Caliente, below the Mexican border, and south of San Diego. He rehabilitated, Phdenix-like, the course in the valley of the limpid Tijuana River. It is no secret beyond the Big Divide that Caliente business had fallen below 0,000 daily handle, via hand-dealt mutuels and a syndicated "book," prior to Martys appearance. Then came the re-birth of the Mexican track, with Marty supplying the totalisator, the finish camera, the saliva test and enforcing the same rigid regulations under which California tracks, subject to TRA rules, operate. During Martys tenure, Caliente rapidly forged forward, even to the introduction and pioneering of filmed television programs that provided eight of the regular Sunday races for Los Angeles viewers on the same day. Caliente. is a 146-mile round trip from the City of Angels. Martys record of progress should continue at Del Mar. While the veteran fosters the traditions of racing, he keeps pace with the improvements of western tracks.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1954062301/drf1954062301_60_1
Local Identifier: drf1954062301_60_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800