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Judges Stand — By Charles Hatton * Weather Prophet Makes Expose of Preview East Versus West in Mondays Prep Race Sundown II. Pleases Owner in Defeat PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 9. — Perhaps the kindest thing would be to say nothing at all about the shocking result of the Pimlico Merchants Association Purse, which engaged the Preak-ness eligibles Sundown II., Pen Bolero and Mosby and placed them versus several other three-year-olds unencumbered by any delusions of grandeur. When the dust had settled a Preakness noncom called Weather Prophet had strewn them up the stretch an eighth of a mile, transforming what was expected to be certificate of classicism into an expose. The successful son of Wood- chuck had lost sprints in allowance company and was stepping out of character in this mile and a sixteenth, then proceeded to come from behind and impose his will on three who had been optimistically regarded as Preakness probables. The only one of the three Preakness eligibles to show anything encouraging was Robert S. Lytles Sundown n., an obscure son of Hyperion bred by the Queen of England who was giving the winner nine pounds and set the pace a mile in 1:40 before the more seasoned Weather Prophet caught him and won by half a length in the. moderate time of 1:46%. Up to now, the male three-year-olds of 1959 are no better than they should be. But it would be absurd to accept the mockery Weather Prophet made of the Merchants Purse as an earnest of their potentialities. A few minutes earlier Royal Orbit had worked a mile in 1:39%, and he could not compare himself favorably with Tomy Lee and the Preakness favorite Sword Dancer at Louisville, though he ran well to finish fourth. Now we on the Hilltop are looking eagerly forward to Mondays 1 1-16 miles Preakness Prep, optimistic that it will develop a race more in keeping with the classic connotations of the occasion. The Prep brings together the emancipated plater Manassa Mauler, who beat First Landing in the Wood; the Louisiana Derby winner Master Palynch and Royal Orbit, who is native sons hope of repeating their rout of the easterners in the Derby. Sword Dancer Still Favored The processes of elimination have done nothing thus far to alter Sword Dancers somewhat anxious if exalted status as the plausible Preakness choice. They are succeeding in reducing the number of horses he will have to beat to bring it off. And such as Manassa • Mauler, Royal Orbit and Black Hills could readily enough prove Richmonds in the field. We almost forgot, Robert S. Lytle, who imported Sundown n., last December, arrived in time to see his race in the Merchants. He said the colt pleased him. This is not especially easy. Perhaps you recall that Lytle scored a near miss in the Preakness a few years ago with Correlation. Turf ana: A number of Washingtonians have visited Shenandoah, the Arabian Nights track making the noble, or is it ignoble, experiment in W. Va. Bob Leavitt sends word by Walter Haight "we are getting the people, but the per capita is far under average. We must convince the customers racing can be as formful and well conducted at night as in the daytime." His remarks make one wonder if his conflict is with Pimlico or Rosecroft so much as The Naked City. . . . Humphrey Finney is inspecting yearlings in Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey. Tells us Rigan McKinney has an eye-catching Native Dancer for Saratoga shoppers. And incidentally that we are mistaken Fred Turner and Bert Kerr never met. Tomy Lees owner and the pleasant little Dublin horse huckster stayed, together during last Decembers Newmarket sales. Finney was properly impressed by Silver Spoons effort at Louisville. You might call him her alternate sponsor. . . . Sundown n. gives the queen a rooting interest in this Preakness. He was bred at the Royal Stud. Only foreigner to win the race was A. King Macombers War Cloud, who won a division in 18. Flashy brown son of Polymelus. We never admired him so much as his stablemate Star Hawk, a, bay stretch runner by Sunstar whom George Smith out-lucked in the Derby.- Walter Jennings trained them. Martin Had Constant Aim Mrs. Halina Braunstein, the Helena Gregory of foreign films, accounts Royal Orbit a rare bargain at 9,500. Has a stud of one mare. . . . Manassa Maulers trainer Frank "Pancho" Martin has a good excuse. He was reared within two blocks of Oriental Park. Once at the age of nine he ducked through a hole in the fence and saw the big wide world of horses and racing inside. That did it. At 13 he was walking hots. At 19 he had a trainers license. His first winner was named, appropriately, Constant Aim. . . . Another trainer whose vocation was virtually predestined by an accident of geography is Mr. Fitz, born on the site of Sheepshead Bay, for which the sport is eternally grateful. He has been training 58 years now. Shouldnt wonder if he sees spots. . . . Hirsch Jacobs is among the conditioners who came up smiling after the Derby. Next morning it was remarked how sporting it was of him to be so cheerful after Our Dad finished so far back. "He bucked," the New Yorker explained: "I was afraid Id find nothing wrong with him."
