Del Mar, Calif.—A trotting filly which continues to attract attention on the mile track at this training colony does not even possess an official name, but she is gifted with speed, trots straight, and is perhaps Doug Ackerman's brightest prospect ‑ Until they get around to naming her, she is referred to as Eblis Victory.
 
The daughter of Victory Song‑Luella Eblis was somewhat undersized when Ackerman moved to Del Mar, but she has grown fast since. She trotted a quarter in :35 the other day off a mile in 2:352/5, and came the last eighth, seemingly well within herself, in :16. All she wears are shin boots, and scalpers behind. She goes with about 8 ounces on in front, with a 3‑1/2" toe set at a 48 degree angle, and is plated in 5/8 half‑round shoes. In the rear, she has a 3‑1/4" toe at 52, and supports half‑swedges.
 
Among those missing along the rail on recent mornings was Max Kennedy of La Jolla, Calif. Illness kept him away, but he hopes to be docking the stock again shortly. Kennedy, the man who owned, trained and developed the first Fox Stake winner (Red Pluto p, 2, 2:051/2) and who sold the fast colt just before the big event, was an outstanding reinsman some 40 years ago. At one time, Braden Direct was a headliner in Kennedy's winning string.
 
Two‑year‑olds in Charley King's Ohio Valley Stable are training to form, and the filly, Timely Queen p, b f (Good Time‑Queen's Dream), still leads the juvenile department with a mile in 2:35‑:34. Other recent work turned in by King's hopefuls is as follows: Lady Jackie, b f (RodneyLady's First), 2:38‑:35‑:17; Argo Valley, b c (Worthy Boy‑Lady Argo), 2:45‑:343/5‑:17; Master Rodney, br c (Rodney‑Duke's Dutchess), 2:383/5‑:36­:172/5; Argo Kid, b g (Speedster‑Lady's One), 2:55 evenly rated; Granada Hanover, br c (Rodney‑Gratis Hanover), 2:42‑:38; Argo Mon, b g (Speedster‑Lady's Worthy), 2:48; Preble Mite, b g (Bud Mite‑Maude W.), 2:37; and Gussie O'Brien, b f (Silk Byrd‑That's Right), 2:52‑:40. Assistant Wilbur Long is owner‑trainer of the promising Rigewin p, b g, 2 (AnkawayQuick Win). This one has been timed in 2:37, with all the quarters about alike.
 
C. M. Saunders has changed the name of his trotting colt from Elby Scott to Senator Hoot. The son of Elby HanoverSong of Scotland, has been slow to find himself but is currently improving each time out, his latest trip being in 3:00 ‑:20. The other Saunders-­owned youngster, Ranger Abbe p, ch c, 2 (Gene Abbe‑Hal of India), has shown trainer John McGregor a mile in 2:32‑1:15‑:35­:162/5, and appears to be one of the speediest colts at the track.
 
Knight Lad p, b g, 2 (Knight Dream‑Bridget Hal), worked in 2:44­:163/5 for owner‑trainer Frog Redden. This pleasantly mannered two‑year‑old found his speed quickly, and his trainer is very high on him.
 
Russell Valles Key and second trainer Eddie Dorn turned in the following two‑year‑old clockings: Call Me Famous, b c (Famous Hanover‑Prudent Sue), 2:3 1 6‑:36‑:17; Dil­lola's Key, b c (Long Key‑Dillola Lord), 2:32‑:36‑:17; Nice Queen, br f (Titus Hanover‑Nepenthe), 2:50‑:40‑:19; Joco Coal, br g (Colbirish‑Jjochbed's Worthy), 2:30 ‑:35‑:17; Queen's News, b c (Darn Gay‑Betsy Babcock), 2:32‑:36‑:17; X Pert Allen, b c (Sheraton‑Active Margie), 2:30‑:34‑:16; Natty Queen p, br f (Titus Hanover‑April Frost), 2:50; Queen's Nick p, ch c (Rush Hour‑Mary Counsel), 2:30‑:32‑:16; Queen's Note p, bl c (Gander‑Widow Patch), 2:28‑1:10‑:32‑:15, and Stall Guard p, br c (Mudge Hanover­Away), evenly rated in 2:40.
 
While looks and size do not always go together, one of the handsomest and largest two‑year‑old trotters in training at Del Mar is The Big Kid in Doug Ackerman's barn. The son of Kimberly Kid‑Helen Eblis was started to train somewhat later than his stable mates and has advanced quickly. The Big Kid has been in 2:46‑:39‑:18. The colt is rather skeptical about where to place his hind feet on a race track, but Doug believes he is getting the colt organized. He wears only a pair of scalpers and a can't‑see‑back bridle. Otherwise, the colt is simply rigged. He wears a 5/8 quarter flat shoe in front, having a 3-5/8 toe set at a 49 degree angle and half swedges behind, with a 3-3/8 toe at 54.
 
Another large but handy two‑year‑old in Ackerman's stable that railbirds are talking about is Prince Kam, br c (Prince Victor‑Volo Kam). Critics of conformation may not think this colt is as long in the back as he perhaps should be, but he has ample room to trot and is a real line trotter.
"If I can get him widened out just a trifle, I believe he will clear his shins completely," said Ackerman recently. "I doubt if I have quite enough weight on him at present; yet, if he will trot without the additional weight, it will be better."
 
Ackerman has reason to think Prince Kam has possibilities for he just worked in 2:37, last quarter in :36, and the last end of it in :161/5. He wears only the shin boots and scalpers. He carries about six ounces of weight in front, having a 3‑5/8 toe at a 48 degree angle, and wears a 5/8 half‑round shoe. Behind he is 3‑1/2" at 53, and wears half‑swedges.
 
