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THINGS THE HOPEFUL STAKES WINNER HAS DONE IN RACING THIS YEAR AND PARTIC ¬ ULARS OF HIS ANCESTRY Eternal conceded to be one of the best twoyearolds of 1918 and slated to contend with Billy Kelly for the title of the absolute best did not make an early debut in racing His first start was in a race of fiveeighths for maidens at Aqueduct June 24 Fourteen started Reports of Eternals speed and promise were not lacking so he went to the post the favorite at 2 to 1 That no mistake had been made was apparent when after leading all the way he won by six lengths in 100 with Daydue second and Perry third From the standpoint of time this was a fine performance but those lie beat were of no great account then or afterwards His second race was against better opponents and al ¬ though he did not win his race was fully up to the standard of his first essay This was in the valuable Great American Stakes June 29 at the same track and distance H A Porters High Time carrying 125 pounds and the only penalized starter was the favorite at 9 to 5 and in finishing third ran a gal ¬ lant race The others carried from 115 to 109 pounds eleven starting At the end of a fast and well contested race Dmiboyne was the victor by a length and a half in 59 with Eternal second That race distinctly marked him as eligible to the stake winning class of the year yearThe The colt was not raced in the month of July being laid by and saved for the big stake races at Saratoga There on August 3 he was started in th United States Hotel Stakes at threequarters of fi mile good day and fast track The redoubtable Billy Kelly with 127 pounds on his back went to the post favorite nt IS to 5 Eternal had up 115 pounds and was second choice at 4 to 1 But getting away last in i Held of fourteen he Inid practically no chance and finished far back Billy Kelly winning in 112 by a length and a half with Dunboyne second and Terentia third Dunboyne carried 130 pounds and Terentia 124 After that unlucky experience Eternal bade adieu to the stain of defeat and won each time he started August lit he went to the post in a purse race at fiveeighths of a mile for which To to was the favorite at 11 to 5 with Eternal second choice at 18 to 5 Rushing into the lead quickly Eternal set a wonderful pace and finally won by eight lengths from Toto in 58 making a new track record and winning a host of admirers This minor adventure was a part of his preparation for the chief race of the American turf for twoyearolds the extremely valuable Hopeful Stakes at three quarters of a mile mileThis This big nice was run over a heavy track Saturday August 31 being always one of the features of the hist day of the Saratoga meeting Despite the somewhat unfavorable track conditions the im ¬ portance and value of the event told and twenty youngsters mustered at the starting post Of these R T Wilsons Hannibal and W R Coes Sweep On were the topweights at 130 pounds each due to penalties incurred previously in winning stake races Followinzthem In Hie order of weight were Terentia 124 pounds Questionnaire and Star Hampton 122 each Lady Rosebud 115 Eternal Daydue War Marvel War Pennant Rodgers Cerinus Mormon Vindex Star Realm Sir Barton Delaware and Grimalkin 115 pounds each Pigeon Wing and Zuleika 112 each The betting people lost no time in making Eternal the favorite and lie went to the post at 1C to 5 with the Whitney pair Pigeon Wing and Vindex next in favor at a to 1 Eternal was not favorably placed In the early running being sur ¬ rounded and knocked about while going down the backstretch Vindex being then out in front and setting a rapid pace On the big far turn Eternal improved his position and coming into the homestretch on the outside cnme on with an irresistible rush and won by three lengths in 113 excellent time con ¬ sidering the state of the track The outsider Daydue was a good second eight lengths before War Manel None of the heavyweights made any showing in the race Questionnaire faring best in finishing seventh Eternal cost his owner 2000 at the Saratoga yearling sales of 1917 and as this race netted him 30150 emphatically ranks high in the list of turf bargains bargainsSubsequent Subsequent to his victory in the Hopeful Eternal was started in two races and won them both At the Aqueduct fall meeting September 10 he took up 126 pounds in a purse race at threequarters of a mile and won easily by three lengths in 113 from War Manel 112 pounds and Questionnaire 118 three others of which Daydue was one running unplaced This was a satisfactory demonstration of his ability to carry high weight successfully but his next race offered better proof in the same line This was in the Oakdata Handicap at Aqueduct September 20 at the same distance Here he was assigned 131 pounds and was opposed by Mormon 114 pounds Cirrus 110 Sweep On 123 and Star Realm 111 Reserved to the stretch he moved up quickly into a clear lead and won easily by three lengths in 114 with Mormon second and Cirrus third The track was sloppy that day Under the conditions it was a go l performance but hardly up to the standard of Billy Kellys threequarters in 111 with 135 pounds up in the Crab Bag Handicap at Saratoga SaratogaIf If he remains sound and makes normal improvement in the course of his transition into threeyear old form Eternal is a colt vested with great possibilities of money winning He is one of the eligibles to the 50000 La ton in Championship Stakes of 1919 and in due course will no doubt be nominated to I he Kentucky Derby and Latonia Derby of the same year There is a reasonable possibility of winning SOIIOO or more in these three races alone Whether Eternal is to prove capable of such a superlative achievement or not is in the lap of time but at least lie has the chance and no mean chance at that In the meantime his record in racing and his excollont pedigree are as follows Year A e Sis 1st 2nd 3rd Unp on j Bonnie Scotland Scotlandi J lago Bramble Queen Mary i J MaryJ Australian J Ivy Leaf f Ben Brush Bayflower 1 Reform J Leamington Koseville Stolen Kisses i Albia 1 Alarm v f Sweep Elastic llimyar J Alarm f Domino Him HimJ Pink Domino I Mnnnie Gray J Enquirer Lizzie G j BLTuilesert j Gj Sterling L Belle Rose J Sea Gull I Monte Rosa j Gullj Craig Millar Hedge Rose j Blinkhoolie j Rosej RataplanI Rataplan Wisdom I Queen Mary j Aline j Stockwell f Scmpronius j Stockwellj Jen dEsprit I Hampton ClifdenI Lord Clifden Hamptoiiia I Lady Langden j Ferouia j Thormanby Ji Hazel Burke Woodbine j Hindoo J Virgil Hanover Florence Bourbon Belle j Bonnie Scotland I Retained II ScotlandI I Ella I Reform J Leamington Reclare Stolen Kisses J Dutch Skater I SkaterI Expectation
