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RUMORS OF TWO-YEAR-OLD METEORS A Brother of Hods Given High Praise by Critics of the Hot Stove league. NEW YORK, N. Y.. February 12. As usual alMUt this time of the year track sensations in the two-yenr-old division are the subjects of conversations wherever horsemen do congregate. Always somebody has one that is going to beat the world, or at least do high and lofty stunts that wilt surprise the world. No sooner has he had his say than up jumps someone else with au offer to wager lie will name a two-year-old that will beat any youngster in training. Then a third applicant for distinction will arise and make suggestions that he knows two or three two-year-olds that will upset all former records. And so it goes on all down Hie line, first one and then another exploding witli the knowledge that lie knows which is going to be the lest youngster of 1910. These winter predictions are sometimes right; in fact, the boys who hang around the several winter courses generally know hffore the season opens which of the younger division of racers are likely to turn out jeers. Lp to the present a French colt of J. E. Wideners in the hands of Tom Welch is believed to be the most promising on looks, though it is claimed that John Siuiford has a mighty fine colt to look upon, and W. II. Karrick is expected to turn out another Elfin Queen, if all reports have good foundation. Hct the one most admired by a select few is now at Ilelmont Park in the hands of Rody Patter-xiii ami the property of Major Roliert L. Jerry. This is the appropriately named colt Feodor, by Ivan ihe Terrible Nannie Hodge, for which Major Jerry paid 5,000 to W. W. Darden last year. Feodor is a brother to Hodge, a horse that ranked well up witli the liest two or three years ago. If looks are a true indication, then Feodor is going to live up to the family reputation, and Rody Patterson is as confident of this as he is that lie lapped up a mess of ham and eggs for his breakfast. "There is no horse going to beat mine Tiiis year," is his positive remark when speaking of Feodor. Already some wagers have been made that l!;e Patterson colt will upset the plans of Tom Welch and his monster two-year-old. for the Welch colt weighs in the neighborhood of 1,000 jwunds as lie -.stands in his stall at this writing, and is uniformly built all over. PRAISE FEODORS UNDERPINNINGS. One of the fine points of Feodor, according to close inspectors, is his underpinning. In comparison, one of the critics says: "He has legs all around that would do justice to a much older horse; in fact, lie is legged up almost identically with Omnr Khayyam, which is going some." Another authority, however, says .that two-year-olds are like babies, they are as pretty as pictures when being danced on mothers knee, but when they grow up they burst out with freckles, get bow-legged and develop a temper that sometimes gets em in jail, or at least a black eye or two every month. So it is with youngsters; they give the most promising account of themselves in their tender years and then drop into the discard, due to some unforeseen trouble or independable disposition. That is the reason yearling buying is one of the most uncertain lotteries in the racing business. In a week or two more will be seen of these promising yearlings now housed on the winter tracks hereabouts and more can be said of their prospects. At the present just looks and breeding are the only guides for the critic. Some will be disappointments that are thought well of today, and others will spring out of the ranks of the moderates that are passed by during inspection almost without recognition. Hut there is no question that the stars of Rody Pattersons stable and that of John Stanford, Tom Welch and W. H. Karrick will be marked for special reports when the time arrives for them to be exercised in their early morning preparation for the coming campaign.
