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BEST MODEM SPRINTERS. ROSEBEN THE UNQUESTIONED KING AMONG SPEEDY WEIGHT CARRIERS OF TODAY. Few Better in Any Period than Lady Amelia-Voters Pronounced Consistency Records of Notable Performances. August IS, Daily Racing Form published a list of thirty odd horses that had run three-quarter of a mile this year faster than 1:13. Additions have ah-eady been made to this list, Peter Pan running three-quarters that very day In l:12fc with 130 pounds up. Ten years ago OConnell held the sprinting record by virtue of having covered three-quarters In 1:12-1 and such fast time was then justly esteemed marvellous. Today a sprint In that time would simply be considered a fast race, but not so uncommonly fast as to evoke more than passing comment. Today Roseben is the unquestioned king of sprinters. He is such by reason of almost incredible exhibitions of speed under high weights, ne carried 147 pounds at Belmont Park last fall and set a new record at three-quarters, running the distance In 1:111. Yet it does not follow that Roseben la faster than other great sprinters of other days. Kingston took up 139 pounds in 1891 and ran the short Futurity course in 1:08. This may have, been a better performance than Kosebens because oC the difference in tracks. The craze for hard and lightning-fast tracks that now prevails was not the fashion then. The trackmaster, of today is profoundly versed in the art of so grading and manipulating the soil that all tracks are much faster thau they were ten years ago. Brighton Beach, foe instance, has been transformed from one of the slowest to almost the fastest track- in this country. Any comparison not giving due weight to this factor Would be unfair. Ten years ago Gotham was probably the best sprinter In active racing. At an- rate in the sprinting handicaps of 1890, he was generally top weight. Clifford was no doubt his master, but Clifford was on the shelf that year. Harry Reed, Ferrier, Irish: Reel and Rubicon were probably his most formidable! competitors. Gotham was a big chestnut son o Iroquois and the Great Tom mare Trade Wind, and was. the property of John J. McCafferty. His best performance in 1890 was when he won the Bronx Handicap, at Morris Park. The track was sloppy., yet with 140 pounds on his back he ran the last three-quarters of the slow AAithers mile in 1:14. It was a fine performance from any point of view, and it is doubtful if Roseben could do any better under the same conditions. - , In 1897 Voter came into prominence as an exceedingly fast three-yearKdd over short distances. Ho afterwards developed into a crack, mller as well as the champion sprinter. He was the first American racer to run a mile in 1:3S in a race. This he did at Brighton Beach, July 17, 1900, with 122 pounds up. Like Eoseben he was a mighty weight carrier. He ran three-quarters at Sheepshead Bay in l;12g, with 133 pounds up and seven-eighths at Brighton Beach In 1:23J; with 13S pounds up. This was not in 1S97, but later on. He only acquired prominence that year. The other extra swift ones then, some of which were stayers as well as sprinters, included such as Hastings, Clifford, Flora Louise, Abuse, Cesarion, Cleophns. Ornament and Yemen. Aoter was not running in 189S, but besides some of the old guard Algol, Swiftmas. Tra-. verser, Typhoon II., Octagon, Imp, Nicholas. Kinni-kinnie, Isidor, Briar Sweet, May W. and Bendoran won conspicuous distinction by displays of brilliant speed over short distances with no horse standing out distinctly as the champion sprinter of tho: time. Perhaps Imp might have been had she been confined strictly to that style of racing. She was as quick as a cat in getting in motion and as "Pete" Clay remarked at AVashington Park, "Dat black mak runs powful fas." Geyser was another terribly fast sprinter of that date. Aoter returned to the track in 1S99 and was the. unquestioned champion sprinter that year and in 1900 and 1901, being seven years old in the latter year. How admirably his speed had been conserved to an age when horses are generally on the down-hill grade is shown by a comparison of his best races at three-quarters in different years: Year. Place. Race. Wt. Time. 1S99 Saratoga, Purse. 123 1:12 1900 Brighton Beach. SeaCllff Stakes. 133 1:12? 