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Reflections By Nelson Dunstan Grey Lag Weights Interesting Study Nashua Is Favorite Against the Field Can Come Close to Citations Mark MarkNEW NEW YORK N Y May 1 The Grey Lag Handicap at Jamaica on the week end is interesting in itself with Nashua a starter but it is doubly so when one studies the weights assigned by Jimmy Kilroe Nashua is in with 128 pounds followed by Fisherman and Joe Jones at 120 each then Find and Jet action 118 each It is one of those races where it is the favorite against the field Nashua has both sprinters and stretch runners to cope with in this 50000 event which is at one and oneeighth miles War Command has been well treated at 108 pounds and he along with Cavort and Find are likely to go out and set a stiff pace for a stretch runner like Joe Jones A horse who will bear watching is Le Beau Prince who won his fourth race without a defeat in this country on Mon ¬ day To date he has not defeated such horses as he will meet on Saturday He gets in with 111 pounds two pounds more than MidAfternoon will carry This one too could be dangerous The Grey Lag is one of the most interesting events for older horses to date this year With Nashua in the lineup it is certain to attract a large throng to the Long Island course courseSophomores Sophomores Can Make Ends Meet in May MayIn In this column recently we discussed what a top threeyearold could amass in one season The month of May is a lush one for this division The 125000 Kentucky Derby 25000 Delaware Valley Stakes 25000 Withers 100000 Preakness 50000 Jersey Stakes and the 25000 Will Rogers Stakes aggregate 350000 in value Earnings are never a safe guide to the quality of horses who race in different periods During his career Man O War earned 249465 while approximately 30 years later Citation was sent to stud with earnings of 1085760 Today it is possible for a threeyearold to earn over 1000000 before he goes into the handicap ranks Never in the history of the turf have there been greater opportunities for a horse to earn his purchase price no matter what figure he brought and pay ai handsome profit on the investment of the owner Nashua is the one everyone is watching today While the Grey Lag will not enable him to pass Citation only a comparatively few dollars will separate him from the worlds money winning champion championThis This writer is unable to recall a Kentucky Derby renewal quite like the 82nd running on the week end Horses we though would advance as opponents for Needles have been defeated in the preps The Swift Stakes last week end virtually eliminated Pollys Jet Nail and Bushers Idol as candidates It was good news to read that Career Boy is again a likely starter but even so we think Needles is the horse they will all have to beat It is rather surprising that Hugh Fontaine will send the son of Ponder into the race without a warm up for Needles has not started since the Florida Derby on March 24 But Fontaine knows his horse better than anyone else and he is a veteran of many years in the trainers ranks The entire threeyearold situation has changed since the seasons in Florida and at Santa Anita closed but Needles remains the logical favorite and we expect him to be the winner After Saturdays race Fontaine will take the colt to Baltimore for the Preakness on May 19 Winning the Triple Crown in such an open season as this is difficult but should he win the Kentucky Derby the D H Stable colt will be an overwhelming favorite for both the Preakness and the Belmont BelmontAccent Accent Imports at Saratoga Sales SalesThree Three Dot Shorts That was quite a feat Noble Threewitt performed in saddling nine consecutive win ¬ ners So far as we know it is a record A 2 parlay would have returned 1527673450 A fullsister to Nashua was foaled at E Barry Ryans Normandy Farm in Kentucky last week Even if the Aga Khan does not send a group of yearlings to the Saratoga sales many American consignors will have imported young ¬ sters to offer Nydrie Stud of Dan Van Clief will sell a bay colt by Tulyar China Boy At his Lexington farm C V Whitney has a yearling halfsister to Career Boy All five leading sires of 1955 were imported Nasrullah Alibhai Khaled Heliopolis and Princequillo There is great interest in Toronto in the opening of the new Woodbine track It will be something of a novelty with racing at the old and the new Woodbine American breeders are on the lookout for Hyperion mares on the other side Obtain a copy of the Thor ¬ oughbred Racing Associations TwoYearOlds of 1955 This booklet is issued every year and the latest one is by far the best It was prepared by that interest ¬ ing writer John I Day
