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EXCLUSION Of GELDINGS FROM THE LATONIA DERBY MOVE IN RIGHT DIRECTION, SAYS HANDICAPPER W. S. V0SBURGH • • • • %, ". „ r j s . r t New York, July 29. — There is no keener student of racing iu the 1nited States than Walter S. Vos-burgh, or one who knows conditions governing the s|iort more thoroughly as it is conducted at this time. Mr. Vosburgh is the Jockey Clubs hanlicap-l :-r and. whatever lie has to say about the sport, is always interesting. He has seen as much racing as anybody in America, having been a constant attendant at meetings since the early days of Jerome Bark and no man has had a more intimate knowledge of the capabilities of the race horses of the period between 1N~0 and the present time. Mr. Vosburgh has long deplored the passing of the weight -for-age contests, which featured the programs of former periods and the action of the Latonia authorities in doubling the value of tjieir Ilcrhy and making it free from penalty and allowance conditions with gcldit-.gs barred, moved him to remark a few days ago: "This is a step in the right direction. If we had more such events, the turf would he on a sounder basis and we would have stouter and better hors: s. In formt r days here in the cast we had such great breeding test as the Ocean and Champion Stakes at Monmouth Park, the latter at a mile and a half: tin- First and Second Si ceials at CravesMid. the Advance Stakes at Sheepshead Bay and the Saratoga Cup at the Spa. Today tlie Saratoga Cup is about the only race where the best of the year may try conclusions over a distance on an equal footing." "The exclusion of geldings." resumed Mr. Vos-lurgh. "from the Latonia 1 rby, marks progress, tbeaajh I am not radical enough to want their activities confined to handicaps and selling races ex-elu :—ly. I do think, however, that they should ! In- ineligible for the following races, which should he tests to establish the superiority of our thoroughbreds from year to year — The Kt-nner and Trav- ers Stak-s and Saratoga Cup at Saratoga, the Bel-• mont. Withers and Realization Stakes at Belmont : Park and the Owyer and Carlton Stakes at Aque duct. These .. « uld be kf pf On the programs as an 1 encouragement to the breeders of the country and, , if we had more races like the Saratoga Cup. so maeli the better. An improvement would be a race ■ along the lines of the Ascot Gold Cup, where our ■ best three-year-old winners could try conclu-,. sions at four and five years of age over a course ■ that would call for a searching and conclusive test, The Ascot Gold Cup is a test in all that the word I implies, as it is run over a trying course of two » and one-half mile. It brings out the Derby and St. Lcgcr winners, as well as the other great horses of the day and is a guide to breeders." Mr. Vosburgh, on being asked to what he attrib- - : 1 , ■ ■ ■ I » - uted the decline of weight for age racing iu this country, said: "It is due chiefly to the disinclination of trainers to prepare their horses for such events. The average stable today is under the control of the trainer, who shares in the winnings of the horses iu his charge. It is infinitely 111-ire difficult to prepare a horse to race over a long distance of ground, than for sprints. Then. too. there is always the element of supremacy on the part of some particular horse to lie considered. The man who has the champion of the year in his barn would welcome a campaign of w-eight-fnr-age events. Those less fortunate would not. In "-cars such as 1S90 and 1S91. when Long-street. Penny and other great campaigners were out at the same time, we had si ort of the highest character. Great crowds always visited the races when one of these weight-forage events was on the program. It is a condition for which time may furnish a solution." In discussing Cudgel and Johren, the reigning turf sensations. Mr. Vosburgh. like some other good judges, was inclined to regard the former as more like Ben Streme, the sire of his dam, than Broomstick. "Ben Strcme was considered a sprinter pure and simple i:i England," said the well-known authority, "and he showed to particular advantage in welterweight events. When he was brought to this country, lie ran at Monmouth Park lH-fore being purchased by Major Thomas J. Carson. I would not consider Cudgel a type of a stayer. He gets a mile and a quarter, however, in good style. His action is what is making him a good horse. It is particularly smooth. lie is not ribbed up as I like to see a horse that must run far. Hindoo, however, was longer in the back than Cudgel is — in fact, he was one of the longest back horses I have ever seen, and yet we all know what sort of a race horse he was. "Johren should be a stayer if blood counts for anything, as his sire. Spearmint, by Carbine, dam a Minting mure, won both the Berby and Grand Prix, and if be had not gs.ne lame, nn one knows what other triumphs he might have scored. Everybody knows the stamp of horse Carbine was, and the bleod is going on in Australia through Wallace. Multiform and others. In the female line. Johren has an inheritance of stout blood through Meddler. Riley and Pell Mell. the sires of Mineola. Hurley I.urley and Helter Skelter, the first, second and third dams respectively. The infusion of Spear- bint blood into America should Ik- helpful to future generations of our thoroughbred families. It is to be hoped that Cudgel, Johren and others of our best horses will go to the post for the Saratoga Cup. as it is one ftiee that calls for stoutness of heart, as well as speed."
