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I I • I I I i 5 f I r i i ! i 1 | 1 1 . ! . ! j -| I ■ I, r, :, ii p li II II il II 5 d o 0 0 HANDICAP PROSPECTS THIS YEAR I PRESENT OUTLOOK DUBIOUS IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT NEW STARS ARE SURE TO COME FROM SOURCES UNDEVELOPED IN THE RACING OF 1919 By W, S. VOSBURGH "I cannot see where we are to find any horses for the big handicaps next spring." remarked the secretary of one of the racing associations one day during the Empire City October meeting. "There will always be some." I observed. "Some, vis." he returned, "but mighty few good ones. Sir Rartons sore and its doubtful if he trains. Roanier is gone for good: Sunny Slope has broken down — so nas Sweep On. Lanius is amiss, ■teratala standing a preparation is doubtful: War Cloud is going abroad, while Cudgel. Omar Khayyam. Sun Rri ir mid Trompe La Mort are going into stud service. Johren will be trained again, but his coming to the jMist is no certainty. That leaves Lucullite. Purchase and Thunderclap, and they are all in the same stable — its a poor prospect." "Von certainly make a strong case." I replied, "but admitting the loss of the horses you name, there are always to be found those to take the place of the departed. There will always be some better than the others. These will move up and a year from now the chances ere we will have almost forgotten the cracks of last racing season and be talking our-elve- hoarse in admiration of a new lot of champions. It has always been so and always will be. We simply have .mother performance of the old play with a new set of actors." In making this statement I was mindful that, during the many years I had followed racing. I could remember many when we have gone into winter cpiarters with an apparently dismal prospect for the following spring. Bart the spring seldom failed to bring new champions to the front and the grand old si ort swept on. as full of interest as before. I recall a conspicuous case: It was in the autumn of 1S78 and the members of the American Jockey Tub, as they gathered on the quarter stretch at Jerome Park, discussed the prosiiects of racing for the following year with gloomy forebodings. "George Lorillards stable will break up racing." they said. "Hell sweep the board." There were some grounds for their apprehension. Mr. Lorillards stable at that period loomed as invincible as Hi!-dreths does today. Mr. Lorillards -table wa- the most powerful that had ever taken the held in New-York racing. His three-year-olds included Duke of Magenta. Albert. Idalia. Halance All and Loulanier. In two-year-olds with which he had that season "swept the board" he had the golden-haired Harold, the white-legged Monitor, the dainty Ferida. the brown-coated Idler, also Startle. Wilful and Anna Augusta, while already the breezi s blown from Long Island told of the wonderful trial of his yearlings, and Sensations name was on every lip — "the big brown colt with the crooked blaze beat Monitor at evens." "Something must be done." was the watchword, "George Lorillard must have opposition or with the handful of trumps he has he will win every one of the sweepstakes for three year-olds." Krot . the west i.:l i , oiae news of the great doings of Spendthrift, a two-year-old of Mr. Swigerts. He had won each of his five races. He must be purchased. Bat who was public-spirited enough to purchase f Mr. Vanderbilt was appealed to. but he seemed in no mood to buy. Mr. James Cordon Bennett was approached. He was willing, but hesitated at Mr. Swigerts price. Finally Mr. James It. Keene was persuaded by Mr. Jerome to make an* offer. Mr. Rerthgate was selected as the ambassador. He negotiated the treaty for the colt, and thus it was that Spendthrift came oust ami had the honor of introducing the "white with blue spats" to which Domino. Sysonby. Delhi. Commando and Colin subsequently brought new glory. But the fear that Mr. Lorillard would "sweep the board" in the races for three-year-olds — the season of 1S79 soon dissipated that. Between them Mr. Keenes Spendthrift anil Dan Sparling won the Withers, the Relmont and Lorillard Stakes at the outset. Rut new champions also had appeared. Falsetto came to Saratoga and routed all opposition, winning both the Travers and Kenner. Spendthrift won the Jersey Derby and Champion. Lord Murphy won the Kentucky Derby and Yolturno won the Sequel and Brook -enridgc. To be sure Mr. I»rillard won a share, the Preakness with Harold, the Jerome and Dixie with Monitor, and the Ladies with Alabamn and Monmouth Oaks with Ferida. Rut the fear that he would "sweep the board" was a false alarm. Now as to the fear that there will be no opposition to the Hildreth stable in 1920. It is true "past performances" may not promise as strong opposition as could l e wished. Rut it compares as a class favorably with some previous seasons. It may not ci in pa re with 1904— a great class composed of Water-boy. Africander. Hermis. McChesney. Irish Lad and The Picket: nor with 19115. wheal Dermis. Irish Lad. Ort Wells. Delhi. Reldame. Sysonby. Artful and Tanya were "stars" of the fir-t magnitude. It