view raw text
JOHN M P DIES IN ENGLAND New York October 29 John M P the English steeplechaser that for a time loomed up as the best jumper about the New York courses died recently in England He was brought to this country by Grant Hugh Browne in the fall of 1JOG and for two years he played a more or less important part in the big crosscountry races The old horse foaled in 1S3 died of kidney trouble at the farm of J S Morrison his English owner who had retired him to n life of ease for his declining years yearsWhen When Mr Browne imported John M P he came over with an enviable reputation aud on his first appoaraucc at Sbeepshead Bay September 1 190B he fairly electrified horsemen with his extreme speed and his bold fencing A great big fellow he had the speed of a quarter horse and he took his fences at a stride This first race was the Inaugural and he was ridden by Harry Stone At one time he was fully fifty length in front of his opposition and he won with ridiculous ease This impressive victory resulted iu hie being heavily weighted by the handi cappcr almost every time he went to the post postHis His second winning was hardly less impressive That was In the Great Autumn run just seven days after the Inaugural In this race he was again ridden by Stone led all the way and made a new record for the course when he beat such good ofles as Agent Alfar Hylas Grandpa and Paul Jones JonesIt It was iu his next race that John M P made the first mistake of his American career Stoue rode him in the Westbury and with the Champion in view he tried the experiment of placing the big fellow Over the trying distance of the Champion it was inevitable that he would race himself into exhaustion before thn course was completed and Stone took a snug hold of him as he left the post and would not permit him to dash Into a long lead as ho was accustomed to do He was a 3 to 5 choice as he should have been In the light o his other victories but he did not finish the course courseWhile While Stone was taking him back and it was DO easy task the big fellow made a bad landing at the front field Liverpool aud Stone was unseated John M P doubtless would have added another purse to his list had Stone permitted him to race in his own fashion This of course was not what was wanted when the face was really just meant to tightenhim up for the Champion and a slower pace was the only one that would permit a horse to cover the course successfully successfullyIn In the Champion John M 1 failed utterly It was run at Bclmont Park October 20 and the Eng ¬ lish horse after showing brilliant speed for a turn of the field quit so badly that he was pulled up by Stone when it was seen that he did not have a pos ¬ sible chance to take down any part of the prize prizeIt It was not until the Saratoga meeting of the fol ¬ lowing year that John M P was shown under colola again llv had been sent back to England in the spring of the year and had won a hurdle handicap at Llngfleld under 175 pounds At Saratoga Jhe big Jumper ran a race for which he will long be rernein tared though not to bis credit He was ridden by Jay OBrien and when apparently about to win with ease he refused at the last fence At the time he was racing well within himself aud the act was clearly that of a rogue rogueReturning Returning to Sheepshead Bay he repeated his vic ¬ tory of the year before by winning the Inaugural Steeplechase with Mr OBrien in the saddle In the Great Autumn that followed he stumbled badly in ilio running stnd unseated Mr OBrien OBrienfii fii 1WS John M P raced under the silks of Joseph E Wiflrnor who Is now campaigning a firstclass striug In France His first start for Mr Widruer was in th New York Steeplechase and he dtsap pointed when he could only finish third to T S Martin and Kemp Rldgelcy He redeemed himself In the Whitney Memorial that followed when he was an easy winner over T S Martin His last race was run at Sheepshoad Bay June 27 1908 when California King licat him for the Beacon Steeple ¬ chase chaseJohn John M P was aUvays a sensational horse He wns surely meant for a good one but at his best he was short course performer and accordingly could never btnoine n champion Had it been pos ¬ sible to place him In his races and ket D his marvel ¬ ous Kpeed In reserve It is doubtful if there ever was a horse in this country that could have taken his measure measureMr Mr Morrison has presented the skeleton of tho big racer to the Durban South African Museum where it willbe mounted aud placed on exhibition John M Ps racing record in this country was cs follows John M P 1899 D g by Brittanic Guidine Star StarYear Year Age Sts 1st 2d M Unp Won 1905 7 4 2 O 0 2 12100 1907 s i o o 2 2575 1908 9 4 1 2 1 0 0909 T Totals IT 4 2 1 4 2t575
