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Here and There on the Turf Advancement of Oceanic. His Prowess Shown Strikingly This Fall. Maryland Jockey Clubs Remarkable Course. Sallys Alley Seems a Stayer. When Samuel D. Riddles Oceanic won the 525,000 Washington Handicap at Laurel last Saturday, it was intimated that he might be the one to halt Exterminator in his race : to top the money-winning figures of Man o War. It would be doubly pleasing to Mr. Riddle if one from his own racing establishment would be the one to continue his wonder horse, Man o War, at the top of the great money-winning horses. Now it would se3m that Oceanic has a better chance to be the one that will halt Exterminator than was suggested after his victory in the Washington Handicap. In that race he only had to take up 10-1 pounds, while Exterminator shouldered 126 pounds and Lucky Hour was carrying 120 pounds. Thus it will be seen that Oceanic had a big pull in the weights over the two. But the son of The Finn and Veuve Clicquot has come right back and administered another sound beating to Lucky Hour at less difference in the weights. In the mile and a quarter of the Pimlico Autumn. Handicap, won by Oceanic Thursday, the Riddle colt was jumped eight pounds over his weight in the Washington Handicap and Lucky Hour picked up five pounds. That was an advantage of three pounds in the favor of the Lexington Stable colt. And in the running Oceanic demonstrated that the result of the Washington Handicap was a true one, for he picked up the additional weight and won with greater ease and in new track record time when he raced the mile and a quarter in 2:04. It seems a sure thing that had it not been for his sickness earlier in the racing year Oceanic would have long before, these fall days attained a much higher place among the three-year-olds. Of course, he is reaping the advantage now of having been away from the races, in the matter of weights he is required to carry, but that is in a large measure offset by the many rich opportunities he has been denied by reason of his sickness. Oceanic has only been started eight times this year and he has been returned the winner in five of those races, while on each occasion he shared in the money. His first effort was a five and a half furlongs dash at Jamaica in which he was an easy winner. Then at Aqueduct he stretched it out to a mile and won. It was about this time that he was taken sick and his sickness prevented him from starting in the Preakness Stakes, for which he was being fitted by trainer Fcustel. His next appearance was in the Dwyer Stakes and he was plainly not at himself when he was beaten by both Ray Jay and Lctterman. His showing there resulted in his being put away until the fall meeting at Laurel. In tl meantime, with the others he was turned over to Gwyn Tompkins when Louis Feustel himself had to give up his arduous duties of training by reason of his failing health. At the same time the horses he was training for August Belmont were turned over to George Odom. Tompkins went slowly and carefully with Oceanic and, although the colt was working well for him at Saratoga, he made no effort to start him until the fall Maryland racing season opened. Now he is reaping the benefit of that care and he has a robust fresh colt thoroughly fit. In his first race at Laurel he won a three-quarters sprint. In his next race he was just nosed out by Bunga Buck at a mile and a sixteenth, and in that race he was not ridden with the best judgment. His next race was at a mile and an eighth, in which he was beaten by both Polly Ann and Nedna. But his last two victories, both at a mile and a quarter, have more than atoned for the two defeats. He won the Washington Handicap in 2:04 and raced such a high-class colt as Lucky Hour into defeat. Then in the Pimlico Autumn Handicap over the same distance, with eight pounds more weight, he made a show of Lucky Hour and dominated all of the running to win in 2:04, clipping a fifth of a second from the previous track record. Oceanic has been steadily working his way up to the Bowie Handicap and the Pimlico Cup, both 0,000 races. If he holds his present excellent form he has a wonderful chance to add both of these to his brilliant fall record. These are the two Pimlico chances Exterminator has through which to pass the money-winning figures of Man o War. Barring accidents, Oceanic will start in both races for the glory of the record of the best horse of the past that has carried the Riddle silks, as well as for his own fame. He has demonstrated that he is a colt of electric speed and he has proved his ability to go on. His stamina and gameness have been tested in his mile and a quarter victories. The mile and a half of the Bowie Handicap and the two and a quarter miles of the cup should be within his powers. He has had a long and skillful preparation and gallops in a fashion to suggest that he will run as far as any mans horse. From time to time the Maryland Jockey Club has done big things for the turf, but one of the biggest was the