Judges Stand: Week-End Stakes Open Up Belmont Renewal Chevation Favored by Weights in Kent Britons Lose Own Classics, Daily Racing Form, 1954-06-08

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JUDGES STAND By ""B HAmN. DELAWARE PARK, Stanton, Del., June 7. Whatever else may be said of the 1954 three-year-olds, they certainly are not dull and predictable, and last week end gave the upcoming Belmont Stakes all the more confused aspects of an open race. One finds it difficult to recall when the form has been more unresolved at this point in the season. While High Gun was beating off Porterhouse in Belmonts Peter Pan, a race run at a weird pace, Willie duPonts "fielder," Chevation, was amazing most of Delawares Saturday audience of 26,120 by treating War of Roses very summarily in the Kent. It should be said, however, that the weights tend to mitigate the form shown by Porterhouse and War of Roses in some degree, for the former gave High Gun 10 pounds, while Mrs. Thourons colt was conceding Chevation 15. And it might be added that in the Belmont these four are expected to meet on equal terms. How much difference this will make must remain to be seen. But if the disparities in the weights last week end fully account for the lapses of War of Roses and Porterhouse, then clearly they are not quite so capable as the public had thought them, though in all fairness neither was beaten the number of lengths to be computed into the poundage they conceded. AAA The Kent field was reduced to 14 by post time and it was a well run mile and a sixteenth, with I Geegee showing the keenest early speed and fashioning a busy pace to the last turn. After sprinting six furlongs in 1:11 he was glad to resign and Wheatleys Full Flight, who had extricated himself from the middle of the pack, drove into a clear lead of two lengths curving for home. But here the favorite, always within striking distance, and Chevation, "absolutely" entering the backstretch, began Week-End Stakes Open Up Belmont Renewal Chevation Favored by Weights in Kent Britons Lose Own Classics Gracefully Nasrullah May Rank High Here, in England to loom up on the outside. War of Roses attempted to move with the feather-weighted Chevation but could not match him and indeed, Full Flight, ran on resolutely enough to beat him five lengths, while himself going under by two. The final time of 1:44 was creditable enough compared with other times recorded during the day. But it was two seconds behind the course standard and no great trick under 108 pounds. Chevation is a medium-sized chestnut of pleasing conformation, as you might guess from the fact he is by Determines sire, Ali-bhai, out of duPonts double Beldame winner, Fairy Chant. She won one Beldame making the final start of her career as a four-year-old in 41. Chevation is considerably the most important winner Fairy Chant has produced thus far, and she now is 17. He has been campaigned conservatively, winning a little race from four starts at two and, coming up to the Kent, he had managed to account for a mile allowance event at Belmont in three starts this season. In one of his reversals he audaciously tried to give War of Roses a pound and was beaten back to fourth place. He has seemed to improve, how much will be measured in the Belmont. AAA One is reminded of the ancient wheeze about pride and falls. Last season the English found time to congratulate themselves, with gusto and gallons of printers ink, that they had swept the classics. "Horse of the Year" Pinge, Premonition,Happy Laughter and Ambiguity gave short shrift to invaders from France and Ireland. We have no wish to rub it in, for we admire their wonderful spirit, but things are going less well for Britains 20,000.-000 loyal turf devotees this season. Two days after Americas Robert Sterling Clark captured the Derby, the French fillies carried the day in the Epsom Oaks, filling all first three places. The winner, Sun Cap, is by the hitherto unsung French sire, Sunny Boy. Our fellow members of the British Bloodstock Breeders Association naturally were disappointed at these reversals, but they gracefully philosophized, "Sometimes the luck is on their the raiders side, sometimes it is on our side." The significant thing to us is that the English turf interests very cordially continue to invite competition from abroad, going so far as to advertise the conditions of the classic events in our Jockey Clubs Racing Calendar. In accordance with the national character, they are as challenging as they are challenged. We are afraid there here an occasional rebel has said some artless, resentful things of internationalism, turf course racing and importations. But theirs is an impossibly unsporting, isolationist attitude, and certainly is not in the mood of the American public. It is earnestly hoped John SchapirOj Ben Lindheimer and Dr. Strub succeed "in encouraging sport of an international character here. As for the development of grass racing, it is not at all a slavish imitation of things British, as an inverted few are fond of saying, but a matter of supply and demand. Surely nobody is obtuse enough to suppose it would ever have emerged from the novelty stage except or this demand. AAA The excellent Nasrullah will rank high on the English sire list- again this season, even though the King George VI. and Queen Elizabeth so far overshadows other - English stakes in value it can tilt the balance, as A. B. Continued on Page Forty JUDGES STAND .By CHARLES HATTON Continued from Page Forty-Eight Hancock, Jr., has observed, and Never Say Die is ineligible for the Ascot feature. It is possible that he will also be conspicuous on the American list, though his first Yankee sons and daughters are two-year-olds. This dual distinction would be nothing new for the handsome son of Nearco, as he achieved it several years ago with Noor, his only representative on this side of the Atlantic. In addition to his two-year-olds in training in America, including Claibornes clever Courtesy and Delta, several from earlier crops have been imported. Among these is the usefuL Limelight, and Larry MacPhails superb-looking three-year-old filly Eeyea. Both are progressing and one hesitates to guess their eventual classification. Funnily enough, Nasrullah and Nearco - are browns, but Limelight, Eeyea, Never Say Die and Nasrullahs three-parts brother, Royal Charger, are chestnuts. This propensity can only have come from Americus Girl. AAA Turf ana: Delawares Gov. Caleb Boggs enjoys the sport here. . . . Following its record holiday week-end opening, Delaware broke another track mark last Saturday, when the crowd wagered ,034,709. . . . For all its record holiday opener, the "tote" business was a bit off the first four or five days, but the club is optimistic it will show gains when form is-more clearly established. . . . The chase season here begins June 21. . . . Wagering is down-trending at the Maryland nite trots. . . . Delaware Park has an elaborate recreation program for the track personnel, with movies almost nightly, boxing semi-weekly, Softball, volleyball, quoits, tabel tennis, billiards, croquet and badminton. . . . Track superintendent Clarke Pardee has a maintenance staff of 150. . . . The New Castle is confidently expected to gross 22,000. . . . Fields of 20 may be started at this course, allowing the accepted five feet per horse at the starting point. . . .The inflammable New York rule that disqualified horses are automatically placed, last applies here. . . . The stewards at this meet are commendably unhesitating about flashing the "Inquiry" to raise an objection in the publics behalf.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1954060801/drf1954060801_48_1
Local Identifier: drf1954060801_48_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800