view raw text
I ! J The .Racing of Speedy Iron Mask in the United States and England ! The year 1010 was one of high-class two year olds in this country. The present day champion sprinter, Iron Mask, was one of them, hut not the best. Novelty was first among the colts, and Bashti stood out by herself among the lillies. But Zeus, Watervalc, Iron Mask, Round the World, Footprint, Textile, Sem-prolus. Love-Not, Naushon, Meridian and Blackfoot were all of extraordinary merit, and there were others noi far away from them. Iron Mask was bred by James R. Keeue and raced in his colors that year. Following the close of racing at Saratoga, he was sold to II. P. Whitney and by him was sent to England. There he might have distinguished himself, but for being affected by the climate and becoming a roarer. His lirst start in racing was at Shcepshead Ray June 21. 1910, in a purse race at five-eighths of a mile, which he won iu a canter by eight lengths in l:0OMs, with Fairy Story second, Five Aces third and sixteen others unplaced. Four days later Round the World defeated him by a head in the Great Trial Stakes at three-quarters of a mile in 1:13. and Naushon was third, only a neck farther back. Trap Rock, Meridian. Textile. Seth, Shackleton and Watervale were unplaced. They all carried regular stake weights except Trap Rock, which had earned penalties that made his weight 130 pounds. His next start was in the Fiiiied States Hotel Stakes at Saratoga August 10, distance three-quarters of a mile. Ho was the favorite, but it was a heavy track that day and Nnnshon, then a wonder in heavy going, gave him and the others eight pounds each and an easy beating in 1:14. remarkable time for the going. He carried 122 iwunds to ill on each of the others and won by four lengths, with Iron Mask second, the latter finishing three lengths in front or Novelty. Three others ran unplaced. August 14 he ran second to Novelty in the rich Saratoga Special at three-quarters of a mile in 1:14 over a slow track. All carried 122 pounds and he .oversell positions with Naushon this time, the latter finishing third, while Whist. Zeus, Meridian and Special Brew ran unplaced. Rut a better day for Iron Mask was near and on August 17 in the Grand Fnion Hotel Stakes at three-quarters of a mile over a fast track lie simply ran away from his opponents and won by eight lengths in 1:121-,. By reason of uon-winning allowances he only carried 114 pounds. Footprint with !.! pounds up was second and Watervale, 111 pounds, third. Four more also ran. Three days later Novelty took up 130 pounds to his 125 and beat him by a length in the Hopeful Stakes. The track was slow and the time 1:14. Naushon, 125 pounds, was third and the unplaced ones were Textile. Swannanoa, Sweepaway, Watervale, Footprint, Ileatherbroom. Rlackfoot and Rouncer. Iron Mask was an even money favorite, but met his master that day. In the Adirondack Handicap August 21 he was given 124 pounds and ran third to Zeus, 110, and Round the World, 120. Zeus was in great fettle that day and, running the three-quarters of the race in 1:11, tied the track record and -won by three lengths from Roundthe Word, she beating Iron Mask by two more. Those behind the first three were Watervale, Textile. Paton, Seinprolus, Anialti. Colston and Footprint. His only other start as a two-year-old was in the Futurity, in which he carried 12i pounds and was unplaced. Novelty, carrying 127 pounds, was first. I.-.shti, IIS pounds, second, and Love-Not, 114 pounds, third. Thus he went to England a proved good colt , not the best of his year, but at least good enough to experiment with in English racing. There he made his first start at the Newmarket Craven meeting April 0, 1911 in a handicap for threc-; ear-olds at seven-eighths of a mile. He carried the top weight of 121 pounds and finished fifth, another American coil. Toiler, 99 pounds, winning, while Pharos, 0.!, was second and Protesand, S9, third. His next essay was in the Two Thousand Guineas, in which he was asked to meet Englands best, and acquitted himself creditably, although finishing unplaced. Sunstar made the early running, but Iron Mask soon I assed him and. showing remarkable speed, led to what would be called the homestretch in this country, then gave way and at the finish was sixth, Sunstar winning, with Stedfast second, Lycaon third, St. Anton fourth and Runnymede fifth. Next he ran unplaced to Prince San, The Tower and Poor Roy in the Royal Stakes at the Epsom summer meeting. He did better iu bis next race, the Fern Hill Stakes at Ascot, by running second to the famous sprinter Hornets Beauty, St. Anton being third. He was also second In his next race, the Champion Sprint Handicap of three-quarters of a mile at Hurst Park. The Goodwood Stewards Cup winner. Rraxton, carrying 117 pounds was lirst by a length. Iron Mask carried 11S. The Duke of Westminsters thrreyujuuuhl Rallymany, lO.l pounds, was third and such crack sprinters as The Tower, Glenesky, Master IIopsoii, Prince San, Runnymede and Mineliead were among those unplaced. Along with his stable" mate, Rashti. he was unplaced in the Portland Plate at Doncaster. In the Great Eastern Railway Handicap at the Newmarket First October meeting he carried 110 pounds and ran second to J. P.. Joels fast four-year-old, Sunningdale, 110 ixiuinls. Runnymede. 