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RIVALRY OF TWO TWO-YEAR-OLDS Respective Claims of Papp and Sun Briar to the Championship of This Year. By Ed Cole. New York, September 11. Aftermath of the Futurity demonstrated again that class will tell the tale be it in man or beast. Papp, the great big son of Peter Quince Phebe G., in defeating Escoba, took the measure of the pride of the west and proved decisively that he is the master of all two-year-olds in this country, barring, possibly, Sun Briar and Lucullite. Many believe Papp is a more worthy horse than either, owing to his soundness and true thoroughbred nature in answering any question put to him. No one will ever know whether lie could beat Lucullite when the two-year-olds were both at their best. They met once, but that was before Papp knew how to behave in races. It was at Aqueduct and Paif finished last in a five horse race. In which Sun Briar beat Lucullite a head for the race, Lucullite carrying 128 and Sun Briar 112 pounds. On that running Lucullite indicated his superiority, but both Papp and Sun Briar have improved decidedly since then, while Lucullite was considered at his best, though the going was a trifle against him, according to the expression of Sam Hildreth, his trainer, after the race. Papp did not begin to become good until the Whirl Stakes at Empire City, in which race he beat Sun Briar by more than two lengths, the latter conceding him eleven pounds. He was not at his best in his next start, as he was beaten by Ultima Thule and Top Coat. A few days later he won an overnight handicap, carrying 120 pounds. About this time Lucullite was stricken with- a skin disease and it left Papp and Sun Briar masters of the situation in Saratoga. Both showed creditably over the deep sandy going and it probably suited Sun Briar better than it did Papp, for the former beat him three times, while Papp beat " Sun Briar but once and that was the latters first race, there in which he led for five-eighths and then tired, due to his being short of work, according to Iiis trainer, Henry McDaniel. Consequently Sun Briar must be given the championship honors over the Saratoga track, which it is claimed suited his ringbones. Championship over one course, however, would hardly constitute regal honors for a horse. On the contrary, all around performances should be considered. PAPP SUPREME IN FUTURITY. Whether Sun Briar could have beaten Papp in the Futurity will ever remain a mystery, as the former was not eligible, but the presumption is that he would have had to put up a much better race than he has done, to have even finished near him. In all his races at Saratoga Iapp had to overcome difficulties of some kind. Never once did lie have a clear course. In the Futurity he was never hampered and, while in the front division from the start, he evidently was loafing, for no. sooner did Allen flick him with the whip than he spread out and ran to the front in a few strides. After that lie was merely hand ridden to the end, while all those behind him were being urged to their utmost. This would indicate that lie ran well within himself, excepting for a few strides after being touched with the whip. Only horses that run under reserved force can answer to the whip as did Papp. He might have won by a greater margin and in faster time had it been necessary, judging from the way lie answers the call of his rider. All tilings considered, including the races in which Papp was beaten at Saratoga by Sun Briar, it is a question whether Sun Briar could beat Papp in a match race. Sun Briars early speed insured him a clear course at Saratoga, while Papp always had obstructions to overcome, yet at the close of the race Papp was. on the job, but the energy expended in the early stages of the running left him with little to aid him when the pinch came. This was particularly noticeable in the Hopeful Stakes, in which Papp ran around his opponents and caught Sun Briar an eighth from home, but could not beat him to the judges. It is deplored that Mr. Kilmer has decided to retire Sun Briar, "as another meeting between the pair, at Belmont, Aqueduct or either of the Maryland tracks would no doubt have decided which horse was the better of the two on neutral ground. It is conceded Ua.t Sun Briar proved the best at Saratoga, but under other conditions there are many who believe Papp would prove superior. RICH PURSES FOB, PLATERS. Never in the history of racing have the purses for selling platers been as rich as they were at Belmont Park olf Saturday. Three of these races had ,801. G7 added to the entrance fees, the winners share netting ,760.67. These enormous purses were due to the new" selling race -rule which adds all surplus money in selling races to the purses two days later. The rule has proved un excellent one. It not only distributes horsemens money among horsemen, but encourages more consistent racing when the prizes offered are so alluring. The stewards of Belmont Park should be commended for refusing the entries of Sam McMeekin. It is the first instance in many years if ever before that the officials on the Eastern tracks have awakened to the fact that the government of racing is in their hands and that it is their duty to protect patrons. A little more Czurism in the stand would help the Eastern turf immensely. The surest method to insure clean racing is to bar the entries of horses that have proved inconsistent whether through their own whims or those of their keepers. The same rule can be applied to jockeys who are most energetic some days and sluggish upon others. Forced vacations for both horses and riders in such eases soon leads to consistency throughout.
