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. . , Canada Good Crop of Juveniles This Year; Top Three Owned by Bill Beasley By FRANK ARMSTRONG - TORONTO, Ont, June 24. The Ontario Jockey Clubs first meeting of 1955, which concludes next Friday, after a span of 35 days at Woodbine, has been notable in many ways, and generally significant for its racing, ..which has confirmed the upward trend to more Duality on the turf stage. It is conceivable that there has been better racing at thet Woodbine meeting in the past, but doubtful if there was ever as many good horses racing under Canadian ownership. During the years when the sport of racing was at its peak in this sector, only a select few of many Canadian establishments owned top flight talent. Today with the owners ranks liberally augmented by prominent sportsmen, the confined situation no longer exists and competition with respect to better class racing stands on its own. There has been obvious improvement in all divisions of racing, more particularly in the two-year-old division. Better two-year-olds than ever before, is an oft told story come true. Indeed, we have some good ones and they have enlivened interest of the present and heightened interest in the future. Improvement of the breed as applied to the tyro home-breds is no meaningless bromide. Its fact. AAA They term it a stroke of luck that Bill Beasley happens to own the top trio of the first year class, but we prefer to term it a reward .for lavish spending efforts to acquire better stock. The first star to shine was the filly, Dizzy Dora, who will be distinguished as the first to enter the name of Bill Beasley on the list of thproughbred breeders. We imagine there was a sizable sum involved when Beasley bought her dam, Ratine, when she was in foal to Prince Simon. So Dizzy Dora, winner of two stakes and unbeaten in three starts, would be a costly item. Acushla, a filly by j Bull Page Lovely Delores, came upon the scene to challenge her stablemate as the number one juvenile. Her local record is two for two, one a stake though she was beaten in Florida, when she raced for education. The most recent claimant to the top rung position is Canadian Champ, a colt by Windfields Bolesteo. He was nothing short of sensational in his only start when he graduated with a sparkling five furlongs run in :58. Inasmuch as he outworks the fillies in trials, it is reasonable to assume that he is the best. Oddly enough during his seven years of participation in racing, Beasley, had studiously avoided Canadian-breds. Until E. P.r Taylor announced a unique yearling sale last year; Beasleys attitude toward Canucks was one of marked indifference. AAA Conditions of the yearling sale devised by E. P. Taylor were apart from auctions and private transaction and thus uniqus in the history of the thoroughbred industry. Thirty-six yearlings, the farms entire crop but one, were tagged with a price and paraded on preview for prospective buyers. There" was no restriction on choice but the actual sale was limited to eight colts and four fillies. Only eight were sold, five colts and three fillies. Frank Sherman, an OJC director, paid top price for Bull Laine, a colt by Bull Page Chatelaine n., a non winner of the moment after three starts, but nevertheless a bright prospect for improvement. AAA Bill Beasley bought Canadian Champ for ,500 and a colt by Illuminable Sweet Pegotty for ,000. When the latter was reported unsound, Taylor graciously permitted Beasley a second choice, as a trade on the return of the supposedly unsound colt. Beasleys selection was Acushla. Taylor has since appraised here as a second Canadiana. McMacken stable bought Top Tourn, a colt by Tournoi Flaring Top for ,500. The colts debut has been delayed by bucked shins. Bur-Fit Stable bought Nato, a colt by Alsab Sunny Fields for ,000. He is a non winner after three starts, but has been green and slow in training. Improvement is anticipated. Charles Burns bought Weatherguage, a colt by Windfields Fiui dOrient for ,000. He is still in the promising stages, so is Air Page, a filly by Bull Page Air Post, purchased by D. G. Ross. Russell Grauls Gracefield, a filly by Windfields Your Grace, cost ,000. She has won two races and shapes up as one of the better starlets. AAA This is only a brief sketch of the two-year-old picture, incomplete without the stars of the annual yearling auctions and the better youngsters who have raced or will race in the colors of their breeders. Those mentioned, however, emphasize the fashionable pedigrees of the homebreds, the general improvement of racing qualities, and the increasing interest in yearling markets. It is said that the best of the current seasons crop of two-year-olds have yet to be seen in action and if such is the case Ontario racing will be enriched by their presence. Top class two-year-olds spark the fire of enthusiasm in owners and breeders alike.
