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NATURALIST IS A HORSE OF MOODS Despite Rigid Discipline Son of Rabelais Does Just as He Pleases at All Times By Ed Cole ColeSaratoga Saratoga N Y August 30 Some horses have the most peculiar traits and erratic dispositions and in a majority of instances they cannot be changed Naturalist son of the celebrated stallion Rabelais and Nature belonging to Joseph K AVidener is probably the worst of that class now racing This horse has such a stubborn erratic disposition that his reliability lias been shattered more than once notwithstanding that everything has been done to try and make him susceptible to government His most pronounced habit is doing as he chooses no mat ¬ ter when or where and while every effort has been made to try and break him of his tricks he still adheres to his early habits and breaks up the disci ¬ pline of the stable as well as getting himself into trouble troubleSeveral Several days ago while Ricing witli Sunny Slope Fairy Wand Tom McTaggart and others and in an almost positive winning position he took a no ¬ tion to suddenly swerve So sudden was it that he nearly crashed into the fence and would have done so had he not been an expert at making sudden dives and props His move cost him the nice In the Burnt Hill Handicap against some of the best sprinters he left the post in a good position and could have apparently gone to the lead in a few more strides when he was seen to fall back sudden ¬ ly and so quickly that in less time than it takes to tell it he was last in a field of eight horses horsesIt It was at first thought Naturalist had broken down or had been cut down As the race proceeded these ideis were dispelled as Naturalist was seen to be practically leaping by horses and almost over them AVhen he reached the stretch he was a veri ¬ table giant among the other horses passing them in such quick fashion and with such apparent ease that the spectators screamed in astonishment at the almost wonderful exhibition of speed speedAfter After being at least fifteen lengths out of the running he came so fast that he finished third to the recognized fast sprinter Flags only two lengths away and a nose behind Crank It was such a sur ¬ prising performance that Loftus was questioned He claimed no interference during the race but at ¬ tributed the falling hack of Naturalist to his erratic disiHisition disiHisitionHe He had not gone fifty yards said Loftus be ¬ fore he pinned back his ears and stuck his toes into the ground Then he sulked all over and I thought he was going to stop altogether but he took another notion and started after his opponents He certainly did run If ever there was a tough horse to ride it is that one At no time can anyone tell just what he is going to do Mr Welsh tells me lie does the same thing in his work and though he uses all kinds of bullwhips and other treatment in an effort to get him to leave the barrier in the morn ¬ ing he just does as he pleases Sometimes he will run an eighth and at other times he will take two strides and then prop so suddenly that it is hard for the boys to keep in the saddle Naturalist has u bug somewhere
