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PUZZLING OLD NATURALIST Frenchman, in Running Mood, Wins Mount Vernon Handicap. Morvich Continues Undefeated and Wins His Sixth Straight Victory. NEW YORK. X. Y.. July 20. OI.l Naturalist is indeed a puzzle nowadays. Ho was in the Mount Vernon Handicap, tho star racing piece of the arternoon, won it. in the smart time of l:tOj. a fast pace as tlie Kmpiro City course was today, beating Blazes in a good looking contest. Only two moderates, Copper Demon an added starter and St. Allan, opposed the good pair. The Kancocas candidates, Mad Hatter and Thunderclap, stayed uway. The soft surfaced track suited Naturalist to a "T." He was always a notable mini horse. So is ISliizes. for that matter. lint Naturalists mud proficiency is one of conformation. Blazes is the result of leg infirmity. Blazes was chosen to win and backed into odds-on favoritism. The public always suspects Mr. "Wideners moody old Frenchman, which sometimes will and sometimes wont. He was second choice and smartly backed on the chance that lie would, lie did flippantly. Turner was up. Naturalist was away nicely, went to the front at once and stayed there. Blazes never sot to, Naturalists side until the finish, when, hard driven, he closed a bit of ground. But Naturalist, running freely and kindly throughout, outlasted Blazes in the finaT drive and won by three parts of a length. Both the leaders were ridden out vigorously. Copper Demon and St. Allan never got iicatlic ncaainsTi!trrr-1 -- "..-! :- Hight here the fellow who writes this he has seen,. Judged and loved many good horses from Hanover 1881 to Purchase 1921 passes an opinion on Morvich, which may, or may not. be slower than that fleet and bad-mannered former stableniate of his, Itunstar, the propaganda of the report of whoe speed in last Saturdays AVhirl Stakes was surely erroneous. The report will not do because Nancy F. no slouch herself with a clear way ran the ! first quarters of the AVhirl in and "Mf,. Com pared with these figures, those of propaganda about Buustar running the first eighth of that race in 10 seconds and three-eighths in 33vr. will not "do." It wasnt that kind of Kmpire City goiug that afternoon. MORVICHS FINE QUALIFICATIONS. But lets get back to Morvich which isnt for sale. No man who likes good horses youngsters are best because they are so natural and so generous with what they have considers him a present "morning glory." Morvich is a great young race horse. He has size compact and symmetrical size runs fast on dry or muddy ground, is kind, has ambition racing brains a good temper and a better appetite, and four extremely merry feet watch him pick them up and hum a tune to their music. Theyre better feet and sound than those of his age which in six races he has defeated. Mor-vichs only cheapness was his early price that, paid by a shrewd horseman, who chose the action of a racing kind, Fred Burlow, who has a record among American two-year successes. Tlu: only doubt alout Morvich is his ability to go on. It isnt a doubt, its a scandal of non-possesion. "Why shouldnt the colt go on" II lias gone as far as he has been asked and won. All in all. as far as the writer can tee. the extremely nice and stoutly American-bred son of llunnymede and Hymir. by Dr. Iggo. which went on has the five great gifts of a fine young race horse, great, speed, health, docility, ambition and courage. To these five gifts may be added perhap? another more speed. Therefore, hail Morvich bad name in these days of excessive semitism in this great town of ours as a real good colt and not a latitudinarian. Theres a lot of good and .more bad two-year-old race horses in America. Some of the good ones may beat Morvich. but the victor will have to be good, and is yet to conic. Until he does come, all hail Morvich name and all as the two-year-old so far as the eastern American racing season of 1021. HIS SIXTH AND BEST RACE. The uoble California colt, Morvich. gave another exhibition of his speed and racing prowess in the closing race at Empire City today. It was Morvichs sixth straight victory and he won it as all his races have been won easily and in fast time. In the Holly, at five and a half furlongs,-he met two other winners. Mustard Seed and St Maurice, and two maidens, Yankee Star and Miracle Man. Mustard Seed is in the first group of metropolitan two-year-olds and St. Maurice had four times beaten fair ones. Kancocas kept Kai-Sang at home. Sidereal and Zealot were scratched. Kai-Saug and Sidereal might have added to the interest iu the race. But Mustard Seed promised to make Morvich go faster than he has gone in races, and Morvich did go much faster, considering the state of going. He raced with the extra precaution of Sande as his rider, left the barrier flying, and with two first quarters in and 