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GEORGE 0D0M PRAISES COLT PURCHASE Belates Instances - of His Great Speed Sure Ho Will Go a Lone Route. NEW YORK. X. V., January 22. If ever the co.t Purchase lives up to tlie expectations of his old trainer, George Odom. lie is going to be the best three-year-old out this year. Odom is not the only person who thinks well of Purchase either, for his present owner. Sam Hildreth. expects to at least see Purchase in tho front division of his age, if not the peer when put to tlie acid test. George Odom was in a reminiceiit mood the other day, and in speaking of Purchase was enthusiastic in his estimation of tlie horse. "I was never so confident that Purchase would win the futurity last year." said he. "I expected him to take the track from the first stride and win easily. What he did in his work was astonishing, and had he not been so erratic at tlie start and bolted himself out of contention there is no question ho would have won. Three days before, the Futurity I worked him with Toto witli Loftus on Purchase carrying 133 pounds and Lang on Toto witli 100 pounds up. Loftus had instructions to work three-quarters in about 1:15, but he could not hold him down. He went the first five-eighths down the chute at Belmont Park in 5S and was six lengths in front of Toto. I waved for Loftus to pull him up. which he did as best he could, but even then Purchase went to the three-quarters post in l:12:s3. "I never saw a horse work so fast with 133 pounds on his back, ami I feel certnin that he Is a horse that will go a long route. Tiiere is no reason in tlie world why he will not be a good three-year-old. especially if he has outgrown his bad actions at the iwst. I am going over to the Hildreth barn one of these days, and if Sam wants to sell him I will certainly make a bid for him " but Sam evidently thinks pretty well of" him himself or he would have accepted the profit I offered him right after the sale of tlie Brighton Stable. Mv opinion of tlie horse may be all wrong, but if it is then Purchase is a horse of mewls, for I have seen him do such things in his. work that I could hardly believe my watcli told the truth."
