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PAST THE HALF WAY MARK Saratoga Meeting on Final Lap; No Diminution in Interest. Travers and United States Hotel Stakes Are Big Features of This Weeks Racing. BY C. J.TITZOF.RALD. SARATOGA, N. Y.. August 10. The meeting of the Saratoga Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses is half over, but the attendance, which has been large throughout the meef-ing, shows no signs of diminution. With sonle of the best features still to be decided, the eyps of the entire American turf world will remain focussed on Saratoga to the close of the meeting. Transients touring the country find racing a potent atraetion, and often those who stop over for a day find the sport so alluring that they remain much longer. There have been many such at the Spa this season, and there will lie many more before the first of September. They have heard of the deliglifs of Saratoga, and in these days of the automobile, when it is possible for a party to make the journey from either" New York or Montreal by motor in a trifle over seven hours, the thought, of a day witli the thoroughbreds is frequently irresistible. If there is. a chance of seeing Man o War in action the appeal is all the stronger. The turf has I never had such a drawing card as the big three-year-old. and his name is on the lips of everybody. His picture has been thrown on the screen in every hamlet in the land, and more lias bepu written about him since his appearance than of any other dczen horses in tie same period. The fact that he frequently is opposed by horses which cannot make him display the wonderful powers which mark him as a horse apart does not seem to make any difference. The public appears to be satisfied to ndiuirg his faultless proportions in the paddock, and afterwards marvel at the ease with which lie devours space. When the champion won the Miller Stakes recently it required a special detail of polire to keep tlie throng at a distance while he was being prepared for .the race. The same scene will no doubt be enacted here on Saturday next when he is sent to the post for the historic Travers Stake at a mile and a quarter. The Travers is one of the features of the Americaii turf, and was first decided in 1804, when it was won by Kentucky, Man o Wars winnings, to date total 31,750, and after he wins the Travers he will be more than 0,000 nearer the 00,000 goal. It is hot possible at this time to predict the complexion of the field for the Travers. Everybody with a good three-year-old has tried Man. o War at least once. James Rowe gave battle with John. P. Grier and Wildair, two colts .Unit would be reckoned first-class in an ordinary year. Both are among the Travers eligibles, and so is Upset, a colt of great speed. George W. Loft, has chased the champion with Donnaeona, and he may elect to send his other three-year-old On Watch to do battle on Saturday. Still others that are eligible for the race are Gladiator, Blazes, Rouleau and King Thrush. INCHCAPE AND LEONARDO II. On the same diiy the Gnnid Union Hotel Stakes and the Beverwyck Handicap Steeplechase will he carded. The former has a splendid list of eligibles and i.t should, .furnish a fine test of the qualities of. our juveniles.. The rivals Inchcape and Leonardo II. "are the" headlines, but they are not the only tjyo-year-olds of promise engaged by any means. Touch Me Not, The Bohemian, Serapi.f, Star Voter, Oriole, Brigadier General, Prudery, Broom Spun, Dimmesdale and other youngsters that have shown fine form will no doubt be found among the field. George Odom thinks, he- has in Oriole a colt capable of taking the measure of any youngster oyer a heavy course, and if the going is bad on Saturday it will be a good time to test the mud running qualities of those opposed to the angular sou of Assagai. The jumping material but this season is not up to the standard of other years, but the best of it will be found among the Beverwyck eligibles. The race should be a potent attraction to alt those who like cross-country sport. It should help to round out a well-balanced card. For tomorrow the Saranac Handicap with ,500 added has been graced with the name of Man o War among the overnight acceptances, but the champion has been asked to carry 140 pounds and it may be that trainer Louis Fcustel will not put the crack Riddle colt to such a severe test, especially as tomorrows race will only ie in the nature of a gallop for his engagement in the Travers next Saturday. The other entries in the Saranac are Brookholt, Wedding Cake, Edwina, Busy Signal, Dinna Care. Blazes and Krewer. The reqord for the event is 1:30, made by Motcr Cop in 1019 with 119 pounds up. A novelty in the shape of the Grab Bag Handicap, for two-year-olds, will be Wednesdays feature. According to the conditions,- candidates may be leased, raced in the name and colors of any individual. In t he six years of its existence it has only been won once by a starter under, lease. This was in 1917 when President 11. T. Wilson mimed Jack Hare Jr. The rae has a guaranteed value of ,000. On Thursday the Catskill Stakes, at seven-eighths of a mile, will be run. It has some of the best sprinters in training engaged, and it may be the medium for the reappearance of an old friend in Stromlioli, the contemporary of Roamer and other fleet ones of bygone days. Among the other nominations are Best Pal, Kashmir, Princeps, Jadda, Tippity Witehet. Fruit Cake, Ima Frank, Leochares, War Marvel, Abadaue, Torehbeare,, Dr. Clark, Pilgrim, Yellow Hand and Wyoming. Fridays card will be made up of. overnight purses, but there is sure to be good sport, as there are more than 1,000 horses to draw from in framing a program.
