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Here and There on the Turf Laurel Three-year-old Rating. Special at the Downs. The Offer for Epinard. By Hisself Shows Quality. After Wise Counsellor was such an easy winner of the Laurel Handicap over the track "of the same name last Saturday, Frederick Burton, his owner, expressed a willingness to meet Mrs. Vanderbilts Sarazen in the 5,000 Washington Handicap, to be decided November 1. He made the proviso that the weights should be satisfactory. Now Mr. Burton has an idea of the handicap rating of the two great three-year-olds. J. B. Campbell has .issued the weights for the Maryland Handicap, to be run Saturday, and Sarazen is in under 126 pounds, at which weight he is required to give Wise Counsellor four pounds. The Burton colt also enjoys a two pounds advantage over both Ordinance and Ladkin, the August Belmont pair. The Maryland Handicap is the same distance as the Washington Handicap, a mile and a quarter, so that this gives an exact idea of what is to bs expected in the Washington Handicap, provided there comes no change of form in the eligibles. The weight arrangements appear to be eminently fair, taking a line through Epinard. Of course, the running of the Laurel Handicap cannot enter into consideration of weights as far as Epinard is concerned, but the race at Aqueduct gives an excellent line. In that race there could be no choice between Epinard and Ladkin and both surely gave Wise Counsellor a two pounds beating. Then in the mile and a quarter race at Latonia, Sarazen surely gave Epinard a two pounds beating. Wise Counsellor was not in that race, but when he suffered a two pounds beating from Epinard at Aqueduct and Sarazen gave the French celt a like whipping at Latonia, it would put Wise Counsellor four pounds back of Sarazen. Ladkin and Ordinance are both out of training, so that Sarazen and Wise Counsellor will be at the top of the Maryland Handicap and, if both are sent to the post, it ought to furnish a rare contest. Mr. Burton will doubtless be satisfied with this weight arrangement and, should both his colt and Mrs. Vanderbilts gelding go to the post in the Maryland Handicap, it will offer the best line possible on their Washington Handicap! chances. Of course, there is sure to be a re-i vision of these weights should either one of1 them win the Maryland Handicap, but the weights as published at this time appear eminently just. The Maryland is a handicap exclusively for three-year-olds and in that it differs from the Washington Handicap, but it serves the purpose of Mr. Gampbells rating of the two three-year-olds. And now there comes talk of a big three-cornered special at a mile that would bring together Mrs. Vanderbilts Sarazen, Frederick Burtons Wise Counsellor and Gallaher Brothers Chilhowee. This is a possibility for the Churchill Downs meeting of the Kentucky Jockey Club which continues from October 23 to November 8. It is proposed that this race will be run November 8 in order that it would not conflict with the regular stake engagements of these leading three-year-olds. Such a race would be worthy of a big added sum and it would be hard to conceive of a better prospective contest. It had been intended to niako an offer for another race at Churchill Downs to attract Pierre Wertheimers Epinard, after his defeat in the third International Special at Latonia, but that fell through when the colt was shipped to Laurel and, now that he is definitely retired, by reason of his foot injury, he .will not race again. But apart from the fact that Epinard was the French champion he would not add to the interest that would come from a meeting of these three great three-year-olds. Chilhowee by his two record-making races, the last one being an easy victory in the Latonia Championship Stakes, entitles him to a chance to wipe out th3 defeat he suffered in the third International Special, won so sensationally by Sarazen. Wise Counsellor, by his! victory n the Laurel Handicap last Saturday, showed a return to his best form and thus it would seem that the championship belongs to one of three that would be winner in a three-cornered special. While no definite plans have been made for the race, John Gallaher would welcome such a special for Chilhowee, which he declares was not right at himself when he was beaten so easily by Sarazen. Frederick Burton and John Ward have not dodged any opportunities with Wise Counsellor and Max Hirsch has Sarazen in a condition that should induce him to ship Mrs. Vanderbilts gelding to Kentucky again. Altogether it would seem that there is an excellent chance for such a race. It is a race that would crown the winner king of his age division, though, of course, it would be that much more interesting if August Belmonts Ladkin was one of the company. Sarazen, Ladkin and Wise Counsellor each have a victory over Epinard, the last named having two, and the admirers of Chilhowee are eager to show that tha son of Ballot is the master of them all, though he was so thor- oughly beaten in his one International Special. When an offer of 00,000 was made for Pierre Wertheimers Epinard by an American turfman, and a good judge, it is readily understood the esteem in which the French colt is held, even though he was beaten in each one of liis four starts in this country. This offer was in no sense a compliment to Mr. Wertheimer. It was merely a business proposition and was offered for the reason that the great four-year-old was considered a good buy, at that record price, for stock purposes. Never was there a horse went down to four defeats, as did the son of Badajoz and Epine Blanche, and still retain the high regard with which Epinard is held by the best judges in this country. He was glorious in each one of his defeats and it is notable that without exception the best judges of the thoroughbred horse are loudest in their praisss of his speed and gameness. It is indeed a calamity that Epinard should be so seriously injured in this country, by reason of the hard footing over which hs was raced and trained. It should teach the American associations a lesson. It is a dearly learned one when it brought about the retirement of such a colt as Epinard, but there must be a more grateful cushion on the big American tracks if other foreigners are to be attracted to this country. There must come to an end this mania for record breaking. Record breaking at the expense of the horse is too big a cost and it will give our race courses a name that will make foreign sports men fearful of sending their horses to this side of the Atlantic. M. J. Winn did all that was possible to restore a cushion to the Latonia track before the running of the third International Special, but the harm Lad been done whtn Ladkin was unable to go to the post after his training over the track. Wise Counsellor had to be withdrawn and Epinard came out of the race in a condition that was followed by his quarter crack trouble in the running of the Laurel Handicap last Saturday. Records are not worth such a price. When By Hisself was foaled he was such an impressive youngster that great things were expected of him. He was looked upon as possibly the best of the progeny of the mighty Man o War. The name was bestowed by an admiring stableman, and it told of his idea of the son of Colette, a daughter of Collar. When "Bob" Smith first showed the colt at Saratoga it seemed that the black groom had made no mistake when he christened him By Hisself. He was the winner of that first start, but By Hisself was beaten in his next start by Blue Ridge. His only other start at Saratoga was in the Hopeful, where he was also well beaten. Then there came four other defeats that brought him to the present meeting of the Empire City Racing Association. He . has started twice at the present meeting and has been returned the winner on each occasion. What has impressed in these two victories is the manner in which By Hisself has been running through the stretch. Unlike his illustrious daddy he has not shown electric early speed, but he has a Tace horse way of finishing out that last quarter and it is entirely possible, and even probable, that he will be cue of the two-year-olds of this year that will develop into a three-year-old of championship quality. He has the blood reasons and he has been steadily improving in these fall days of racing. The manner in which he finished out the Autumn Days Stakes at the hilltop track Monday, spoke volumes foi his good class.
