view raw text
I : i 1 I I ; RACING MORE POPULAR THAN EVER 1 More Snap and Zest Shown by Public This Year Than Displayed Since Golden Days of the Turf. New York. May 2.S. — It wan a matter of frequent comment during the meeting of the Metropolitan 1 Jockey Club, which came to such a successful close Saturday, that there was more snap and zest on the part of the public than had beeu displayed since the so-called golden days of the sport a decade since. Patninage on a number of days at Jamaica surpassed all previous records, and as the season 1 wears on. it will Ik- apparent to all that tin-people of this country are becoming more and mors ; devoted to outdoor sports, of which racing is l«-r-haps the most popular and certainly carries the strongest economic appeal, for without its tests there would be no progn-ssive horse breeding. While Hourless will always be remembered as a horse of great speed, the public at large will never know exactly how fast he was. and his trainer, Samuel Hihlrcth. is authority for the statement that he was the fleetest horse he ever saddled As Fitz Herbert. MeChesney and other champions of their time were trained by him. this estimate will lie appreciated at its fullest by those who saw those horses perform. That Mr. Vosburgh rated Old Rosebud and Hour less above their fellows at a mile caused no surprise in the ranks of those who study form With the fi rmer retired temporarily and Hourless gone to the stud. 1:0 matter what mightv di-eds Cudgel. Omar Khayyam and the others of the stellar division may perform, the mooted question of champion ship will bv in a measure unsolved. The public will, however, see sport of superlative quality. as there are the younger stars to be considered, among them such luminaries as Jack Hare Jr Papp. Tippity Witchet. Sun Briar and Rosie OOrady. The public should have a line on the quality of these younger aspirants to the throne in the contest for the Withers Stakes on Saturdav next. The success scored in England this spring by tin-get of Polymelus should be gratifying to Messrs. W. R. Coe and A. K. Macombor. w.io have mon-of the blood of this famous horse than anybody else in the Inited States. Already the critics are likening Lord Lon donderrys great three year old filly Beuevente to Sceptre and Pretty Polly, as she has shown ability to concede weight and beat the colts of her year. Benevente is by Polymelus — Pearmain. and she gave evidence of coming greatness when, as a two-year-old she won the Middle Park Piatt; — a victory which usually means favoritism in the Derby the following year. AMEHICAN BEEEDING GREATLY BENEFITED. hut for the war, it is safe to say that little of this prized leavi n would have found its way to this country, as it has beea closely held and in most cases absolutely unpurchasable. It has taken some time for the foreign-bred contingent to become acclimated here, but this year as it progresses. will find the English and French horses playing a more dominant part than hitherto. It is in the stud, however, that we shall reap a priceless reward, as some of the mest potent strains of blood in tin-world have found a home here since the war. Last year, with Hourless. Omar Khayyam and Suii Briar dominating the situation, tlie foreigners seemed to have the advantage. This year to date the honors must go to Cudgel, which is more or lwSs American in his makeup, though Broomsticks dam. Elf. was a daughter of Oalliard. while the sire of his dam. Eugenia Burch, was a daughter of Ben Strome, a mediocre performer on the turf but. like many other English horses, a success when mated with our purely American mares. Racegoers will have an opportunity to compare Una of the thoroughbred when Cudgel and Omar Khayyam come to the paddock, as the former is on the greyhound order, having great length and a reach which carries him over the ground in amazing fashion once he gets under way. Omar Khayyam is of the short, compact IjTM and probabiv 110 two horses of such excellence ever appealed 011 the turf that v.-re so dissimilar in conformation and gait. Cudg 1 in appearance is tie- ideal stayer. While Mondays card had merit, there are many off-Tings later in the week which should bring the public to Belmont Park, which is now at its best and loveliest, its paddock surpassing anything we have in Ani-rii-a for Ix-auty. The Garden fjtv Handicap was the slake feature today, while the Hollis Stakes on Wednesday should lie productive of good sport. The fb-etest of the tvvo-yoar-olds will make their appearance in the Juvenile Stakes on Thursday. while the Toboggan Handicap, to Ik- run on the same day. will call for the kings and queens of the sprinting division. Fridays card will bo featured by the Searingtov.n Handicap. Saturday will witnes:s the running of those great events the Withers and Fashion Stakes, reminiscent of the days at Jerome Park, when D. D. Withers. August Belmont. John Hunter, Leonard and Lawrence Jerome. George and Pierre Lorillard and Judge Alonzo Muuson were names to conjure with and there was sentiment in racing.