1901 Sheepshead Bay, C. Isld Hdcp. 133 1:12- There is consistency for you nnd Aoter was always a reliable and consistent racer up to a mile, and Electioneer and Ballot testify that memory of his worth is to be maintained by his descendants. Some of the horses distinguishing themselves by fast sprinting In the years of Aroters supremacy were He-liobas, Timemaker, Kenllworth, King Barleycorn, Firearm, Aulcain, Coburg, Rush. Demurrer. Yellow Tail. May Beach, Dublin and Contestor, Heliobas. Dublin and Kenllworth In particular being horses of tremendous speed. Following Voters retirement Chucfanunda came into great prominence and in the opinion of eastern folks could beat anybodys, horse at any distance up to a mile. He was certainly a remarkably speedy horse and liis performances in 1902, 03 and 04 were marked features of American racing. Then In 1903 came Dick AVelles and one bright day at AVashington Park, electrified the turf world by running three-quarters in l:llf, after being practically left at the post. As a matter of fact ha actually ran the distance in 1:102, but that could not go in the record. It may well be doubted whether any faster horse ever stood on iron than that same Dick AVelles. Then, pre-eminent among sprinters, came the splendid mares Hamburg Belle and Lady Amelia and then Roseben. In the mean-, time there have been some others. In 1904 Reliable gave some remarkable exhibitions of great speed under high weight. In the mud at Brighton Beach, with 140 pounds up, he beat Honlton, 103, and seven other fast ones lightly weighted, in 1:15. At the same track when it was fast he ran three-quarters In 1:12$, carrying 142 pounds, and again in 1:13 with 13S up. At Gravesend he ran the "about" six furlongs twice with 140 pounds in the saddle in 1:101 and 1:105 and once with 130 pounds in 1:09J. He was a son of AVatercress Arnette, like Roseben, in his ability to carry great weight without being oppressed by It and fast not as fast as Roseben but very fast. If one was to go back a bit farther than ten years In search of a probable match in speed fop Roseben it is likely that Kingston would be selected. This horse was nqt a sprinter pure and simple as Roseben is. He could win at five furlongs or three-quarters from the best one day and at a mile and a quarter the next. His speed was of the extreme order from the time he made his debut as a two-year-old until he was retired from the track In 1891, when seven years old, he gave the following consecutive displays of his prowess as a sprinter.:. June 17 Sheepshead Bay, Futurity Course, 131 pounds 1:10 June 10 Sheepshead Bay, Futurity Course, 131" pounds .l:12g June 22 Sheepshead. Bay, Futurity Course, 139 pounds .. .1:0S Heavy track. In these races he simply cantered from the other uperior-sprinters of his- day. To show his versatility he took up 126 pounds on the day after running: the Futurity Course In 1:08- and won the Coney Island Stakes at a mile arid ah eighth, defeating .Potomac and Saunterer. Roseben, thanks to his own grand speed and almost perfect tracks he has been raced over, has to, his credit a list of performances at three-quarters never equalled and this table gives the besti of i thems RACES IN 1905. October 6 Belmont Park", 147 pounds 1:11 J October 4 Belmont Park, 140 pounds 1:12 October 13 Belmont Park-, 130 pounds 1:12 July -3 Gravesond, 135 pounds 1:122 July 1 Sheepshead Bay, 140 pounds 1:13 : July 15 Gravesehd. 140 pounds 1:13 August 22 Saratoga, 140 pounds 1:13 RACES IN 1906. September 6 Sheepshead Bay, 137 pounds . . . .1:12and September 1 Sheepshead Bay. 132 pounds 1:125. Of the sprinters of the present time few are better than Lady Amelia when, in perfect form. She is a great Weight carrier ami oddly enough, her best displays have been over the comparatively elow Gravesend track, the "nbiut" six furlongs course seeming to suit her "notions admirably. When a. three-year-old Ih 1904 she won tile following strik-: lng series of races over it: 1 September 19, 125 pounds i 1:09 September 23, 130 pounds iao September 20, 135 pounds . 1:108 September 28, 140. pounds L 1:102 Taking age Into consideration, llil four races are excellently paralleled by the following ifour she won over the same course this year: . May 21, 130 pounds .". l-io May 23, 137 pounds i:lo June 7. 138: pounds i l-ooa June. 14, 142 pounds liooi
