Knockdown and Adroit were bright lights for Maryland’s breeding program, with stakes wins in California and Florida, respectively.

Knockdown raced for Elizabeth Arden Graham, who purchased the son of Discovery for $2,000 from Alfred Vanderbilt’s Sagamore yearling consignment at Meadow Brook (in New York). A “raw-boned, brown yearling” who had since grown “into a great, strapping colt” Knockdown was one of the best 3-year-olds in the country after a win in the $100,000 Santa Anita Derby.

Anne Heighe’s homebred Adroit won Hialeah’s Black Helen Handicap in brilliant fashion. The 6-year-old mare was by *Aethelstan, who at age 24 was “hale and hearty” and standing at Heighe’s Prospect Hill Farm in Bel Air.

• The Maryland Horse editor Humphrey Finney took a road trip to Florida, and along the way visited training centers in South Carolina.
  
  In a day and a half he went to Pinehurst, Camden, Columbia and Aiken. In Camden, Harry D. Kirkover explained to Finney that “loss of hotels had practically put the place out of business of late years.” Kirkover owned 500 acres, on part of which was Springdale Race Course. It was hoped “sufficient horses can be found to make the running of the Carolina Cup” over the Springdale timber course. Also based in Camden was Kent Miller’s Maryland-bred steeplechaser Elkridge “who is wintering well,” plus a number of training outfits at Marion duPont Scott’s private training track.
  
  Aiken was base for Edward Christmas, in charge of William Brann’s horses, including Gallorette, who never looked better. “Her coat is in wonderful bloom, the muscling standing out all over her ample frame.” Also seen in Aiken was Preston Burch, with a big string for Brookmeade and the Howe Stable; John Gaver with the powerful Greentree Stable; Oleg Dubassof, in charge of a “lovely 2-year-old filly” for breeder J.F. Flanagan; and Boyd Littrell, handling Count Speed for John Hertz. “One could spend a month at Aiken,” wrote Finney, “and still not see all one wanted to.”