24;, five furlongs in l:0Q-r, und the hist sixteenth in t!Vr.. won all the way. the five and a half furlongs in 1:011. Mustard Seed Was the doughty Cali-fornians only real opponent. Mr. Bulls fine Ieter JJuIucc colt, under Miller, chased Morvich sternly all the way and. under all his riders vigor, closed sopic ground in the stretch. But Morvich won handily, and as if he enjoyed himself, by nearly three lengths. Mustard Seed was six lengths before Vuukee Star, third. St. Maurice had bad manners at the barrier aud Miracle Man good of looks and action was merely there for educational purposes. Morvich is indeed a good colt. His action is superb and his speed a gift. It was his best race. Others and better ones will follow. i The Itancncas Jack Atkin lttie Darr filly, Re-.ilralnt iUm the opening faRcinatlr.n Purse, fur two-year-old boilers, at five and a hair furlongs. There Continued on lecond lse. PUZZLING OLD NATURALIST Continued from first page:- were fourteen in the field. With Witchwork at home. Restraint was the natural favorite. She was backed as well as she raced. Fator was up, waited with Restraint behind Emma W. and Awning to the stretch, and there ran past Emma W. in thirty strides or so to gallop home one of the easiest of winners by three lengths. Emma W. was almost as easily second before Awning. Both these nearest Restraint at the finish were outsiders. Emma W. showed a lot of early speed. Little Patsy, well backed, broke slowly, got mixed up in getting through his horses, and closed extremely fast. There were nine in the Mamaroneck mile collection of non-winners or ,100 peculiar conditions made for present material with Curfew and Top Sergeant, leading the market. They did the same in the contest. After Huonec had led, Sande rated Top Sergeant and the rapid Curfew to the first turn. Curfew went to the front, only to be caucht and easily outrun in the stretch by Top Sergeant, which finished alone in a canter. Curfew was as much the best of the others and two lengths before the present dull Parader, capable of far better racing, but far less than himself just now. Of the eighteen named for the Battery, for claimers over the Yonkers Futurity course, a dozen started. Cum Sah was the chief absentee. He seemed in a soft spot, but stayed in the sorter one of non-contention. The bail mannered Arrowhead was backed as ir he was a Hindoo. His reformation was subtle but complete. Turner was taking training for what was to come with Naturalist, got Arrohead away in a hurry and the further the Uncle gelding went the further lie won. He was a half dozen lengths in front of old Ting-a-Ling at the finish, Clancys oldster two more before a group of three Jago, Martha Luckett and Liberty Girl-noses apart and driving hard for third place, which fell to Jago, which is notable in mud and might have been nearer the front but for a slow start and a rail ride where the track was slowest. But it is likely that Jago runs best there from the way he closed. . The Yonkers going was slow early, but dried out under the sun and harrows as the afternoon wore away. It will be fast Thursday. There wasnt much breeze to temper the close, humid air, hut all in all, conditions were endurable. There was the average crowd of five or six thousand out. The racings quality was far above the average. Morvichs race and the way he won it was worth going far to see, and Naturalists performance was most eyeable. Three favorites toed the mark, two second choices did their duty and one outsider disturbed the balance of things. Large purses are the rule tomorrow because of the excess from the bidding of Tuesday. As a result the program carries a disjointed aspect, the most pretentious race coming first on the card. A total of ,73S.90 will be added to the regular purses. This will be spread over five races, with an additional ,017.7R for the winners, 00 extia for the horses that run second, and 00 surplus for those to finish third. All except the fourth race share in the division. Fred Taral will ship the Riviera Stable to Saratoga on Saturday. The stewards fined Andrew Blakely 0 for adding a breast plate to the equipment of Jago after Hayues had made weight for the gelding in the second race. Carter Hall arrived from Maryland in time to see his sons Top Sergeant win the third race. L. T. Bauer is offering for sale privately his entire stable of nine horses. John Pat McGoveru and AVadc Snyder of Baltimore were among the newcomers. Citation reared and fell while parading in the first race. Jockey McAtec picked himself up quickly and grabbed the fillys rein before she had a chance to get away. Neither was injured. W. J. Both claimed Little Patsy from William Daniel for ,105, and A. Grantz took Old Dad from J. A. Coburn for ,505. L. B. Goldsmith bought Perigourdine and Doves-roost from Mrs. A. Solomon.