decision to run the 0,000 Pimlico Futurity in two divisions and add 0,000 to each of the races. It solved the problem of giving the various starters a more equal chance for victory, when it was discovered that there would be more starters than could be accommodated at the starting point. Of course, any number could have been started by lining up the horses in two or three ranks, if necessary, but then the element of luck in drawing post positions would have been a big factor in determining the winner. Now that is partially eliminated, but at additional expense of 0,000 for the days offerings. It was back in 1918 that the Maryland Jockey Club set the style of splitting a rich stake race when the 5,000 Preakness Stakes was run in two divisions on the same day. On that occasion the first half fell to War Cloud and the second half was taken by Jack Hare Jr. On that occasion there was general surprise and wide commendation of the liberal policy, but with a stake race to which 0,000 had been added, it was not dreamed that the liberality of the sportsmen, who make up the oldest of the Maryland racing associations, could take a similar course when a race of such value was involved. But it was done and done with scant discussion. When it was found that there would be a field of unweildy size to take care of, and that, possibly, the best horse might be beaten for that reason, there was litth argument. It was a big thing to do, and it was done in the interest of the race and the men .who are striving for victory. It was decided that as far as was possible every starter should have an equal chance, and, to make certain of that, it is costing just 0,000. It is money well spent, for this liberal policy amounts to a real sporting proposition that will never be forgotten. While on the matter of the Pimlico Futurity, the attention of horsemen and breeders is called to the fact that for the race in 1925, entries will close Monday. At this time mares bred in 1922 are eligible, and the nomination fee is only 0. The fee must accompany the nomination and it is the only cost except the starting fee of ,000. When the Pimlico Futurity was first conceived by Wm. P. Riggs and Frank H. Bryan, it was intended that it should be a Maryland race and its expense should be borne by the Maryland Jockey Club, the Maryland State Fair Association, that races at Laurel and the Harford Association and that each should contribute 0,000 in added money; also that it should be run in turn at one or the other of the courses. This scheme fell through and the Maryland Jockey Club carried it on alone. It has had instant success, as is illustrated by the fact that there were more than 700 nominations made for the race of this year. This is a race that has few equals in its appeal to breeders. It is built along lines calculated to bring about the much-desired improvement in the breed, the big thing behind all racing. All of the nominations and starting fees are to go to the winner and in the distribution of the added money ,000 goes to the second horse, ,500 to the third and ,000 to the fourth. Then, to foster the thoroughbred industry in the home state, there is an additional ,000 added if the winner is the product of a mare served in Maryland and foaled there. Of this the owner is to receive ,000 and the breeder ,000. It is also a race to which only entire colts and fillies arc eligible, another regulation that fits in with the improvement of the breed idea. Of those tried privately for the race one of the most impressive moves was shown by Willis Sharpe Kilmers Futurity winner Sallys Alley. The daughter of Allumeur and Salvo- latile, with Albert Johnson in the saddle, was sent along for a mile and an eighth by Eugene Wayland and demonstrated brilliantly that she is ready to race all the way when she finished the distance in 1 :54. The fractions for the work-outs were 24, 48, 1 :14, 1 :39, 1 :54. This will show that the filly maintained an even pace, the quarters for the mile being 24, 24, 24 and 25. She was eased up in the last eighth in 14. Such a move should leave no doubt about her readiness. How Fair had Sande in the saddle for her work and she showed a mile in 1 :40. Hers was a decidedly good move. Cyclops, the one that Odom will start for Robert L. Gerry, had an easy mile in 1 :44, and he is another that is looked upon as a sure starter. Then there were some worth while moves Thursday morning at Pimlico. T. W. OBrien; Shamrock was sent along for an easy m;le in 1:48 and this owner announced that he was well phased with the move. Picketer worked his mile in 1 :40 for James Rowe, after running the first three-quarters in 1:13, and will probably carry the H. P. Whitney silks. The Grcentree Stables Moon-raker worked with Picketer and finished in the same time. The pair galloped together all the way. Thomas J. Healey tried out Walter J. Salmons Vigil and he galloped his mile in 1 :43 with speed in reserve. These are just some that are ready for the race that promises to bring out the largest field of juveniles of the racing year.
