view raw text
Here and There on the Turf Belair Stud Successes. Maidens Good Ride. Pointing for Epinard. Annual Race Track Feast. William Woodwards Belair Stud has played an important part on the American turf this year and it is probable that it will go on to further importance before the end of the racing year. James Fitzsimmons is entitled to no small share of the glory that has gone to the stable by the skillful manner in which he conditioned the horses and kept them in condition as their various engagements fell due. The latest success of the popular stable was one of the most important when Aga Khan, the study son of Omar Khayyam and Lady Carnot, by Radium, won the historic Lawrence Realization Stakes at Belmont Park Saturday. This colt is bred along the best blood lines and is a worthy descendant of a notable thoroughbred family. The Lawrence Realization Stakes is one of the most adequate te3ts offered for the three-year-olds and the fact that it is over a mile and five-eighths, makes it one that tests all that is best in the thoroughbred.. It is true j that Aga Khan was in receipt of ten pounds from both H. P. Whitneys Transmute and H. C. Fishers Mr. Mutt, second and third to him, but nevertheless his was a notable performance and one that leaves no doubt of his ability to stay. He has shown unquestioned stamina on other ocasions, but his Lawrence Realization was his crowning performance. While descenting on the Lawrence Realization Stakes, there is a meed of praise coming to Johnny Maiben, who piloted Aga Khan to victory. His ride was a well-nigh perfect one and it had much to do with the result. With a keen knowledge of pace Maiben was not lured into a hot chase after the others through the early running of the race and he only asked Aga Khan to make one rush at high speed. That was sufficient. All through the backstretch Maiben permitted the Woodward colt-to gallop along well within himself and though he was several lengths back of his opponents, he did not try to close that gap until the others, ridden with less judgment, had begun to tire. When he called on Aga Khan the sturdy brown had plenty with which to answer that call. It was a masterly ride and one that brought victory and at the same time no abuse to the colt. Had Aga Khan been hurried along in the early running, as were the others, it is almost inevitable he would have been beaten. Time was when such a ride would not stand out as a remarkable performance. Time was when it spelled disaster to make pace and there was more headwork among the riders, but now the big idea of most riders is to make every post a winning one, whether it be a five-eighths dash or a long gallop over a cup distance. If we had more of these long distance races it might result in better jockeys. It would cer-atinly help some in teaching them the wisdom of knowing pace. When Epinard is called to the post for a mile race, his next engagement in this country, it is probable that two of the best Americans which will oppose him will be Harry F. Sinclairs Grey Lag and Admiral Cary T. Graysons My Own. Both pi these have been coming up to the race in excellent fashion and each has speed to inspire respect. Admiral Grayson was bitterly disappointed when My Own was half furlong dash for maiden two-year-olds, not chosen instead of Zev in the race against Papyrus last year and as a matter of fact the outcome of the race demonstrated that, though My Own does not like other than a fast track, he would surely have beaten the English colt. My Own was training brilliantly at Saratoga in preparation for the Cup, which was won By H. C. Fishers Mr. Mutt, but the bad track condition toward the end of the meeting prevented his being sent to the post for that race. .Since that time he has gone along in his training in a manner entirely satisfactory to W. P. TJurch and. barring accident, he will start against Epinard. As for Grey Lag, this sturdy son of Star Shoot and Miss Minnie has been undergoing a long, slow and careful preparation by Hildreth and thus far there have been no serious interruptions in the training. It is something of a task to bring Grey Lag back, for year after year he has had to go into early retirement because of his bad feet, an inheritance from his illustrious sire. The Hildreth care is being rewarded now by the way the big chestnut is training and, if his feet stand the final test of tightening up, he will be seen at the post September 27. It is natural that Mr. Sinclair should be doubly desirous of winning with Grey Lag, after having defeated Papyrus with Zev last year and Gray Lag seems to be the only one in his big racing establishment to have a chance against the Frenchman. Charles F. Hill of the Thoroughbred Sales Company received a cablegram from A. K. Macomber, who is in France, announcing that the coming sale of his horses shall be absolutely without reserve. This sale disposes of a remarkable collection of thoroughbreds from France of various age divisions and the fact that they are to go under the hammer for just what they will bring is of importance. Too often in such sales a reserve is placed on the choice horses and for that reason horsemen and breeders have frequently been disappointed. Such will not be the case in this sale. The sale will be conducted in the Belmont Park paddock at 12:30 oclock on Thursday and Friday of this week and George A. Bain is to officiate as the auctioneer. The horses have been on exhibition at Belmont Park for several days and they have attracted no end of favorable comment by prospective bidders. It is seldom, indeed, that it is found necessary to give seven races at one of the New York tracks, but it would be needed everyday if the programs were cheapened sufficiently. All of this gives an illuminating idea of fke number of bad horses in training. Seven races became necessary at Belmont Monday because there were thirty-six named, in a five and a That gave three two-year-olds races during the day. There is always an excuse for a big entry when maiden two-year-olds are invited to race. There is more reason for the number of maidens at that tender age, but the discouraging part of it all is that on the same card a mile pursa for all ages and, calculated to bring good ones together, only attracted four entries. That is not as it should be. The trainers have been picking spots for their horses all through the year and are still doing so. Thero is a lack of sporting spirit that should not exist and with as many fit horses on hand, such races as the Islip Puree Monday should surely have brought a bigger entry list. Belmont Park was the scene of a delightful affair Sunday afternoon when the Belmont Fair Play Club entertained a large gathering of sportsmen and of the number, one of the most interested was Pierre Wertheimer, owner of Epinard. The members of the club are Joseph H. Ven-Richard H. Brown, Mortimer F. Lynch, James BeaUie, John Walters, Ben C. Riley. John L. McPherson, Thomas J. Shaw, Max Blumenthal and. C. F. Madden. The fame of these gatherings was long since established and this annual feast has become a delightful institution.