10. pounds, was third, while Poor Roy. Golden Rod, St. Anton. Senseless and Prince San were among those behind the three. Then he won .lis last two races of tin? year. The first of these was; the Challenge Stakes at the Newmarket Second October meeting, in which Spanish Prince, notoriously one of the fastest horses in England, was his only opponent and an odds-on favorite at 1" to S. As a four-yai-old be carried 144 pounds to 121 on Iron Mask and the latter won easily by a length. His second triumph was in the Queensberry Handicap at the Newmarket lloughloii meeting. He carried 125 nctmds tun! the other starters and weights were The Tower. 119: Well Done, OS: Master Ilopson. 11: Mineliead. 110; St. Anton. 110; Falaise, 10S, and Cyllius, 102. St. Anton was the favorite and it was 0 to 1 against Iron Mask, hut the latter won in a canter by three lengths, with The Tower second and Well Done third. It is to be observed that all of these races, except the Two Thousand Guineas, were at sprinting distances, and in no case was he pitted against anything but the best exponents of high-class speed iu England, and that is saying a great deal. The remarkable exploits of Whisk liroom II. and Iron Mask since their return to their native land discloses a fairly good idea of the extraordinary speed against which they had to con-t ml there. After his quite successful campaign as a three-year-old it was expected that Iron Mask would do further good service for his stable in 1912, but unluckily his lungs became affected until he was so short Minded that he could do nothing. He was started only three times as a four-year-old and was unplaced each time. Horses that Mere roarers in England have sometimes recovered when brought to this country ami also when taken to Australia. In the hope that a return home might similarly benefit Iron Mask he v.as brought back to the United States, to race with success and great distinction last year. His first start was at Relmont Park May !1 at three-quarters. lie carried 12.; pounds and. giving much weight, ran awav from Resoni, Spring Hoard and nine others in 1:12. Then he was given l.!0 pounds in the Toboggan Handicap at three-quarters straight and won by two lengths in 1:10. Spring Hoard. 105 pounds. M-as second and Hester Prynne, 09 pounds. M-as third. Meridian. Caugh Hill. Sprite, Light 0 M Life, Hedge I-artl of Hope. Resoni and Sir John Johnson being tho unplaced ones. Next he was beaten three-quarters of a length by Spring Roard "n the Paunionok Handicap. He carried R!4 pounds to IK! on Spring Roard and lost because much knocked about at the start. Then he was sold to Jefferson Livingston for a long price and made his next start in that gentlemans colors. This was at Lexington September 11 and he onlv had to canter to defeat Star Jasmine, Gowell and two more at three-quarters in 1:1.5. At Douglas Park September 2:: he caused a sensation by running three-quarters in the iicm- record time of l:10f,. with 127 pounds up, but he only beat Leochares a head, the latter carrying 105 pounds. So when, a few days later, thev met again at the same distance with 109 on Leochares to 134 on Iron Mask it was no matter of great surprise that Leochares should win. This he did in the same time of 1:10, and Helios, with 10.S pounds, beat Iron Mask by a neck for second place. How since then over the lightning fast Juarez track Iron Mask ran three-quarters in Hie unprecedented American record time of 1:09 is of too recent occurrence to require comment. It was that remarkable performance which led to the arrangement of a special race in which his task was to excel Salvalors long-standing record of a mile in 1:35., his failure to do 1 which has led to the conclusion that he is a sprinter pure and simple. Iron Masks record and pedigree are: Year. Age. Sis. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. Won. 1010 - S 2 4 1 1 1J,BS0 i 1911 - 0 4 4,3.85 ; iV 4 o o o 5 ; i i i o .:,777 iiyi4 : 0 1 1 0 0 1,200 , Totals 5 27 0 8 2 S ?23,042 I Alarm Eclipse rII,myar t Maud f Domino. . J IIira xmgton 1 I Hcgira LMannieGray j r:,"mircr - I Lizzie G J War Dance r.,. k f LtR,"sc 4 I Dhter of Lecompte ..., Vedette 1 Voltigeur rtalol,i" 1 I -Mrs. RidgM-ay l Buiuilo Gal. " . . . Fly1? duchess.... j Flying Dutchman d ;... I Meropo 4 " 5" - ! Uapiil Rhone Young Melbourne T5ouuio Doon " Daug. of Retriever 2 s , Queen Mary j Gladiator .2 " D.of Plcnipottlary a . , - . O H . .. I. , . rorl Clifdcn J Newminster ? V rHampUiii , The Slave c . V . Lady Langden J Kettledrum f Royal Ha nip ton iiaricot I - , King Tom J ITarkawav g " Princess 1 I Pocahontas " Mrs. Lincoln j North I Koval Rose.... "" I Lincoln -j King Alfreds dam i j l Sterling j Oxford f Reauilesert j f Whisper Sea Gu1 i I-ifo Boat I Relic Rose J . j , wa cherry . , , Craig Millar J uiair Athol r . I Moulu -! Miss Roland Hedge Rose j Neptunus t Woodbine . a