will, however, compare favorably with 1907 or 190s. when, aside from Rallot. the class was moderate. The class in 1913 was poor. Whisk Rroom II. alone proving up to the mark. The year 1910 saw some improvement, with Roamer. Borrow. Stromboli. The Finn. Short Grass, Pennant. Regret anil Friar Rock. The handicap entry of 191S saw a tine class in Old Rosebud, llourless. Omar Khayyam. Cudgel. Roamer. Spur. Camptire. Westy Hogan. George Smith and Sun Briar. With 1919 came an entry of great promise with Cudgel in the place of honor and Sun Briar, Johren. Sunny Slope. Tin- Porter. Fxterminator. War Cloud. Sweep On. F.ternal. Naturalist. Trompe La Mort and Purchase. The class eligible to the great handicaps of 1920 is one that should provide races of interest, although it is not as numerous as that of 1919. In the class of live .ears and over we have Lucullite. Naturalist. The lorter. Fxterminator. Knlilade. torn Tassel. Stir Master. Roniface and Valor. For four-year-olds we have Sir Hartou. Purchase. Thunderclap. Mad Hatter. Kternal. Hannibal. Audacious. Dmiboyne. Over There, Hilly Kelly. War Pennant. Vexatious. Milkmaid. Flags and Lion dOr. In three year olds we have Man o War. Ipset. Wildair. Dominique. John P. Crier. Dr. Clark. On Watch. Constancy. Cleopatra and Hasten On. But there is another element out of which may spring new champions. 1 allude to such horses which as yet have not ranked with the above; but if history repeats it elf. as it usually does, are likely to do so before another year rolls around. If we can judge the future by the past it is likely that before an- other raiing season has closed horses at present almost unknown and unsung will have developed and taken as conspicuous a place in the great events of 1828 as sir Rarton did last year — and as Johren did in 191 s. Of this class Johren is a recent and conspicuous example. Who could have foretold at the close of the racing season of 1917 that Johren would prove one of the best three-year-olds of 191SV He had not even started at two years old. He was so angular, loose-jointed and big that all idea of racing him was abandoned. Yet he came out at three and won the Relmont. Suburban. Saratoga Cup and Realization, More recent still is the case of Sir Harton. which as a two-year old in 1818 started -ix times without win- ning. although he wa- second for the Futurity. At three he won the Kentucky Derby. Preakness. Relmont and Withers and was the greatest money winner of 1818. Audacious, a colt which performed brilliantly last year, never started during his season a- a two year-old. Natur.ili-t never -aw the post as a two-1 year-old. but devehqied into one of the best of last year. Hut how many colts showing only moderate form at two years old have at three and four developed into performers of high class? Omar Khayyam was no such performer at two as he was at three. Olambala wa- moderate at tWD, but at three and four he achieved the highest honors. Ort Wells was many pounds better at three than he was at two. Hermis won only four races out of twelve at two. but at three, four and the he was a topsawyi r. The famous Tenny started seventeen times at two. win- ning twice, but at three he was the only colt in the land callable of racing with Salvator. while at live he won the Rrooklyn Handicap with 12S pounds. The Hard won only three races at two years old out of fourteen starts, but at three, four and live he was quite the champion of the all-aged class. Luke Rlackbiirn has been generally regarded as one of the asset ■■Cffsafal race horses this country has produced. Yet it is on record that while lie started for thirt.en races as a two year-old he won only twice. At three he was unbeatable: he eclipsed all previous records and upset all traditions. Spur was quite an ordinary performer at two, but at three he passed through one of the most severe campaigns, starting in twenty-one races, was never unplaced and defeated some of the best horses of the year and conceded actual weight to the older horses in the handi.aps for all ages. Cudgel was quite moderate as a two-year-old. but at four and live iie has held his own under heavy weights and was probably the best horse that has appealed within several racing seasons past. Star M.i-ter won but once as a two-year-old. but he has developed into one of the g 1 ones of the all-age class. Stockwell. which appeared to be one of the best three-year olds on the western circuit, rand pearls at two. These citations show that moderate or even poor performers at two years old often de-. velop into high-cl.i-s one- it three or later. The case of Mad Hatter is the most recent. This colt started ten times at two. winning twice — a poor record. At the Betas nt Park autumn inciting of litis I was attracted by his style of galloping. His net miii seemed slow, to the eye. compared with the colts with which he raced. Rut that was due to tile fact that he had a longer stride than they, theirs being the short, choppy action of apriat racing. 