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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Mesmerist started in thirteen races, meeting all the cracks of the two-year-old division, barring only Chacornac. acd nnvor finished out-aide tbe money. He was fir at in nine races, aecoLd in three and third in one. His debut was mado in the First Part of tho Double Event, in which he ran second to Prince of Melbourne. His second start was in the Foam Stakes, whish he won. Hia other stake victories were the Second Part of the Double Event, the McGratbiana, the Fleiechmann, the First Port of the Grand Union Hotel, the Dash, the Autumn, the GreatEastern Handicap and the Junior Champion. He finished second to David Garrick in the Graat Trial, second to Plucky in the First Attr mpt Stakes, and third to Maribert and Gonfalon in tbe second part of the Grand Union Hotel Stakes. His winnings up to date amount to 9,307.50. After his victory in the Junior Champion his owners, Messre. Bromley and Co., wisely decided to retire him for the season. It is to be regretted that he and Chacornac, the Futurity winner, did not meet, for had he defeaed the speedy son of Juvenal he would have had an even greater claim to championship honors. He has speed and weight-carrying ability, and in his races seemed to show that he could stay as well. Unless all signs fail he will m-ke a grand three-year-old. Spirit of The Times. Describing Firarms record-breaking performance at Morris Park Taes lay the New York Snn said: "Tbe time made in the Matron race was smart ecoagh to arc use comment, but it was promptly dwarfed br Firearm in the Manhattan Handicap over the same routo. V tar and Previous, the two top-weights, declined tho issue, and Firearm ruled favorite.bat the play on him was light, and Heli bah closed in almost equal demand. Matanza, Toluca and Lady Lindsay were the other sarters, and as all were reported to ba right on odgj, tho experts reached for their chronometers. "If the watches did not break it was not Firearms fault, as the handsome four-year-old son of Rayon dOr Fides csme down tho hill and through tbo stretch at a pace never before seen over the course or olsowhora. OLeary Eat so still and took matters so easily that many onlookers were deceived as to the pace until tbe figures were hung out. Then there was a general gasp of astonishment, followed by a hearty cheer ae tli-a regulars realized that the worlds record had bien knocked to pieces. "Tbe previous mirk was 1:09, made by the mighty Domino in 1896 and tied by Banastar last May. Domino was only a two-year-old and shouldered 128 pounds; Banastar was a fonr-yeir-old with only 116 pounds, and full credit must ba conceded to Firearm, as he had 120 pounds in tho saddle, and won with such ease that he could have b3en ten lengths instead of two ahead of Heliobaa at the line. It was a popular triumph for tbe Blemton cast-off and his astute young trainer, James Bjdea." An incident of the racing at Oakland last Saturday is thus described by the San Francisco Examiner of Sunday : "Monroe Johns in colored had an argument with Blacksmith OBourke yesterday afternoon at the Oakland track. At first he got the worse of it, foi OBourke punched him in the jaw, and tried to kick him as he lay prono on the asphalt pavement. After the fight was over the stewards ruled OBourke and his horses off the track. "One of OBourkos striug, Tho Fretter, was a starter in tho handicap,, tha chief race of the afternoon, Two or three of the horses behaved ve y badly at the post. The Fretter being of a lively disposition, burst through the barrier once or twice. Johnson, thinking to restrain him, grabbed his bridle and kept him from running aw y several times. When tin start was finally effected. The Fretter had the misfortune to got away badly. After tha raco, ORourko accused Johnson cf holding his horeo at the post. Monroe, some what bluntly it is true, told him he was a prevaricator. Heuco the fight and the ruling of the stewards." i Chacornacs last work for the Matron had been so good that there seemed to be scarcely a possibility that he could lose. However, he had a recurrence of the trouble that interfered with his preparation for tbe Futurity, namely, bucked shins. Had the Futurity been deferred two or three days it is likely that Chacornac would have been an absentee from that event; but, fortunatey, the trouble did not develop with him until after the race. The recurrence of tbe lameness, while not at all serious, wae of sufficient importance to prevent the appearance of the colt in the big event yesterday. Morning Telegraph. Mr. L. O. Applebys Knight of tho Thistle arrived from England Tuesday. This horse was bought at auction by Huggins for Mr. Apoleby j for 050, and subsequently leased to Lord Wil-1 liam Beresford. HugginB believed that be had not bsen properly trained, and the accuracy of his judgment is shown by the fact that Knight of the Thistle, among other good performances tbe past season, ran second in the Lincolnshire Handicap and won the Jubiloo Stakes, worth absnt 2,000. Mr. Appleby has refused several big offers for Knight of the Thistle and will retire him to the stud. He is by Beauclerc The Empress Maud and is a full brother to Lady Sosobsry, a high class winner in England. Next to tho Futurity, which was worth 0,630 to the winner, and the Junior Champion, which was worth 8,320 to tbe winnor, the Matron is the richest two-year-old event of the year. Its total value was 6,000, of which 7,000 went to the winner, ,8C0 to the second and ,200 to tho third horse. Besides these divisions, Gen. W, H. Jackson, as tho breeder of tho winner, by Ircquoie Fairy, gets ,500; August Belmont, as the breeder cf Redpath, gets ,000, and James B. Keens, as the breeder of Runaway Girl, gots 00. The latter is by the peerless Dummo Fair Vision, while Bedpath is by Rayon dOr Bed Girl
