view raw text
PREPARING FOR THE BOWIE MEETING. Fitzsimmons and McNaughton Are Training Selling Platers at Gravesend for Early Start. By Ed Cole. New York. March 15. — Notwithstanding a track that is fetlock dee in mud and slush bulging up from the earth through a decided thaw, one or two of the trainers who put in the winter at Oruvescnd are turning out their poorest class of horses when weather permits, in the hopes of getting a few ready for the opening at Bowie, April 2. It was the first, sign of spring work for thoroughbreds hereabouts, but sufficient to bring to mind that tiie opening of the racing season is rapidly ap-Bcoachiag. Sandy McNaughton and James Fitzsimmons are two of the earliest to take advantage of the weather conditions. They know it is the early bird that .itches the worm when the ground is soft enough for the worm to take a peek into the open. So it is with horse racing. The trainer who can fit his charges for the first meeting is the one who is going to take down purses which he never would do otherwise. There are some horses which can only win races when they catch other candidates out of condition. This is the class that is being hurried along these days in the hope that they will pluck a few plums ere other eligible* in the same division arrive at their liest. "Ive got a lot of birds in my stable." said Sandy McNaughton. "which I think can win a race or two while my neighboring trainers are watching the feather vane, and making up their minds whether it la safe to expose horses to treacherous atmosphere or not. I have had horses in my time that I have wished had been exposed long before they were. When you lose a half dozen bets on some no account bone, pay his feed bills, jockey mounts and other incidentals, and watch him coming home no faster than old Bill Daly can walk, it would make anybody wish he had been exposed and subjected to the microbes and animabulae that Baaed about in the atmosphere or hide in the sloppy mud of a race track. Im going to get that lass of birds ready as soon as I can and win out their years expenses before Jimmy Bowe, Tom Healey and other big stable trainers get after me. An Early Start for McNaughton. "An early start for me if I can get it. Like a quick breaker from the barrier Ill be in front for a little while. Tiny may get me later on. but I am going to show a little speed at the beginning. I cant just tell which horses will be ready for early training, but I have a few that will have to earn their oats quickly or they will part themselves and me too on short rations. Then I have others that will speak for themselves later on. I allude, of course, to what might be termed my careful set or horses that need close attention and careful training. These will not be introduced to the public until the flags arc flying at Jamaica or Belmont. They will meet the thoroughbred aristocrats and mingle with the society dement of the turf. "You know a poor man is lucky enough to get a good horse once in a while and I hone this is my year. Fate has unloaded many a bad one on to me and Im about due for one at which the millionaires will take a longing glance. Should I get one. I dont thing I should hesitate to let him go to another barn if somebody came along with a nice offer. Eddie McBride had the right idea when he transferred George Smith to Mr. Sanford. A high-class horse has no right in a poor mans stable. The chances are too great of his being cut down or disabled. Just a few good selling platers are good enough for the average owner. Come around in about three weeks or a month and Ill show you a flock of horses or a pack of hounds and I think it will be a flock of horse,. "I only hope we can keep going on the outside." com -liuled Sandy, "but the weather is so changeable that some days we are not able to do any outside work. It looked as if spring had arrived a couple of days ago. Then along came another snow storm and more frost and again we had to resort to shed work. I think all horses around Long Island will be late getting to the races."
