Weighing In: Urge Unified Triple Crown Entry Blank Saratogas Entourage is Being Discreet, Daily Racing Form, 1955-06-08

article


view raw text

mKKmmML — :: — :J Weighing In By Evan Shipman Urge Unified Triple Crown Entry Blank Saratogas Entourage Is Being Discreet High Voltage Faces Elders at Disadvantage BELMONT PARK, Elmont, L. I., N. Y„ June 7.— Nothing could emphasize the necessity for a unified entry blank to the three Triple Crown races more clear-. ly ly than than the the absence absence this this year year and and ly ly than than the the absence absence this this year year and and ! last, of the Kentucky Derby winners from the Preakness and Belmont Stakes fields. Unquestionably, these scale weight classics determine the leadership of the generation — or they should — but when the colt who has captured the initial race is no longer available for the two succeeding stakes, the situation is inevitably one of confusion, and likely to remain in that that state state throughout throughout the the re- mKKmmML — :: — :J that that state state throughout throughout the the re- remainder of the season. The Triple Crown races are national rather than local in their import, but unless they all three attract the nations best three-year-olds, they are not fulfilling their " function. In 1954, the Kentucky Derby winner, Determine, had defeated the subsequent Preakness winner, Hasty Road, at Churchill Downs, but Determine never met High Gun, who was to win the Belmont Stakes so brilliantly, and the question of their relative merit was a course of argument all year. This season, another Californian, Swaps, scored a clean-cut victory in the Kentucky Derby over our eastern champion, Nashua. That race, however, is to have no sequel,, and while horsemen from the Coast have every right to-believe that the Derby settled the issue, many of us easterners are just as firmly convinced that Nashua deserves another crack at Swaps. Montpelier Colt Rates Another Chance Naturally, trainer Frank Bonsai and owner and breeder, Mrs. Marion duPont Scott, know their colt, Saratoga, a lot better than does this observer, and yet we cannot help thinking that if this stout sbn of Blenheim n. belonged to us, we would give him at least one more opportunity of meeting Nashua. In both the Flamingo and the Preakness — we are not bringing up the Florida Derby, a race that as far as Saratoga was concerned was manifestly not true — the Montpelier colt gave Nashua the stiffest kind of opposition, some horsemen even invoking excuses for his defeat. Were he to start here on Saturday instead of accepting an easier assignment at Delaware Park, Saratoga would not lack for backing, eveir though his chances for any complete revenge would admittedly be rather remote. Are those chances worth taking? Apparently, Bonsai thinks not, and we repeat, he should know. Perhaps our own eagerness to see Saratoga at grips, with Nashua again is due to a feeling that, without Saratogas participation, this Belmont may turn out a mere exhibition for William Woodward, Jr.s, husky colt. High Voltage, the Wheatley Stables fine winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks, is a surprise entry for tomorrows featured Top Flight Handicap, a race in which the game gray three-year-old must concede chunks of weight on the scale to formidable older opposition. As we have often pointed out in this space, High Voltage has done things "the hard way" practically from the time of her debut, and on the occasions when she has been beaten — almost always because of weight concessions — it lias never been for lack of trying* About her present excellent form there can be no shadow of doubt, but is High Voltage capable of giving such a four-year-old as Foxcatchers Parlo, leader of the division last season-, two pounds at the Top Flight distance of a mile and one-sixteenth? Can she give seven pounds to Evening Out, or a dozen to as hardhitting a mare as Riyerina? Perhaps High Voltage is capable of such a feat, but we will warn you in advance that Parlo, tightened by a sharp race here last week-will prove extremely hard to catch, while Riverina will finish powerfully under her negligible burden. Rare indeed is the three-year-old who can meet older thoroughbreds of genuine class on these disadvantageous terms. Overnight Chase Feature Very Interesting By far the most interesting contest on yesterdays program was the two-mile Green Cheese Steeplechase, an overnight event that brought out a large field of stake caliber and that wound up with five horses finishing within a couple of lengths. At the bitter end, the Oleg Dubassoff stable entry of Montadet and Coveted had the best of the argument, but it was still anybodys race after the last obstacle had been cleared, the weights bringing them together as if this had been a handicap instead of an allowance affair. Riding for the first time over the big fences, the "triple bug" apprentice, J. W. Thompson, piloted the imported Montadet to*.a well-earned score, rating his mount off the fast pace set by the favored River Jordan and Fulton and making a strong move a half mile out that disposed effectively of the early leaders. Thanks to Montadets "feather" of 130, he was able to turn back Coveted, the latter conceding 27 pounds, in the drive, but it was an excellent effort on the part of both chasers, Coveted making a distinct impression for his re-entry. Another long-time absentee who performed well in the Green Cheese was Sanford Stud Farms Fulton, one who will be recalled as a hurdle specialist of a couple of seasons back. Over the larger jumps, Fulton showed all his former speed, while he took his obstacles in handy fashion, finishing out with good courage even when caught. Here is one who will , do well both at Aqueduct and Saratoga.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1955060801/drf1955060801_48_2
Local Identifier: drf1955060801_48_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800