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Twenty Years Ago Today Chief Turf Events of March 8 1903 Sunday no racin racinIt It does not fall to the lot of every horseman to have at some time during his career owned or trained a really great race horse and the men of the turf who have owned or trained two thoroughbred kings are few and far be ¬ tween And yet in one short summer Howard Oots owned McChesney and trained Hermis the two greatest horses on the American turf today Hermis the idol of the eastern tracks and McChesney the star of the West are rivals for first honors Mr Oots had them both when they were twoyearolds and he seems well qualified to express an opinion on the subject Mr Oots and his brother have been on the turf for a number of years and have always had a winning string If a match race between Hermis and McChesney were run tomorrow tomorrowMr Mr Oots would back the latter which he be i heves to be the better horse horseA A visit to the covered stable at Roby Ind j containing about seventyfive stalls brings one in touch with all the horses that have been beenhoused j housed at the Indiana track since the local i racing season came to a close Prominent Prominentamong among the horses that have wintered at this j track are several American Derby candidates of which Grcgor K Walter R Hedges bay colt by Phoenix Kola is the most prominent i iby virtue of his numerous wins as a twoyear and stakes twelve times beating most of the J best horses racing locally on tracks in all sort of conditions at distances of onehalf mile to one mils His last start when he defeated j The Conqueror II by a nose under a poor ride has caused a number of admirers to flock to his standard and concede him a good chance to carry off the honors in the American Derby notwithstanding the fact that the cream of the threeyearold division East and West is en That there is a general demand for a match race between Hermis and McChesney there can be no denying Mr Bell has entered Her ¬ mis in all the rich handicaps and all the weight i j forage races He has no idea of starting Hermis in all these events but his idea has i been to have the colt so well engaged that he could go after rich stakes whenever he was fit Ths proposition to match him against Mc ¬ Chesney if Mr Smathers makes it therefore will be somewhat unexpected for Mr Bell some time ago declared that Hermis would never meet McChesney in the West But with the chance of McChesney coming East and a direct offer of a match from Mr Smathers it may be said that Mr Bell will not only consider it but will undoubtedly accept under favorable conditions But the offer must come from McChesneys new owner so trainer J H McCormick says As match races are illegal in this state McChesney and Hermis will have to come together under special conditions a sweepstakes with one of the local racing as ¬ sociations hanging up a purse of say 20000 for the match There could be several entries besides those of the stars which could of course be scratched on the day of the race That there would also be a side bet of say 20000 a side is a probability as Mr Smathers already has the reputation of being one of the biggest turf speculators in this country countryEDITORS EDITORS NOTE The match race between Hermis and McChesney did not materialize but those two great horses met in the Twin City Handicap at Shcnpshead Bay at equal weights each carrying 129 pounds and Mc ¬ Chesney won easily by two lengths running the mile and a quarter in 2 04
