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Foreign-Breds Sired Belmont Winners In the past quarter century many great sires have been brought to our shores and they are naturally influencing the pedigree patterns, one, for instance, being Nasrullah, sire of Nashua". But in earlier years the American lines of Domino, Ben Brush and Fair Play were dominant in three-year-old history, especially the Belmont Stakes. That was very true of Fair Play, the sire of Man o War. Back in 1879, Spendthrift won the Belmont and he was the sire of Hastings, winner in 1902. Hasting was a "devil" in horseflesh, but regardless of his temperament what more could be asked of a sire who sent Fair Play to the races? Fair Play could not beat Colin in the Belmont, but that year no other three-year-old could. Fair Play sent Man o War to the Belmont winners circle in 1920 and May Play to take the honors in 1924. Man o Wars sons were coming along then and American Flag scored in 1925 and Crusader in 1926. Fair Play came right back with Chance Shot in 1927 and Chatterton sired Faireno, the winner in 1932. There was a lapse until 1937, when "Big Reds" son, War Admiral, was the winner. It is a remarkable record of one male line in one stake and proves that our American blood has done yeoman service regardless of the many imported stallions standing in this country. Swaps appears to face a "much tougher task than Nashua or Saratoga for his owner, Rex Ellsworth, has elected to send him against older horses in the 00,000 evetn at Hollywood Park. While three-year-olds often meet older horses in the fall, it is really something for the Kentucky Derby winner to go against the oldsters in .the middle of June. Swaps is to match strides with ~ Determine, who was the Kentucky Derby winner of 1954. If Swaps is the winner it will add to the talk now being heard about a match race with Nashua. Ben Lindheimer, executive director at Arlington an Washington Parks, is but one racing executive looking to bring this pair together, and he is ever alert to give Chicago fans the best to be had in racing. Immediately after the Derby, Rex Ellsworth said he would like to have his horse meet Nashua again and when this writer asked William, Woodward, Jr., how he felt about -it, he answered: "We have no plans for Nashua after the Belmont." We have no doubt, however, that Woodward would be just as agreeable as Ellsworth for a meeting between this outstanding pair. It would be a race worth going miles to see, provided both went to the post in top condition.
