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"*-» *« » j i y i iYi i?:? ». — __ _____-_—. monaay, May i, i fff* Stallion Directory and Far in Register -1 A ■ . ■ -4 ■■:■■ • - ■._■■ ..■•■•:■:. #::S§i f ffijjE J_— BH_8fiBk Wm |Mand HMffic i4? %ffiand«9fl_______£H BSiP____________i__H__i __19L i ** WM* #5*H __EPH — I 1 — ::2aF1M m ■■»*™ Ih9HhbH|hk4 www HHvBk In evident admiration are Lucas B. Combs and John D. Hertz as they inspect Combs strapping suckling colt in the first crop of the young Count Fleet stallion, Count of Honor. The scene is Combs Runners Rest Farm, near Lexington, Ky., and the youngster is out of Humane, dam also of the 00,000 winner, First Aid. Count of Honor is the property of Robert Lehman and stands at the Stoner Creek Stud of Mrs. Hertz. Loo/c o/ Count of Honor Foals Pleasure Indeed to John Hertz Five Sucklings at Owners Stoner Creek Farm Carry Elegent Outline of Sire By HUGH J. McGUIRE LEXINGTON, Ky., May 2. — Mid-April annually dates the arrival time of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Hertz at their picturesque Stoner Creek Stud at Paris, Ky. This year there was no exception to the schedule, but the Hertzes, coming from California, had barely settled themselves in preparation for their first look at the newly-arrived suckling crop when the telephone rang. "This is Luke Combs," Hertz related of the conversation, "and I want you folks to know that Ive got up here at Runners Rest the best-looking foal thats hit the ground this year. More than that, hes easily the finest foal that Humane has ever had and shes produced such as First Aid, who has won more than 00,000. As you know, this baby colt is by Count of Honor and if he is a fair sample, you can include me on the horses permanent list of patrons. Ill be watching out for you all to come up to Runners Rest and see how well Ive judged this youngster." John Hertz, excited and elated by the Combs report, accepted immediately the invitation to inspect the Count of Honor — Humane colt. What he saw completely confirmed the Combs appraisal. Hertz then returned to Stoner Creek to check on the five Count of Honor sucklings there. He had had good reports on them, also, from farm manager Charles Kenney. Count of Honor, owned by New York banker Robert Lehman, stands at Stoner Creek. This visitor was invited to a tour personally conducted by Hertz and Kenney to look over the five Count of Honor sucklings at the Hertz farm. The remarkable resemblance of the youngsters to each other was apparent at first glance and confirmed Hertz statement when he said, "Now, Ive known for a long, long time that the first attribute of a successful sire is the ability to transmit his own individuality to his offspring. Taking a line throught the six foals I have looked over, Robert ..ehmans stallion has stamped each and every one of them with his own sturdy, yet elegant, general outline. In short, they all look like Count of Honor." There is no mistaking that they do. There are three fillies and two colts on the farm. The colts are a bay and a chestnut out of Risque Blue and Rules in Air, respectively. The former mare produced the stakes winners Blue Banner and Risque Rouge, while the latter is a daughter of Nasrullah, who had great speed. The fillies are a chestnut out of Lehmans fine imported French stakes winner Marijuana, and a brown first foal from Lehmans Snoop, who is from Tom Fools immediate family. The third filly is from Mrs. Hertz Red Risque. A chestnut, this miss is a trifle more compact than the others, but the » Count of Honor influence is obviously present. Count of Honor was bred to 23 mares in his first season and 17 foals are here or expected in his first crop to attest excellent fertility. Two more are expected at Stoner Creek. The dams are Lehmans Bull Poise, three quarters sister to Gaga, dam of Tom Fool, and Nasrulline, a good allowance filly by Nasrullah, who is the property of Mrs. Hertz. Hertz was preparing to visit a half-dozen more Count of Honor foals on various Blue Grass farms. Of these he said, "The owners have all advised me that I may expect to see tip-top foals. From the ones I have seen already, I am conditioned for them." Hertz has been in the thoromghbred sport for many years, yet he was showing all the enthusiasm of the owner of his first horse. When questioned on this point he said, "I suppose my keen interest must show. You know, Mrs. Hertz and I havent had as much fun with young horses as we are having now since the advent of Count Fleets first crop. I dont mind telling you that I awaited with some confidence the 1959 foaling season for I couldnt see how Count of Honor could miss, yet we are practically breathless with the excitement that comes with a dream having come better than true, in a way of speaking. Luke Combs started something with that phone call. I really havent had a dull moment since!" Hertz related that Lucas "Luke" Combs had told him that the Combses, Leslie and Lucas, through the advice of their pedigree mentor, Brownell Combs, were elated that they were among the first to utilize the services of the practically unknown quantity in the stud, Count of Honor. Brownell particularly liked the production record of Count of Honors first four dams, each of whom had produced two or more stakes winners. Some 40 stakes horses trace to these four mares. Lucas and Brownell Combs are brothers and are uncles of Leslie B. Combs II. The sparkling enthusiasm for these foals shown by such a case-hardened veteran of the racing and breeding wars as Hertz, takes on added significance when it is considered that Count of Honors owner, Robert Lehman, is a close friend and business partner of Hertz, whose rigid selection established Lehmans thoroughbred holdings. That the Hertz selective system has been productive is evidenced in that from one mare alone have come Count of Honor, winner of seven of nine starts, and Countess Fleet, champion race mare of the West Coast in her four-year-old form. "The idea now," said Hertz, "is to lengthen the skein with the Count of Honors." — ADVT.
