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Ireflections . By Nelson Dunstan Two Stakes at Aqueduct on Week-End Suffolk, Delaware Stage 5,000 Races Hirsch in No Hurry to Start Assault Clean Slate, Assaults Brother, Has Speed NEW YORK, N. Y„ June 5. Three-year-olds have had more than their share of the limelight on Long Island this year, but that will change on Saturday when the Aqueduct meeting co-features the 0,000 Carter Handicap and the 0,000 Astoria Stakes. The Carter, for three-year-olds and older horses, originally drew 34 nominations, but in looking over the list it appears as if a small field will oppose King Dorse tt. The Astoria, at five and a half furlongs, is for two-year -old fillies and is the first of three Aqueduct events for juveniles. This race is likely to draw the entry of the much discussed C. V. Whitneys Mahmoud filly, First Flight, along with the Greentree Stables Tea Olive and William Helis Miss Kimo, who was defeated by First Flight in their last meeting. Next Wednesday, they will run the Tremont, for two-year-old colts and geldings, and there could be even more interest in this race as it may draw Jet Pilot, Eternal War, Cosmic Bomb and still other youngsters who appear to be above the average. The third two-year-old event will be the 0,000 Great American, which will be run at six furlongs on Wednesday, June 19. This race, too, has drawn Eternal War, Jet Pilot, Cosmic Bomb and should go far in settling the issue as to the superiority of one of this trio. On the week-end, Suffolk Downs wiU feature the 5,000 Yankee Handicap, while down at Delaware the main event will be the 5,000 Kent Handicap, both of these races being for three-year-olds. Assault, winner of the "Triple Crown," will not be among the starters. In fact, it Is something of a question whether he will be seen for the next few weeks. Max Hirsch, his trainer, tells us "The little horse has had a very strenuous campaign and I plan to give him a let-up until I feel he is thoroughly rested and ready to run again." The 0,000 Dwyer will be run at Aqueduct on June 15, but as this is a condition race, with the top weight at 126 pounds and non-winners of a three-year-old race allowed five pounds, and those who have never won 0,000 allowed ten pounds, it is a question if the veteran elects to send him out under those conditions. While the reappearance of Assault is problematical, it is almost a certainty that Hirsch will send him to Chicago for the running of the Classic, which, at one and one-quarter miles, and with 0,000 in added money, will be run at Arlington Park on Saturday July 27. Clean Slate, the two-year-old full brother to Assault, was an odds-on choice in a five and a half furlongs race, for maidens on Aqueducts opening day card. Beaten a neck, he was far from disgraced and shows a lot more promise than is generally the case when a young brother follows in the footsteps of an illustrious older brother. Seldom are two horses by the same sire and dam anywhere near equal in their racing ability. But, even though Assault has definitely established himself, as the best three-year-old in the land today, his younger brother shows just as much, if not more, promise than many younger brothers to famous horses that we have seen racing in the past quarter of a century. Chance Shot and Chance Play were two full brothers who did well on the race course, and also when sent to the stud. Sir Gallahad III. and Bull Dog are full brothers who have made a stud record that will not be forgotten for the next 50 to 100 years in this country. Clean Slate has only started twice, so time itself will determine his status in the two-year-old crop of 1946. We have an idea, however, that he is going to prove himself a nice little horse — even though he may not go on to duplicate the "Triple Crown" feat of his older brother as a three-year-old. When Louis Rabinowitz, whose wife is the owner of Reply Paid, was told that Armed, the Calumet Farm gelding, was moving on to Chicago, he said — with a grin — "As far as we are concerned, he can go to California. We think we have a nice little horse in Reply Paid, but we are also sensible enough to know that Armed is an extra -ordinary horse and that few handicap performers have* a chance with him, unless there is a big differential in the weights." Reply Paid finished second to Armed in the Suburban and the Rabinowitz horse, who has greatly improved, stands a good chance of taking down first money in the 0,000 Brooklyn Handicap, which will be run at Aqueduct on June 22. Practically every good handicap performer now in training in the East is eligible for the Brooklyn. But, we daresay all of the owners are as well pleased as Rabinowitz that Armed is moving on to the West for the Stars and Stripes and other events at Arlington and Washington Parks in Chicago. We can think of few horses who have earned the outspoken admiration of racing owners as this Calumet gelding, who defeated Stymie in the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico, and then took the measure of Reply Paid and Stymie in the Suburban. Mayor ODwyers appearance last Saturday caused quite a discussion among the intelligentsia as to the ultimate effect of the 5 per cent city tax on horse racing. The mayor was very welcome, of course, but the majority of those we talked with were outspoken in their views of the harm that will eventually come to the New York turf by this tax, which makes the road a hard one for the player. We are not one of those who glibly talk of the "Law of Diminishing Returns," and the long range effect of tax legislation on the sport. The New York law was passed for a three -year period and lets hope that when the three years are up the strangle hold of city taxation will be removed. Such a tax would be as harmful in Chicago, Los Angeles, or any other city. If these political fathers who rush in to tax racing cannot be shown the danger of their endeavors to increase the income of their city, then racing is bound to deteriorate. We have become tired of that expression about "the Goose that Lays the Golden Egg," but racing is a fine producer of income to the state and to the city and it is a shame that these men cannot be shown that a sport is endangered as it has been in New York.
