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Here and There on the Turf Day of the Big Race. What the Running Means. Latonias Opposition Card. Relentless a Good One. The day of the big race is here. The day when the best that can be mustered will try against Pierre Wertheimers Epinard, idol of the French turf and one of the best thoroughbreds that ever stood on iron. The various eligibles all appear to be trained to the minute. The natural defenders have come back to a form that was lacking earlier in theyear. Wise Counsellor, such a bitter disappointment in the spring, by reason of illness, has shown that he is at the top of his form. Ladkin apparently never was much better. Zev has shown a return to the form that made him well nigh invincible last year. My Own has shown the form in his trials that last year made Admiral Grayson and W. P. Burch insist that he was the best three-year-old in training. Epinard has satisfied Eugene Leigh by the manner in which he has been going along and it is entirely possible that he is back to that magnificent form that enabled him to sweep all before him as a three-year-old. There should be no excuses after this race. All of the trainers have had ample time to make ready and as far as these candidates are concerned there is little to be desired. It is more than a race. It is an event that will go down in turf history as one of the biggest things of the American turf and it is no wonder that the sportsmen should prize its winning over almost any other. The added money of 25,000 is befitting, but it does not measure the full glory of defending the honor of the American turf and the American thoroughbred. There is honor indeed in that and honor that is not measured by dollars. Within a few hours of the running of this great race its success can hardly be measured. Ever since the announcement of the coming of Epinard it has been the ambition of every sportsman, with even a possible eligible, to have him ready, even should he be made ready at the expense of some other good prizes. And there has been a like interest not alone among the patrons of racing, but among those who have never before been attracted to the sport. It is a national affair and the race has been discussed by those who have never visited a race course. It is a tremendously big thing for the turf, for it shows racing in its best light and brings home to those who know nothing of the sport some of the honest red-blooded thrills that go with the thoroughbred contests. With all of the glamor and importance of the International content at Aqueduct the Kentucky patrons of the turf will also have a big day. In fact, it is too big a day in the opinion of many who find it impossible to be at both Latonia and Aqueduct the same after-, noon. Nothing short of such a race at Aqueduct would induce M. J. Winn and Colonel Vennie to desert their, home track on such a day, but Epinard-toperform at Latonia on October 11 and there was a reason for them being on hand for the race. They came on from Kentucky for the three-quarters dash at Belmont Park when the French four-year-old was beaten by Wise Counsellor and it is more or less of a sporting duty that they should be on hand for each of the contract runnings of the invader. This is what M. J. Winn and Colonel Vennie are passing up for the day at the Latonia course: The 0,000 Latonia Cup and the ,000 Fort Thomas Handicap, for the two-year- olds. These are races of importance that have induced some of the sportsmen from New York to pass up even the International. My Play, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, was denied a chance to race against Epinard in favor of the Latonia Cup and Edward F. Simms and Joseph Rhinock will be on hand at the Kentucky course to see him perform rather than witness the running of the International. And there are others that have made the same decision. There are so many big races to- come at Latonia that it was well-nigh impossible to arrange dates that would not conflict with this big Aqueduct prize, but after the running Saturday it is Latonia that will be the natural Mecca of the sportsmen. It is there that Epinard is to make his next appearance under silks when he races for the mile and a quarter Special. This race has an added money value of 0,000 and it will also carry a handsome trophy commensurate to the occasion. Epinard, as well as others that oppose him, will be shipped to Latonia next Wednesday to put on the finishing touches of training for this mile and a quarter prize. Should the French colt come out of that race satisfactorily he will shortly be sent to Laurel, where he is also engaged in two handicaps, ths mile of the Laurel and the mile and a quarter of the Washington Handicap, a 5,000 added prize. Joseph E. Davis, who was principally responsible for the subscription plan whereby several made jumpers were brought to this country, appears to have a real steeplechase prospect in his three-year-old filly Relentless. It was fitting that Mr. Davis should draw as good a performer as El Kantara in ths allotment of the subscription jumpers. He was the best of those brought over and after he had brought a full measure of fame to the Davis silks he was sold to the Greentree Stable for a big price. Since going to the Greentree Stable he has proved himself an excellent purchase. But now it would seem that Mr. Davis has not crippled his steeplechase string as much as was feared ha had by surrendering El Kantara. Relentless has all the marks of a first-class chaser and, being a three-year-old, her chance for development is that much better. In her winning effort at Aqueduct Thurs- day Relentless proved that she had lost none of her speed on the flat, while she is a swift, sure jumper. She made just one mistake in her race, but her recovery was so prompt that it demonstrated she is remarkably quick on har feet an impoitant attribute to success through the field. Relentless will have plenty of opportunity this fall and at this time she must be given front rank among the young jumpers. The Aqueduct meeting of the Queens County Jockey Club will come to a close with the sport of Tuesday and then the scene for the New York sport will shift over to the Jamaica course of the Metropolitan Jockey Club. The book for that meeting is a thoroughly entertaining one and the racing should be up to the New York standard. This meeting and the thirteen days that are to follow at James Butlers Yonkers course of the Empire City Racing Association will bring the sport to a close in New York. It has been a remarkable season in many respects and it is a season that has done big things in the upbuilding of ths American turf and making racing more popular.
