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FRENCH INVADER IN HIS BEST RACING FORM , Experienced American Horsemen Loud in Their Praise of Epinard Believe French Champion Will Be Hard to Beat Saturday Yankee Rivals Continue Their Preparation Chilhowee in Fine Fettle lev and Mad Play Arrive - LATONIA, Ky., Oct. 9. It was confidently expected that Eugene Leigh would show Epinard at racing speed during the afternoon, but the racing crowd was doomed to disappointment. No attempt was made to have him run along and, while he covered the mile and a quarter distance, it was in 2:07, a pace that would mean nothing in the light of what other candidates have shown, was it not for the manner in which it was accomplished. The invader appeared on the track heavily bandaged and he had Everett Haynes in the saddle and the colors up. With no running mate he was jogged to the head of the stretch and Haynes started him at the quarter pest and at once took a good hold of his head. It has frequently been remarked that at half speed the son of Badajoz and Epine Blanche has an awkward way of going. He climbs a bit and pounds badly. For that reason no real idea of the horse is obtained until he is at a racing speed. As he came down the stretch, going high and hitting the track hard, there were some criticisms cf his action, but after the work was over several trainers who saw him perform in New York expressed the opinion that he was better than he has been at any time since his arrival in this country. He came to the stand under double wraps for a first quarter in 25. Still under the same stiff restraint, he reached the three-eighths in 37, the half in 49 and the five-eighths in 1:02. When he finished out the three-quarters in 1:15 the move was at exactly the same speed shown Wednesday afternoon. The seven-eighths mark was reached in 1:25, the mile in 1:41, mile and an eighth in 1:54 and Haynes still had his mount under a stiff restraint when he finished out the distance in 2:07. PLEASED WITH EPINARD. After this move Leigh expressed himself as more than pleased with the showing of his charge and many trainers, in addition to Louis Feustel, said that the four-year-old seemed to be in better condition than he was at either Belmont Park or Aqueduct. It is a notable fact that the two trainers who have to their credit a victory over Epinard are the most enthusiastic over his present condition. John S. Ward, who beat the invader with Wise Counsellor at Belmont Park, has pronounced him pessibly the greatest horse he ever saw and Louis Feustel, who sent Ladkin out to beat him at Aqueduct, is particularly enthusiastic over both his quality and his present condition. While there is a serious doubt of August -Belmonts Ladkin going to the post Saturday he has not been declared from the race. The conqueror of Epinard at Aqueduct, after a treatment of his injured foot, did not show-lameness when brought on the track this morning and if it is required by Major Belmont he will be sent to the post, though Feustel is not altogether satisfied with the condition of the foot The arrival of S. C. Hildreth, with seven of the horses of Harry F. Sinclairs Rancocas stable, was an event of the day of importance. The horses all, made the trip from Belmont Park in satisfactory fashion and each is ready to go to the post In this shipment came Zev, Mad Play, the International candidates, as well as Stanwix, Honor, King Jimmy, Titan and Cardiff. Frank Hackett was in charge of the horses and Mrs. Hildreth accompanied her husband to be present at the running Saturday. The two Fators, Laverne and M., came with the horses. Another arrival was George Babin, who is to ride Mrs. .Vanderbilts Sarazen in the special. FINAL WORK DAY. It was the final work of the day for the International Special candidates when five of the prospective starters in the great contest finished their period of training. From now on the intended starters will be given only light work to keep them on edge for the race that is regarded as the crowning effort of their careers. Their trainers are all agreed that it is going to be a great contest, and they have labored hard in an effort to bring their candidates to the height of condition. Chilhowee, Wise Counsellor, My Play and Altawood were all put through their paces Thursday morning being sent over the dis- . tance of Saturdays race, a mile and a quarter. All of the quartette worked impressively and in good time and it would be a difficult matter to point out which of the candidates work stood out from the others. Continued on thirteenth page. FRENCH INVADER AT HIS BEST Continued from first page. From a time standpoint the performance of Chilhowee excelled. The Gallaher colt going the distance in 2:05 and performing in a manner that was most impressive. The fact that the colt began from and finished at the three-quarter post makes his showing all the more praiseworthy, as he thereby had to make two turns in the final quarter. He was under good restraint for the -entire way and B. Harvey his rider had all he could do to prevent him from running out at the club house turn. He ran in the following fractions: 23, 48, 1:13, l:3S-, 2:05. Wise Counsellor created a favorable impression and caused his trainer, J. S. "Ward to wear a smile of satisfaction when with ODonnell up he traversed the mile and a quarter in 2 :08. The big chestnut was not permitted to run fast at any stage. ODonnell had a snug hold of him and rated him nicely for the entire way. His fractional time was: 24, 48, 1:14, 1:41, 2:08. Jim McClelland was another trainer who had abundant cause to feel jubilant over the fine trial of his International Special candidate. My Play raised the hopes of his stable followers when he duplicated his fine showing of last Monday by running the one mile and a quarter in 2:0S, a couple of fractions better than his former trial. The brother of Man o "War gave a fine exhibition of steady running. He was rated along at a fairly good clip but the idea of hurrying the son of Fair Play never entered the mind of his rider. His fractions were: 25, 50, 1:15, 1:41, 2:08. The fact that My Play is standing up so well under his intensive course of training is the source of much satisfaction to trained McClelland, who makes no secret of his faith in his horses ability to win Saturday. Sam Keene sent C. Bruce Heads Latonia cup winner, Altawood, a mile and a quarter and the generally expressed opinion among those who watched the trial was that the son of Master Robert had never before showed such a fine work. Altawood is not a work horse, and he needs the spur of competition to make him do his best This makes the 2:07 for the mile and a quarter of Al-tawoods stand out as a very meritorious effort, and one that gives him a fighting chance in Saturdays race. His fractions were: 49, 1:15, 1:41, 2:07. While Frederick Johnsons three-year-old filly, Dare Say, has not heretofore been regarded seriously as a starter in the International, recent events make it possible that the filly will be named for the big race. Johnson is uncommunicative when his plans for the race are mentioned, and it is believed that he will take a long chance in the hope of something unforseen happening. The fact that Dare Say was worked a mile Thursday morning in 1:42 and galloped out an extra quarter lends color to this belief. The filly was indulged in the first three-quarters of her work, which she covered in 1 :18 and then she was led down and, displaying keen speed, covered the final quarter of the mile in 24.
