view raw text
Here and There on the Turf Sarazen the Champion. Prospects of 1925. Closing of Saratoga Stakes. Xalapa Farm Sale. Racing has settled down to the winter grind. Maryland is all through and it always winds up the fall season in northern climes. The sport has begun at the Oriental Park track in Cuba, and both Jefferson and Tijuana meetings are already under way. The followers of the sport that have not gone to one or the other of these winter grounds have holed up for the winter and bidden farewell to the thoroughbred until he returns to Bowie next April. And it has been a great season in more ways than one. The outstanding hcrse of the year was Mrs. W. K. Yanderbilts Sarazen. This unssxed son of High Time and Rush Box did not reach a full measure of greatness by reason of being unable to keep some of his early engagements, but the manner in which he finished out the year convinced everyone that it was unfortunate that he was unable to keep his engagements in the Kentucky Derby, as well as in other important fixtures. When Sarazen was winner of the third International Special at Latonia with his weight up he earned the championship magnificently and went on to other victories after that running. Then there was Altawood, possibly one of the best stayers seen in this country since Exterminator was at his best. Later in the year he was purchased by J. E. Widener, and under the Widener silks he was winner of both the mile and half of the Bowie Handicap and the two miles and a quarter of the Pimlico Cup. Still another of the great three-year-olds was Chilhowee, now at New Orleans and intended for a mild winter campaign. Mad Play raced brilliantly for the Rancocas Stable and Mrs. R. M. Hoots Black Gold, winner of the Kentucky and other Derbys; William Woodwards Aga Khan, winner of the Lawrence Realization, and Ladkin, were others among the best of the year, with the three-year-olds that hold out great promise for the handicap division of 1925. It is admitted that in the older division 1924 was rather a bad year. The three-year-olds were of a much better quality than the older horses, as was shown in the handicaps. 3ut old Mad Hatter figured among the winners and My Play, by his victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, upheld the honor of the older horses. Among the two-year-olds there were plenty of good ones, and it is probable that William Daniels Master Charlie was best of that division. His two outstanding performances were when he was winner of the Hopeful at Saratoga and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in the fall. Those two races proved he raced like a real champion, and Mother Goose was undoubtedly the best of the fillies. Mr. Whitneys filly was winner of the Futurity at Belmont Park, and that was considerable, but she did not have a chance to finish out the year, and was compelled to forfeit some big engagements by reason of sickness. Swinging, a stablcmate, was a fast running and consistent filly that had to carry the load at the end of the year, but in private she could not compare with Mother Goose. Then a late juvenile development was Robert Odoms Sumpter. He did not really come to himself until the fall days of racing, but ho rounded out the year by a victory in the Endurance Handicap Single Foot surely belongs right in the front division. Then there is Kentucky Cardinal, Sunny Man, American Flag, Young Martin, Swope, Dangerous, Sweep Park and many another cf the two-year-olds that hold out wonderful promise for a great three-year-olds in the season of 1925. The older division for next year should be infinitely stronger than in 1924 and there should be no lack of good three-year-olds. Nominations for the Saratoga stakes for 1925 were closed by secretary V. E. Schaum-burg Monday and, whib the count has not been completed, it is safe to predict that the same success that attended the Westchester Association stakes will be shown for Saratoga. Seven of the fixtures that closed are to be decided next August, while three othars, the Travers, Alabama and Saratoga Sales Stakes, are for the 1926 running. Within a Jew days, when all the mail returns are in, the list will bs made known. Among these offerings it is I expected there will come many foreign nominations as was the case in the entries for the Belmont Stakes that were recently closed. It was unfortunate that Tijuana right at the beginning of its meeting should have been handicapped by a fire, but later reports from the Mexican racing ground indicate that the damage done was not as serious as was at first thought. This caused no real interruption to the racing and the fact that there were several new stables in the course of construction at the time of the fire made it less disastrous than would have otherwise b2en the case. Interest grows in the Xalapa Farm dispersal sale, which is to be held in New York at Squadron A Armory on December 10 and 11. E. Tranter of the Fasig-Tipton Co., which con- ducts the sale, has issued the catalogue for the vendue and it shows that there will be 168 thoroughbreds go under the hammer. This sale will be conducted at night and within a short time the horses will be assembled in the armory, where they will be on exhibition. It is truly a big event and one that will attract breeders and sportsmen from every section of the country.
