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■,»;■ ..... j" ■nil... ....Jiii tUkLmmiMKM j . Reflections By Nelson Dunstan » Belmont Stakes Field Will Be Small " Many Crack Three-Year-Olds Sidelined Nashua Out in Front on Earning Ladder NEW YORK, N. Y., June 6.— Dedicate was one eastern colt who was expected to give Nashua something of a struggle in the Belmont Stakes, but he is now nursing a ■,»;■ ..... j" ■nil... ....Jiii bruised bruised hoof, hoof, so so Mrs. Mrs. Jan Jan Burkes Burkes bruised bruised hoof, hoof, so so Mrs. Mrs. Jan Jan Burkes Burkes colt, who has done exceptionally well this season, will not be a starter. Back in 1943, only two colts opposed Count Fleet in the Belmont and a year ago 12 came out to measure strides with High Gun, so there is no telling from year to year how many will answer the bugle for the third and last leg of the Triple Crown. After the Preakness, Hilton Dab-son, son, trainer trainer of of Nances Nances Lad, Lad, win- tUkLmmiMKM son, trainer trainer of of Nances Nances Lad, Lad, win- winner of the Peter Pan, said to this writer: "From now on when Nashua goes thataway, we are going in the opposite direction." So we must list the Peter Pan winner as a doubtful starter. There is, of course, 0,-000 for the second horse, 0,000 for the third, and ,000 for fourth, and while that may attract some, the three-year-old division has narrowed down to Swaps, the champion on the West Coast, and Nashua, the champion here in the East. Nashua will go to the post in the Belmont a prohibitive favorite, and he is the only horse we can recall who will have started in five 00,000 events to the middle of June. Saratoga May Be Leonard Richards Starter Saratoga, who was beaten by Nashua in the Flamingo, Florida Derby and Preakness, will probably start in the Leonard Richards at Delaware Park this week end and he is one of the few in the first 10 on the Experimental Handicap still racing. Summer Tan has been indefinitely sidelined and Royal Coinage, Royal Note and Bunnys Babe have not been out since last October. Blue Ruler and Trentonian have been on the sidelines since March. That leaves only Nashua, Saratoga and Thinking Cap among the first 10 on the Experimental list who are now active. Boston Doge is another three-year-old who went to the sidelines, but he was not nominated for the Belmont. It is something to ponder when 118 wefe nominated for the Belmont and so few will go to the post. There are many reasons for this, and some of the owners have been honest enough to say they want no more of Nashua. We had great hopes for this division during the Florida season, but the division flattened out sooner than most of us thought. Nashua is credited with 77,125 in earnings and while it is difficult, there is a possibility that he will pass the mark of Citation, who, as a three -year-old in 1948, won the staggering sum of 09,470. The Calumet horse performed a remarkable feat that year, for he started 20 times to win 19 races and finish second in one. Many predicted that this record, would never be equaled, but it is an old, old adage and true in horse racing that records are made to be broken. Through the Belmont Stakes, his eleventh start, Citation won 89,020, so it may be seen that it is possible for Nashua to top Citation this season. In six starts to May 30, his only defeat was in the Kentucky Derby. Nashua now appears to have the Belmont Stakes at his mercy, so could go far above the Calumet colorbearer in earnings to a comparable date. His success depends on many things and the foremost is that he remain sound until December as the Calumet colt did. Citation started nine times after the Belmont in 1948 and garnered rich purses in the American Derby, The Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Gold Cup and other events. Nashua has the same opportunity. Although he is not an eligible for the American Derby in Chicago, there are a number of races of 5,000 to 00,000 that would be rungs for his climbing of the money-winning ladder. When he will meet Swaps is a question, but their duel would be the biggest event in the three-year-old ranks today. Brookmeade Sale Begins Wednesday One of the important features of the week at Belmont Park is the sale of horses by the Fasig-Tipton Company on Wednesday morning and evening and Thursday evening, when both race horses and yearlings will be offered by the Brookmeade Stable of Mrs. Dodge Sloan. This particular sale will be staged immediately after the races. We would have to go back in the long, long ago to find a similar incident. Important consignors at the morning sales include C. V. Whitney, Belair Stud, Greentree Stable, Hal Price Headley, Maine Chance Farm and Sanford Stud Farm. There will be many other consignments of fewer numbers. The catalogue lists many attractive offerings in these days when it is difficult to purchase a good horse in training. In bygone years, Whitney has sold some very good horses and this year he will offer Cold Command, Fly Wheel and the good mare, Carry the News, who is by Mahmoud, out of Legend Bearer, by The Porter. The estate of Anthony L. Aste will offer nine head and in the main they are by the stallion Gallant Duke. William Woodward, Jr., master of Belair Stud, is reducing his stable and will sell nine, including two Nasrullah colts and a filly by Prince Simon. This should be one of the finest sales of horses in training held at Belmont Park in the last decade.
