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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Albert Featherstone and G. B. Morris have added their names to the list of subscribers to the Saratoga Special. Mails of last Friday brought the nominations of the Missouri turfman and of the western New York sportsman. Assistant secretary Earlocher, of the Saratoga Association, had almost despaired of getting anything from Mr. Featherstone, and the subscription was something of a surprise. The subscription came from Kentucky and was indorsed by Julius Bauer, Mr. Fc-ath erst ones trainer and manager. Although it was a bit late the post mark bore c id-ncf that the letter had been mailed ac-s -ording to requirements. Mr. Featherstone hasnt a particularly numerous stable of two-year-olds this year, but his juveniles distinguish themselves, lit will ; ie very much better satisfied than he i has been with any of his earlier champions. Severa of them are of his own breeding. It t i t may be taken for granted that they have shown something fancy in the way of speed, because Mr. Bauer is an excellent, judge of young horses and too careful a man to advise his employer to take a long chance in anything ordinary. Mr. Bauer was the man -who picked out for Mr. Featherstone at the Williams and Rudford yearling sale of 1898 the speedy colt Mesmerist, which became the champion two-year-old of the season of 1899. He also bought Hatasoo, Indian Fairy, Ig- niter, Arsenal and Missionary. It is taken for granted that Mr. Feather- stone will select his Special candidate from five nicely bred two-year-olds he has named for other Saratoga stakes for young- sters. Four colts and a filly form this group. The colts are Arthur, by Albert Sis oLee; Stalker, by On Deck Mamarica; Topic, by On Deck Bonnie May; an unnamed colt by The Commoner Lady Eon and an unamed filly by R. H. McPotters stallion Knight of the Thistle Phoebe. Among the passengers ..on the White Star liner Germanic last Friday who arrived in New York, Tvas Fred Foster, former owner of Dr. Rice and the only American who ever trained and raced horses of his own in Tur- key. He has been abroad three years and talked interestingly of his experiences. Fos- ter was trainer for the stables of the late Baron George Bleichroeder. "When Baron George was killed in his automobile last June," said Foster, as he stepped from the steamship, "Germany lost a great man. He was a banker, and, after Rothschild, the greatest financier of the continent and could afford to maintain the finest breeding stables in the world at Lechenich. "My brother George remained in Germany to look after the stables of the late Baron. He is supported by jockeys E. Jones, James" Morgan, E. Ross and T. Brady. The last named I consider one of the greatest coming riders of the world. He is Tod Sloan, T. Burns and a half dozen others rolled into one." When asked concerning his experience in Turkey and Austro-Hungary, Foster said: "At first I was viewed with suspicion and my methods in training ridiculed, but after I began to win against Simon pure Arabian horses and the natives were satisfied that I loved my animals, I found clear sailing. "In Sarajerb, the racing city of Turkey, I entered seven races and won them all. The riding of Morgan and Ross was a revelation to the Turks and a feature of the meets. Not quite as good a showing was made in Budapest, Hungary, for I only stood third in their Derby, but I afterward redeemed the American laurels by winning seventeen straight races at that city and Vienna. "From one end of Turkey to the northern border of Austria in racing one hears nothing else than the wonderful American horsemanship. It is a field for good, clean sport which has been overlooked, and why, I cannot understand, for the purses are large and the experience nothing if not interesting. But I wanted to get back home and here I am." Foster brought back with him many hand- some medals and trophies presented to him by various titled men in Turkey and Europe. There is sound foundation for the report that Tod Sloan will soon blossom out as a trainer in England. The Earl of Carnarvon has offered the little American sole charge CONTINUED ON FOOBTH PAGE. ! 3 i ; j I ; . ; ; j ; v GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Continued from first page. of. his powerful string now in the hands of Grensil at the Earls private establishment, Whatcombe, Berks. The earl and Tod have been fast friends ever since the latter -first went to England, and it was through the American jockey that he last year purchased in France his champion miler, Mauvezin. Though Tod is loath to settle down permanently if it is possible for him to again obtain a license from the English Jockey Club he will probably accept this offer unless some action is taken in his case at the annual meeting of the club next April. There will be no difficulty as to a trainers license, for anyone can train on outside grounds in England, unless actually ruled off the turf. It is only when a trainer is desirous of using their private grounds Newmarket Heath for a training ground that the club has any say in the matter. It is quite possible that Tod might be refused a license to train on the Heath, but it will not be necessary for him to apply for one, as he can train at any outside point, and still run the horses in his charge in any race on the Newmarket course as he sees fit to. A Detroit exchange says: "Much doubt has been expressed in different quarters as to the meeting to be held in this city. It has been openly asserted that the date already alloted to Detroit by the "Western Jockey Club would be forfeited. Campau, however, has been working quietly, and the chances are that he will have fully as good horses at the track as in the old days when Ornament was the Derby star. Besides, Campau, has some good allies in the racing world, and that he is sure to spend a good bit of money to make his racing event a success is certain. The Detroit Jockey Club will. offer six stake events. The International Derby is the prize card and this will have a guaranteed value of ,000. But it is Derby in name only, for the distance is only a mile and a quarter. There is not the least doubt ,but it is a mistake to make the Derby for the short routes. The three-year-old which cannot go a mile and a half is a dog. That old, old story that it is impossible to train a colt for the distance in June, without injury, is a myth. Better colts have won the Kentucky Derby, when it was for a mile and