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4h — ♦ Here and There on the Turf Osmands Bad Luck. Public Derby Trials. Whiskery and Bostonian. The Two -Year -Olds. • -« Just when there was general congratulation that so many of the best two-year-olds of last year were coming up to the Kentucky Derby splendidly in their preparation there comes an injury to Joseph E. Wideners Osmand, the most talked-of candidate for the rich race. There is hope that the gelding may not suffer any real serious injury but, coming at this time, it is a calamity. And, as a matter of fact, it is doubly unfortunate for the fact that Osmand is a gelding bars him from so many stakes for three-year-olds that, deprived of his Derby opportunity, he would be robbed of his greatest chance to achieve fame. Though Walter E. Salmons Black Panther was only beaten a matter of inches in the running of the Wood Memorial Stakes at Jamaica on Saturday, it was not a race to add to his chances for victory in the Kentucky Derby, while Saxon moved up in estimation. It is almost a certainty that had the Wood Memorial Stakes been a mile and a quarter instead of a mile and seventy yards Black Panther would have been winner, but it must also be remembered that the son of Black Toney — Greenery was in receipt of seven pounds from the Greentree Stables colt. It must also be remembered that Saxon i ; made pace every foot of that mile and seventy yards— and the pace was fast — and then stuck it out to win. In racing a mile and a quarter, it is natural to expect that he would be ridden in different fashion, so that there is no good reason to dismiss him as being unable to race a mile and a quarter in Derby company. The race run by Bostonian, which was third in the Wood Memorial Stakes, was a truly impressive one and it is more than likely he will defeat the two that beat him Saturday the next time they meet. It was the first appearance of the year for Bostonian, while the other two had the advantage of a degree of seasoning by having been raced. That counts for much and the handsome son of Broomstick was not ridden with the : best judgment by Abel in the Wood Stakes. As for Justice F., it seemed conclusively demonstrated that he is not capable of giving away the weight required in the Wood Memorial Stakes. He carried 123 pounds and thereby gave six pounds, while both Black Panther and Bostonian were each in receipt of thirteen pounds. Whether or not Justice F. is capable of beating any one of the three under equal weights is open to question, taking a line through the Wood Memorial Stakes. As a plain matter of fact, the Wood Memorial Stakes did not, to any real degree, show the possible winner of the Kentucky Derby. It was a race that tended to show that Black Panther need not be especially feared. Justice F. does not seem to measure up to the big race, and there is a doubt if Saxon could carry on for a mile and a quarter. Bostonian ran a truly good race and it is more than ; : likely that he will prove a better colt than any of the others that raced in the Wood Memorial Stakes. While Bostonian was giving such a good account of himself in the running of the Wood Memorial Stakes at Jamaica, there was another Whitney eligible for both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby which was doing something better at Havre de Grace. This one was Whiskery, and he simply galloped off with the 0,000 Chesapeake Stakes, a dash of a mile and a sixteenth. It was the second start of the year for the son of Whisk Broom II — Prudery and his second victory. The race was run through sloppy going, and Whiskery was in receipt of six pounds from the Seagram Stables Sir Harry, winner of the Coffroth Handicap, which he beat with ease by a matter of five lengths. Jopagan, which recently took the measure of two such notable candidates for the features as Rip Bap and Scapa Flow, was far back of Whiskery, though there was a bit of excuse for the Weston colt when he met with interference. Then another was the filly Fair Star, still further back, while Walter M. Jeffords maiden Point Breeze, which has been training so brilliantly for the big races, finished last in the field of eleven. Altogether the showing of Whiskery was ample to indicate his readiness for the Preakness Stakes, to be run next Monday, though there never has been a Chesapeake Stakes winner that repeated in the 0,000 race of the Maryland Jockey Club. When Distraction, which races for the Wheatley Stable, was winner of the Colorado Stakes of the Metropolitan Jockey Club, at Jamaica on Saturday, he took a long step forward among the two-year-olds that have been uncovered thus far this season. The Colorado Stakes has invariably been won by a good two-year-old and it may be that Distraction is of a quality that properly belongs with the best of the winners. The son of Chicle — Balancer II. was in receipt of five pounds from Sport Hallahan, but the Winfrey colt earned his additional poundage, largely because he was the best of his age that raced at New Orleans, and, accordingly, had that much more seasoning. Then, of course, it was truly unfortunate that Cressida, the filly of which much was expected, ran away before post time and was thereby eliminated. But any way the race may be analyzed, it was a high class trial for this colt and he has every chance to go on to better things. Sam Hildreth sent the Rancocas Stables Sublevado to the post, though both Mowlee and Nassak, — two that won impressively — were eligible, and it may be that his choice for the race which was worth ,400 to the winner, was the choice of a better one than either of these, but if Sublevado is a better one, he properly belongs with the leaders, so far as the racing thus far has demonstrated. Both Mowlee and Nassak have proved themselves colts of at least a great turn of speed and when their efforts are confided to overnight racing in these early days of the year they will necessarily ask the penalty that comes with a valuable stake victory. Distraction, Nassak and Mowlee have several engagements in common through the early meetings. All three are engaged at Pimlico and at Belmont Park, while each is an eligible to the Youthful Stakes, still to be decided at Jamaica. In that running the penalty incurred by Distraction brings his weight to 127 pounds, while at this time the Hildreth pair are in under 117 pounds each. This same Colorado Stakes victory also has its handicap when it comes to both the Keene Memorial Stakes and the Juvenile Stakes at Belmont Park, the meeting which is to follow the present meeting at Jamaica. In the Keene Memorial Stakes Distraction, at this time, would have to take up 125 pounds to the 117 pounds of Mowlee and Nassak. There have been frequent occasions of a good colt, by an important stake victory in the spring, incurring a penalty that cost him heavily in other important events. It may be that Distraction is entirely of better class than either of the Rancocas two-year-olds, but he will have to be to whip them in the engagements they have in common.
