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GRIFFINS THEORY AS TO YEARLINGS. The colors of H. T. Griffin are not likely to be seen at Oakland before the new year. Griffin has one three-year-old and several two-year-olds in his barn, but they were turned out at Brentwood all summer and it will be some time before they are ready to race. After the first of the year, however. Griffins colors are likely to be much in evidence. The yearling which Griffin purchased during the summer at the sales in New York are a good looking band and will no doubt cut considerable figure in the races for the coming two-year-olds. Griffin pronounces them the most promising yearlings he has ever had, but he hardly expects to get a pair like Trance and Rose Queen out of the number. Mr. Griffin makes no concealment of the fact that he dffes not pay big prices for the yearlings lie buys. "I dont believe in paying fancy prices for comparatively untried young horses," said the shrewd" owner-trainer the other day, "and I will tell you why. A number of years ago Clay and Woodford had a sale of yearlings in New York and in the lot was a full brother to Jack Point. He was about the best looking yearling I ever saw. and Tony Astc was SO much taken with him that lie bid him up to ,400 and then stopped when some one else said ,500. I said to him: You like that colt, dont you? Well, I think like you; he is the grandest looking individual I have ever seen led Into a sales ring, and if I ever gave any such price for a yearling I would go higher for him. Tony then bid ,000 and got the colt. I said to him that if this youngster did not prove to be a high-class race horse I would never give a fancy price for a yearling. Well, Tonys beauty proved to be a rank counterfeit when it came to racing, and since then I have never let a yearlings good looks influence me to give a big price for him. "Morello, you know, sold for 25 as a yearling, and not to go so far back. Trance was a 00 yearling and Rose Queen was secured for 00, and with the single exception of Lee Rose, these were the best two-year-olds developed on the coast this year."
