view raw text
» , • ; i i ] , , t [ I ! ! t i NUMEROUS TURF STARS ELIMINATED Aspect of 1918 Racing Changed by Unfortunate Mishaps to Crack Racers. New York. June 7.— Things seem all sixes and sevens in a racing way in this section. The unex-|mm tid is liapp-iiiiig almost I very day. Disappoint mints are so frequent all around, especially among the larger and more fashionable institutions, that horsemen and public are all at sea. Take the stable of Major August Belmont as an example. His horses went into winter quarters last fall in fine condition, with promise of a great future in 191s. The first thing that happened was the breakdown of Stromboli. Then came the bowed tendon of Hourless. and his forced retirement. I.uciillite was left as the main dependence of the stable, outside of the two-year-olds, which so far have given little encouragement either to Major i.clinout or his trainer, Samuel Hildreth. I. in ullite was dem-ntled upon to uphold the reputation of the stable in fixtures like the Toboggan and Withers, .lust In-fore the running of the To-boccaa, I.uciillite ditl md work to quite the satis faction of Hiblreth, but he started him. believing Ike race would tlo him much more good than a work. To make things worse, the track was sloppy, which was not favorable to the horse. The race, as Hildreth predicted, benefitted the son of Trap Itock--Luckv I-iss and gave his trainer nci nragi ment to start him i" the Withers. Then cam" more rain and with it gloom for Hildreth for. wl He Linullilc is an honest iit-rformer in any kind of going, there is little question but he is at his lx-st on a fast track. SUN BRIAR A DISAPPOINTMENT. T,e stable of Willis Sharpo Kilmer is another that has met with an unexpected setback by the failure of Sun BrtM to show anything like his 1917 form. Sun P.riar has run disappointingly in every race he has started in and, while he showed temporary prominence in the Withers, his effort was over a course that was supiKised to be made to order for him and lie failed miserably after running threc-i|iiarters. W.ietlier the son of Sundridge is going to turn out a good horse or a had one, is just as much of an nigma to his owner and trainer as to the public. The stable in charge of Walter Jennings, lielong-ing to A. K. Macoiuhcr, is gradually coming into its own. but even this pretentious string is not doing what it should tlo and Mr. Macomber has had several t!isap|xilntments. though tliese have been offset somewhat bv the recent victory of War Cloud in the Proakncss, and Motor Cops successes in the Stuyv. sant at Jamaica ami the Withers at P.clmont Park. When me figures that War Cloud is considered a better horse than Motor Cop. it can be seen how the elements have worked against the son of Joly inelus. i„,th in Kentucky and in the east. That he would have area the Kentucky Derby had the track la-en fast, there seems little question. This was demonstrated bv his winning the first division of tin- Prtakaess. after a trip to Kentucky ami hack. Had the track lx-en fast at Iteluiont Park Sat u.dav. here is everv reason to Ixlieve the Mn-coiiiImt colors would have filled the first two positions at the finish of the Withers. STABLES ENJOYING FAIR SUCCESS. The stables that are enjoying fair measures of success are those of Joseph K. Widener and the Oneck Stable. The gtxxl showing of the latter is due to the efforts of the remarkably gotxl filly r.ifiu Qacca, while naaaya La Mart and Naturalist have lxith won valuable stakes for Mr. Widener. Not during tile whole season has any victory lx-en as |M.pii!ar as those of Klfin Queen, for she lx-longs to II. K. Knapp. one of the most highly respected and efficient memlx-rs of the Jockey Club who. unfortunately, is not in the liest of health at present Mai so far has not lx-en able to witness the performances of his star two year-old. The public is probably as much disappointed in tin- showing of the hading turf stars as any of the owners and trainers. All through the winter critics were writing. Wilis and trainers were talking and the public was anticipating great contests between Omar Kliavvatn. Westy llogan, llourless and Cudgel. S.i far. the latter is the only one of the four that has raced up to execrations. Perhaps later in the vear Omar Khayyam and Westy lloe.in will ■tow a" return to form and make Cudgel and Spur look to their laurels. Outside or Cudgel. Spur and Roamer. the handicap divMaa has been badly crippled anil the star two-year olds, of which there were at least six last year, a majority have passed decidedly out of the ;iiii light as tlirec -year-olds. Papp has thrown a splint, Sun Briar lias disap-IMiintetl. War Cloud must have a track made for him. Jack Hare Jr. is on the ailment list, and Tippity Witcl.et has not yet been shown. As" a result." many of the three-year old races so far have lx-en won by horses that last year were eon-sUered **■ -cuids." The exceptions are, of course. War lo.nl and Jack Hare Jr., in the two divisions of the Preakness. a