Dude Best and Bob Tosh, who have never missed a winter—unless I'm badly mistaken—shoeing horses at Del Mar since the track was opened to training, are back on the job again bending the iron for the different stables.
 
Jerry Graham worked Spen Song, b c, 2 (Victory Song‑Joan Spencer), in 2:40‑1:20‑:37‑:18. . . . The free‑legged Roger Mc p, b c, 2 (McNamara‑Bonnie Prince), continues to burn up the race course with extreme speed. His latest was in 2:27‑1:12‑:35‑:172/5, with owner‑trainer Clyde Tisher in the seat. Tisher's trotting colt, Mr. Beau Key, br c, 2 (Long Key‑Beau Day Veinard), worked in 2:45‑1:17‑:37‑:18. . . . Bill Bailey worked Bubbling Coal, bl f, 2 (ColbirishBubbling Oasis), in 2:36‑1:16‑:173/5. . . . In the Jack Williams barn, Belmont Jimmy p, br c, 2 (Jimmy Creed‑Susie's Girl), worked in 2:38‑1:13‑:163/5, Keen's Mighty Joe p, ro g (Shamrock Joe‑Maid H.), in 2:41, last half in 1:15; and Keen's Harlenia, b f, 2. (Harlan‑Keen's Muff Hanover), evenly rated in 2:52.
 
Doug Ackerman's other two‑year‑old charges have worked in the following form: Flora Hostess, b f (Florican‑Air Hostess), 2:49‑:38‑:18; Torjo p, ch c (Torpid‑Ersie Jones), 2:45‑:38‑:18; Lentsch's Boy p, b c (Meadow Pace‑Sunbird), 2:37‑:36‑:16; Peachamont p, br c (Queen's AdiosPeachee Widow), 2:37‑:36‑:16; A Plus p, b f (Date Frost‑Helen Rutledge), 2:35‑:35‑:153/5; Door Key p, b c (Keystoner‑Dora Byrd), 2:45‑:38‑:18; and Fleet Yates p, ch c (Don Adios‑Miss Pola), 2:37‑:36‑:16.
Busy Jacques Grenier has been a Del Mar visitor several times recently. The other morning he informed the writer that his two­year‑olds at Four Star Ranch, Artesia, Calif., had made considerable progress during the past fortnight. His own colt, Jacques Diamond p, b c (Diamond Hal‑Nancy Red), worked in 2:34, and ambled the last half in 1:15, last quarter in :36, last eighth in :17. Grenier's other juveniles trained as follows: Wonderful p, b f (Poplar Byrd‑Selka Adam), 2:40‑1:18‑:38‑:16; Giant Yates p, bl c (Don Adios‑Giant Stride), 2:357‑‑1:144/5‑:353/5, and a last eighth a tick better than :17; McLean Yates p, br c (Don AdiosGinger Reed), 2:344/5‑1:15‑:36‑:17. Mr. Don Yates p, br c (Don Adios­Mary Win), worked in 2:35‑:36‑:17.
 
Grenier said to expect a New Zealander to visit Del Mar shortly. His owner, Noel Simpson, will have arrived on the west coast by the time this report is printed. Three horses, belonging to Simpson, are being shipped direct to Four Star Ranch from New Zealand, to join a half‑dozen other Simpsonowned charges already in Grenier's hands. According to Grenier, Simpson will stop off at Del Mar for several days to view the colt training before leaving for the east.
 
Foster Walker, always believed to be somewhat partial to diagonal gaited performers, wears a pleasant smile when working Countess Adios p, 3, 1:573/5. He has the fast mare on the trot, and she is doing quite well at it. Walker had hoped to winter at Ben White Raceway this year, and it is rumored that the only way his boss, Delvin Miller, could induce him to winter in the west, was to allow him to change the mare's way of going. "Sort of a consolation prize," said Foster.
 
In the Jim Dennis roster of two‑year‑olds, one that the writer overlooked in the last report was Reed's News p, br f (Don Adios­Reed's Queen). The sister to Reed's Beauty p, 3, 2:014/5, Duke Yates p, 3, 2:02, etc., is owned by David Seldeen and family of Artesia, Calif., and has paced in 2:39 ‑: 172/5. Other Dennis stable freshman prospects have worked as follows: Shadydale Tuesday, b g (Mighty Ex ress‑Calendar Girl), 2:43‑:18; Bal Harbor p, b c (Gene Abbe‑Elediana), in company with Steve Pick p, ro c (Gene Abbe‑Cameo Wick), 2:31‑:35‑:151/5; Rube's Wonder p, b c (Adios Harry‑Real Wonder), in company with Spike Ed p, br c (Direct Rhythm‑Kathleen Lybrook, 2:332/5‑:332/5­:16; and Adios Gal p, b f (Adios‑Ozark Gal), 2:38‑:172/5.
 
Jerry Adios p, b c, 2 (Adios‑Miss Mamie), in the stable of Jimmy Cruise, worked in 2:35‑:35‑:17.
 
Jerry Adios p, 2 , (Jimmy Cruise), brother to Winning Adios p, 3, 1:591/5 , owned by Saul Finkelstein, New Rochelle, N. Y.
 
Gussie O'Brien 2 (Bill Schrade) half‑sister to That's Free p, 3, 2:071/5. A daughter of Silk Byrd, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Stephens Redondo Beach, Calif., and a member of the Charley King stable.
 
Adios Gal p, 2 (Jim Dennis) by Adios, is owned by Victor and Morris Zeinfeld, Maywood, Ill.
 
Lady Jackie 2 (Charles King ), a daughter of Rodney, and first foal of Lady's First 2:001/5. Owned by Ohio Valley Stable.
 
Stall Guard p, 2 (Russell Valles Key), half‑brother to Colbaway 2:113/5h by Mudge Hanover, is owned by trainer‑driver Keys.