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ROSEBENS DECLINE IN SPEED SPEEDNew New York May 4 I guess your old horse is done for Dave and youd better send him to the farm to spend the rest of his days in peace said Frank J Farrell to Dave Johnson just after Hose ben had been beaten in the Paumonok Handicap He will never be the same horse again and I would not give you 500 for him right now nowIt It looks that way replied Johnson with a sad smile He had no excuses and did the best he knew how I guess that attack of blood poisoning last fall was too much for him although he has been working well and seemed to be all right in Ills trials trialsHis His race was a big surprise to me remarked trainer Weir He worked very fast two days ago and I believed that he would win todays race in a canter I still have confidence in him and will send him to the post again soon soonIloseben Iloseben has gone was the comment on all sides as he made a fruitless attempt to overhaul the pacemakers on the far turn He will never amount to much again Then when the once great racer came home absolutely last there was a feeling of sorrow among those who remembered his notable pastKosebeii triumphs in the past Kosebeii it will be recalled was nt the point of death last year A bruise on his hoof developed blood poisoning and it was oiily the most heroic treatment that saved his life Experts who have studied his case said that the Big Train though looking well bad lost much of his former vitality and that he would never be the champion at short distances again In ail probability no greater sprinter than Iloseben ever lived He won with all sorts of heavy burdens carrying as much as 147 pounds to victory His greatest performance was when he ran seven furlongs at Belmont Park a year ago last fall in 122 a record that will probably stand unequalled for a long time to come If comeIf Roseben should ever recover his prowess It would be wholly due to the skill jof trainer Weir who has patched him up on several occasions before this That Roseben will be sent to the races again is a foregone conclusion but it is doubtful if he will over have the undivided confidence of the rac ¬ ing public again againMr Mr Weir thinks too that the poor form of Rose ¬ ben might be attributed to the plentiful use of antftoxln last fall when the big sprinter was crit ¬ ically ill Other drugs were employed so that in Weirs opinion Roseben may be still suffering from the effects of the heroic treatment he received Several veterinarians have expressed the belief that if Roseben is allowed to rest for several months he may come around all right after all But expert trainers who have seen the Big Train say that he will never completely recover his old
