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SARATOGA TRACK RECORDS IN DANGER Nearly All the Old Marks Likely to Be Shattered Good Card for Today TodayBy By 0 J Fitz Gerald GeraldSaratoga Saratoga Springs X Y August 9 The predic ¬ tion that turf records would be lowered during the current meeting of the Saratoga Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses is being borne out with a vengeance and if the weather continues favorable it would not be surprising to see every mark from threequarters of a mile up to a mile and threequarters beaten Two things are essential for a recordsmashing effort given a horse of superlative merit and these have been on tap here namely a springboard track and a sun of sufficient geniality to make the perspiration flow copiously copiouslyAndrew Andrew Miller was anxious to have Itoamer start in the Delaware Handicap on Tuesday the race in which Sun Briar set the American mark for the distance at 13G and if the splendid gelding had gone to the post on that occasion instead of being reserved for the Champlain tomorrow on the ad ¬ vice of trainer Goldsborough it may IHJ confidently counted that 138 or better would have been re ¬ corded on the timing board The best judges were unanimous in the opinion that Sun Briar was not stretched to the limit and these same experts were a unit in the belief that Roamer could have made the Englishbred threeyearold give up the last ounce of his dazzling speed All of which increases the interest iii the racing tests of the future at this point As for Sun Briar there is nothing but praise to bestow upon him and if he remains in his present condition he would appear to be the most danger ¬ ous pretender to the threeyearold crown It must not be forgotten that Sun Briar could handle War Cloud and andn n all the others of his age at this point in 1917 and the manner in which he has improved since coming to Saratoga would indicate that the track climate and waters of the Spa are to his liking A grievous disappointment in the Ken ¬ tucky Derby and other efforts he had not won a race this year until Tuesday His close second to Polymelian wlicii that horse established a new record for the local course and the resolute manner in which he finished prepared his admirers for a still greater performance The bulldog way in which he finished his phenomenal mile record lead to the belief that Sun Briar is something more than a sprinter and it is to be hoped that Mr Kilmer will have the colt prepared for the Saratoga Cup at a mile and threequarters a real racing test in which he may have for competitors Cudgel Roamer Omar Khayyam Spur Enfilade George Smith Wcsty Hogan Johren and other performers of note CHAMPLAIN HANDICAP TODAY TODAYBrilliant Brilliant and inspiring as was the contest for the Saratoga Handicap on the opening day of the meeting when Roamer defeated Cudgel the Cham plain Handicap tomorrow promises to surpass it as the great rivals are each scheduled to carry 132 pounds It was the opinion of those who know Cudgel best that the lEoss champion was a trifle high in the Saratoga but with more than a week to wind him up for a supreme effort a trainer of Guy Bedwells skill may be expected to furnish a dead fit horse for tomorrow That Itoamer is ready everybody knows and a new record may be confidently looked for if the conditions are favor ¬ able ableIn In this race the horse that would appear to have a royal chance at the weights is the fouryearold Midway with 103 pounds as his impost This westernowned candidate was a distant last in the ran up the backstretch in the Delaware and he finished a strong second to Sun Briar On that occasion he carried 105 pounds The stage is all set for a wonderful contest and the throng should get its thrill in the Delaware Handicap alone alonePresident President R T Wilson and his associates how ¬ ever have other attractions for the day notably the Saratoga Special for twoyearolds at the full threequarters and the North American Steeplechase Handicap at two miles In the former which calls for subscriptions at 500 each the Saratoga Asso ¬ ciation adds a gold plate of 1000 This is the most attractive feature of the stake which is modelled on lines calculated to promote the true spirit of sportsmanship
