view raw text
Here and There on the Turf Papyrus Making Good. New York Season Waning. An All-Age Stake. The Latonia Cup. Each day as the date for the running of the International match draws nearer the interest increases in that big sporting event. No longer is the 00,000 prize for a mile and a half race looked upon as a sure thing for Harry F. Sinclairs Zev, and with the appearance of Ben Irishs Papyrus he has been gaining new friends. The conviction ha3 been forced that after all the son of Tracery did not accept an insurmountable handicap when he came over from his native heath to race. This handicap idea was played up ridiculously when it was first advanced, and those who predicted that the Derby winner would be a weakling after his journey have been woefully wrong. Papyrus has not wasted away. He has benefited by the enforced rest that the trip brought about, and he is the picture of robust health and vigor. He has done all that Basil Jarvis has asked him to do, and he will do more before he is called to the post on October 20. With the arrival of Stephen Donoghue it will be possible to put the final edge on the challenger, and then all will be ready for the big day and the big race. It would seem now that there will be no need of offering apologies for Papyrus on October 20, and Zev will have to turn in a remarkably fast mile and a half if he is to lead the son of Tracery home. One is reminded that the New York racing season is drawing to a close for 1923 when it is remembered that on Tuesday the sport moves to James Butlers Yonkers track of the Empire City Racing Association. Already several of the thoroughbreds have been moved from their Long Island quarters to the track in the hills of Westchester, and others have made plans to ship up Sunday and Monday, All is in readiness for the reception of the runners at Mr. Butlers track, and the popularity that is all its own assures that the meeting will be up to the usual standard that has marked all of the meetinp there. This year the Empire City meeting is cut one day to make room for the running of the International match between Zev an.. Papyrus at Belmont Park on October 20. Mr. Butler showed fine sporting generosity in the matter of surrendering his day for the International match when he told the committee of the Jockey Club that it was entirely welcome to the day. This offer was accepted, except that the managers of the big match set aside a lump sum to compensate Mr. Butler for the loss of what would have ordinarily been a big racing day at his track. For the opening day at Yonkers the stake offering is tho Scarsdalc Handicap of a mih, and its eligible list contains the names of the best handicap horses in training. The weights have been announced and Bunting remains at the top under 133 pounds, while the three-year-old Zev and the four-year-old Lucky Hour tn next under 132 pounds each. All three of these will be absentees, and it is probable that at post time Little Chief, under 130 pounds, will be the top weight of the starters. One of the stakes to be decided during the Yonkers meeting that has great interest is the ,000 Autumn Championship Stakes, at a mile, for all ages. This is a race at weight-for-age and geldings are not eligible. There still remain thirty-nine of the eligible list from an original entry of 110, and the popularity of the race among owners of two-year-olds teaches a lesson. Of the thirty-nine that are eligible eighteen are two-year-olds. Twelve of the number are three-year-olds, five four-year-olds and four of them are five-year-olds or mors ancient. The lesson taught is that mile races for two-year-olds in the fall are popular with hctse-men. That has been demonstrated in Maryland. Kentucky and Canada, but it was not until this year, when the Quesns County I Jockey Club put on the Junio? Champion Stakes at Aqueduct over that distance, that the juveniles had an adequate opportunity. In the Autumn Championship Stakes the two-! year-olds have to meet cider horses, but the racing being at the scale has resulted in almost half of the eligibles being of that tender ae. The scale for October, requires that for a mile two-year-olds carry 97 pounds, three-year-olds 120 pounds and older horses are required to cake up 126 pounds. It is, safe to. predict that at post time for the Autumn Championship Stakes the youngsters will predominate i the field. While much of the turf interest of the entire world will center at Belmont Park on October 20, on account of the running of the International match between Papyrus and Zev, there is another race for the Kentuckians that has great importance. This is the Latonia Cup, at two miles and a quarter, to be run at Latonia the same day. This has 5,000 in added money, and in the list of forty-eight eligibles are found the names of the best horses in training. Hal Price. Headleys Chacolet, winner of the Kentucky Special, is in this list, as well as Carl Wiedemanns In Memoriam, the three-year-old that was such a good second to Mr. Headleys mare in that race. Enchantment, one that could not keep his engagement in the Kentucky Special by reason of an accident, is also of the number, as well as Richard T. Wilsons Wilderness, considered by many as a worthy opponent for either Zev or My Own. Many another good one is found on the list, and it is safe to predict that the Latonia Cup will furnish a rare contest. This race was first run-in 1884, when it fell to Henry Gilmore, ridden by Isaac Murphy, while Tax Gatherer and Levant ran a dead heat for second place. Pif Jr. is the only horse to have two victories to his credit, having won as a four-year-old in 1916 and again as an eight-year-old in 1920. Exterminator was its winner as a three-year-old in 1918, and the roster of wirm many rare route travelers. . With the opening of the meeting of the Maryland Jockey Club at Pimlico on October 30 there will come altogether new interest in steeplechasing. The book of the oldest of the Maryland racing organizations calls for a steeplechase every day and there are several crosscountry stake races that will bring the best of the jumpers to the post. The best of these is the Manly Memorial, a race over the two and a half mile course, to which 0,000 is added. Another of the cross-country stakes that is also of great importance is the Elkridge Steeplechase, a race for the three-year-olds. These, in addition to the "various overnight races fromed to suit the various classes of, the jumpers, hold out great promise for the cross-country racing at the old course. A1-. ready some of these jumpers are on the ground, and making ready, and the meeting will uncover some good prospects, according to the reports that have come of the training opera- -tions. 4