1 marked him then as a probable stayer, though as yet backward. He did not race at three until the autumn, and before his race for the Mineola Handicap at the Jamaica meeting to Mr. Gallagher, the Herald reporter, in the paddock. I remarked. "Theres the colt that will win the l.atonia Cliampioiishiit next i ith." Mr. Callaghcr printed it in the Herald the following day September 311. Fleven days after October 111 the colt won the l.atonia event. How he faapresseal the handicapper is shown by The fact that lor the Montague Handicap. October s. Mad Hatter wa- allotted 130 pounds, being asked to con - cede three pounds to Audacious, eight to Hannibal, eleven to I ,,rd Brighton and thirteen to Diinboyne. Lnglish racing may l»- quoted to show many similar example-. Blair Athol. Favonius. Doncn-tr. Men? Hampton and Common were each of Ihein Dnliy winners. I.nt net one of them started at two years old. Nor did Trace! y. the St. Lcger winner. Swynford. one of the best horses-of the present pea-ii eiation started only once at two and was beaten. Orby started twice without success, but he won the Derby at three. Neither Pri Palatine Sun-tar were a- good at two as they were at three. Indeed. in Hie lice Handicap of 1911. in which St. Nat was top weight with 120 pounds. Prince Palatine and Sunstar at 120 pounds, were sixth and seventh The famous risberasaa started six times at two. He failed to win. but he later became a great performer. Hampton was a bad selling plater as a two year-l old. but he ripened with age and became the "up horse" par excellence of his era. Now for the other side of the picture. How many colts show marcloiis form at two years old. but fail utterly at three. Sensation and Trenioiit were unbeaten at two, but le-Mi appeared afterward, and it was the same with Ilicle. Of course, these were cases of injury, but how many others, most of which did race a- three year-olds showed an utter inability to maintain their speed over distances beyond three quarters.- The list is a long one. It includes such infant pheiiomenoiis as Mesmerist. Portland. Dsssi nant. Dunboy ne, Papp. Jim Gnfliiey, P.ulse. Caniplirc. Yankee, Pebbles, Harry Kelly. De Mund and Emha. — ■ Continued un becoud page. HANDICAP PROSPECTS THIS YEAR Continued from first page! - to the three-year-olds of last year. I believe they were rather above the average. Of the two-year-olds as much cannot be said. for. with the exception of Man a* War. i ne of them was of conspicuous merit if one measure their abilities by the consistency of their form — they beat each other alternately, and too often. They were too nearly equal to be good ones. Rut to return to the three-year-olds: sir Bartaa, despite apparent soreness, showed unmistakable high class. Purchase is one of the finest specimens of the thoroughbred that have appeared in many years. He has not yet C eaagal I a ll 4 his stamina, but his speed and ability to pack weight few will question. George Odoni told me when Purchase wa-a two-year-old he took up 128 pounds and conceded Toto twenty -eight pounds, beating him by five lengths. Should Purchase never win another race his second for the Brooklyn Handicap, in June, with 117 pounds, was a trial sufficient to establish his high class. Audacious has prated himself a colt of undoubted good lass, and in appearance is "a gentleman" all over. Hannibal, at his best, is a thoroughly good colt, but l:e has seldom been seen at his best, owing to accidents. Eternal is quite the equal of any colt in point of speed, and with light weight his nice for the Krooklyn Handicap would encourage the belief that he could stay far enough to win most of the great events. Thunderclap is a colt I have always regarded as much above the average. His former owner, with his usual modesty, always discredited him as "too good for selling races and hardly good enough for handicaps." Yet, both in his colors and those of Mr. Hildreth. he has cut quite a figure as a handicap horse. As to Flags and Billy Kelly, their forte is evidently speed. The former had a good rxcaae far not staying in that he suffered from impaired respiration. Duiiboyne never raced back to the form he displayed as a two year eld. owing to a quarter crack, which kept him out of the competition throughout the summer. When he reappeared in tiie autumn he showed plenty of speed, but could not maintain it for any considerable distance. Beaaiaga Park eeeaaed, after he came east, unable to duplicate bis western form. Lanius. winner of the Metropolitan and EaasaTe City Handicaps, trained off during midsummer, lie is a delicate horse, like all the get of Llangibby. but I understand he will be trained again, .lohren. the hero of the Suburban of 1918. will, after a years rest, lie trained again, so his trainer. James Rowe. told me. and if he stands a preparation would be a prime factor in any race of a mile or over. Re Frank, a real good one. which seemed doomed to run second in most of his races, will return to racing. Exterminator will certainly train, and with I.ucuUite. Naturalist. Star Master. Valor, Corn Tassel. King Plaudit. Vexatious. Milkmaid. The Porter and Knlilade. in addition to those already named, it aeeaaa to no- we have enough material to make some interesting racing for the leading handicaps of 1920.