a half, than have started since the distance was cut down. The advent of E. E. Smathers upon the runing turf will certainly aid Campau in getting entries for his big stake events. Though there is nothing of value in the stake events outside that for the Derby, yet it is easy to get the great McCliesney to come, provided he is a star performer in the west this season. Then Mr. Smathers is certain to have other good performers. He has always been a popular man with the trotters, and at that time cared very little for the purses which were offered. Mr. Campau has a trotting track and the mere fact that he wants to make a good racehorse town out of De-troit, will appeal to Mr Smathers. Then the International Derby will have one advantage. Several of the good three-year-olds will be without engagements, and as the stakes will close late, many good ones will be picked up. Mr. Campau will have the support of the Western Jockey Club and he has a great advantage. But Mr. Smathers may have his troubles. There are some stories that the sale of the Durnell horses to him have not been bonafide, though it is only fair to state that he cannot afford to go into any deal of that kind. There is not the least doubt but he owns McChesney and Dick Bernard." The following is taken from a New York exchange of March 12, in regard to the giving of drugs of horses: "One of the foremost trainers on The Jockey Clubs tracks, a man above suspicion in the matter of deceptive practices and the small work peculiar to many horsemen, had this to say yesterday about the methods of trainers and owners who dope" horses: " A much closer watch is to be maintained this summer on the "dope doctors" than has been the rule in the past. Racing rules against the use of opiates and stimulants have been dead letters heretofore. The fact that the stewards at New Orleans took summary action in the case of owner Fizer yesterday is a good sign. " It is the hardest work in the world to bring home to these schemers any proof that will land them. As a matter of fact any number of horses are started every week which are literally saturated with drugs be-fore they will run anything like their best races. The practice of "doping" horses prevails in stables ordinarily reckoned above suspicion. Horses crazed by injections of powerful drugs go past the officials every day in the week on their way to the post and no questions are asked. Eighty per cent, of the people in the paddock and the same percentage of those on the lawns can tell at a glance when one of these galvanized candidates shows up. " While the system works well at times to the profit of certain owners, it is a fact that many a good thoroughbred has been ruined by "dope," and it is alike a crime against nature and the best interests of the turf that a horse should be subjected to any such treatment. " Many of The Jockey Clubs rules, heretofore only partially enforced, are to become fully effective this year. Among them the edict against doping horses will be meted out strenuously, and if the practice continues the season will not have gone far before somebody will be in difficulties. " Andy Godfrey, at one time a star jockey of this country, died last week at the home of his sisters, in Harlem, New York, of consumption and was buried yesterday afternoon by the association known as the "Eagles," of which Senator T. D. Sullivan is a prominent member. Godfrey, during the early eighties, rode many turf "stars" to victory. He was in the employ of the late Pierre Lorillard and also August Belmont, and won many brilliant victories for their stables. He was known among the racing people as "Honest Andy," and during his long career was never accused of or suspended for any wrongdoing on the turf. The public in those days would bet their last dollar on a horse that they figured to win if Godfrey had the mount. Jockey C. Kelly, Jake Markleins lightweight boy, is looked upon as one of the best riders in the country for purposes to which he may be put to use. For a time Tichenor and Co. looked at him enviously, but they have decided to secure some other light-weight, because Marklein would not part with him. Last season the boy rode 585 races, finishing first 84 times, second 72, third 76, and was unplaced 353 times. While this may not seem as good as it might have been, it was good enough to make him stand No. 19 on the list of winning boys. In California this winter he added considerably- to his reputation. He says he will be able to ride at ninety-five pounds this season. Altogether he has a very promising future. Bishop Foole. trainer for M. H. Tichenor and Co., has purchased from Joe Hawkins, trainer for K. P. Shipp, a two-year-old filly which he thinks has much promise. The filly is by Linden Agnetta, and is one of the clearest, gamest-looking youngsters at present quartered at Montgomery Park. The price paid for the filly was ,500. She is now being handled with the other members of the Tichenor string, and Mr. Poole feels confident she will prove one of the best of the year. She is entered in the Ar-delle stakes for this year and the Tennessee Oaks for 1904. That E. Corrigan ran second and third in the Bush Cup with horses taken out of selling races, was considered by some to mean that the Master of Hawthorne had an ambition to win the cup race. Such was not the case. Mr.Corrigan tok these two horses because the owners of them had been instrumental in bidding up horses of his own. "At the time he got Leflare and Zazel," says T. Magee, "Mr. Corrigan did not even know that they were entered for the Cup. With the muddy track, of course, we thought we had a chance, but I guess The Way is a better distance runner than Leflare." G- C. Bennetts jockey "Monk" Coburn, arrived at New Orleans from San Francisco last Thursday, having made the trip on a telegraphic request from trainer G. W. Poole to ride Flocarline in the Derby. Coburn took on considerable flesh during the journey, and immediately went to a Turkish bath. He was surprised when told that the latest Memphis news was to the effect that Flocarline would not be sent down for the Derby, and said in that event he might have the mount on Birch Broom. Coburn was under suspension during most of the winter in San Francisco, ostensibly for a bad ride on one of T. H. Ryans horses, but in reality because of not properly taking care of himself In training. He was reinstated two weeks ago, mainly at , the instance of friends of Mr. Bennett on I the coast, who interested themselves in the boys behalf.
