The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-08
Greg. o. 9. Pat. OFF,
NV lack f3HIEMTHER

114 SkAN4A WIEN \ &A&b@
UNITED Press STAR COrrespOndentJ
New York, June S-(UP)-For th6
fourth time In five years, members
Of the association Of turf experts
and tea leaf readers, unlimited, to-
day bowed TO what rapidly is be-
coming accepted as the inevitable.
Once again, all legs Of { he triple
crown have been run without pro-
ducing even q remotely accurate
facsimile Of a three-year.o ld cham
pion.
Since only good news Is supposed
to travel fast, you may not yet have
heard that Alsab has blown another
one. Well, he has. The latest In D
long line Of second Man OWars"
was trimmed fairly and squarely In
the Belmont Stake, the race in
which he was supposed to have
wrapped the 1912 turf title up In
his pink and blue silks and mailed
it to the historians.
Unpopular
Little Sab was beaten by Shut
Out. You probably remember the
latter horse. He won the Kentucky
Derby month ago and he is q pret-
ty fair piece Of bllle-blooded horse
flesh. Shut Out can run. He proved
1t often enough before he ever came
up to the Belmont. But he lacks one
thing. That Is popular appeal. For
some reason, the public just doesn't
cotton to Shut Out.
Nor do the experts. So today in
stead Of writing that the 500 Alsab
has tucked the crown away in the
family safe, they are penning pieces
declaring the title won't be decided
until the $2S. 900 Dwyer Stakes this
month, or more probably, the Ar
lington classic on July IS.
In this they are completely cor
rector aS completely correct as
It Is possible for any expert to be.
Shut Out has two firSts and q fifth
Tor his appearances In the three
races which comprise the triple
crown. Alsab has one first and two
seconds. Obviously. neither has a
clear claim at this stage. Another
rubber match must still be run.
It is true that into every life some
rain must fall, but in the past few
seasons the A. Of T. e. & T. L. r.
members-and that means us, too,
chums-have been soaked for far
more than their just share. For the
clamor horses simply won't head the
notices authored by the press boz
ports. They Just don't give a hang.
In 1888 the appointed great was
Dauber. He ran second In the Derby.
won the Preakness then blew the
Belmont at an odds price. The
upshot Of this was that StaRehand.
who didn't run in any OF the bia
tnree. was named champ. A year
later Johnstown was the seasons,
Ialrest flower. He won both the Der.
py and Belmont. but then lost the
PreakneSs and title to Challedon.
In 1910 the nomination went ia
bimelech. Words practically fail ma
as ! think Of this. For with everv
piece OF silver plate In Kentucky
on his back, Bimelech lost the
Derby, came back to win the next
TWO legs Of the crown, but was hat.
ga IN the withers and classic. By
midsummer he was lame. skin
year Ter Whirlaway, who reformed
on Derby eve, and wNB are UP to
Rebel
This year. as II you need to bx
told, the rebel Is Alsab. He started
tne season as q second Man o. War.
only better. and then dropped away
faster than the PhiIlies. Comes tbs
Preakness and he wins. "a he
promptly Is reinstated In the select
circles Just In time TO dOuble-cross
eu hands again. What he will do
from here on is a question. You pro-
VIDE the answer.
The simple fact OF his most receni
defeat Is that he was beaten bv q
peter horse. Shut Out was clicked
~ S:1S I'D, or the second fastest
Time recorded since the BeInont
stake distance was lengthenea Ia 4
mile and half. That isn'k great
time, but 1t Is very good. Fh,rthers
more, Alsab was beaten in the
s.retcn-Where he was rated In
vinciple even BY the experts who
didn't like him. V
Both title clainants-and now
they are the only title cIaimants-.
are eligible for the Dryer and the
classic. Alsab'g handlers claim he
needs lots OF work and he may start
N other races before those two coirls
around. Shut Out. however, viii b
reserved exclusively for the BIZ
ones.
After Saturdays race I'M con-
WINGED OF one thing-Alsab Is no
standout. You might even say he Is
no SHIT out. He has won only two
Of ~ starts this year. Maybe it is
his fault; maybe the blame rests
with his owner and trainer. inst
argument-did he fall Or was be
pushed7-is flaring al over again
but II youiI pardon me, this Is
where 1leame g.