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Here .nd Th.re I on the Turf —4 It is now certain that Clyde Van Dusen, Winner of the Kentucky Derby for Herbert P. Gardner, the New York sportsman, will jliot be seen in the Fairmount Derby at the Collinsville course. It had been promised lhat the son of Man o War and Uncles Las-pie would go after that prize, but now it has ibeen announced that he will be reserved for !the running of the American Derby at Washington Park, in Chicago. The American Derby is to be decided June j£5, while the Fairmount Derby is down for decision Saturday. And Clyde Van Dusen ,;will f;nd much sterner opposition in the running of the American Derby, for various of the best three-year-olds that did not race at Churchill Downs on May 18, will be on hand fit Washington Park for that 0,000 prize. The arrangement of the running date for hthe American Derby fits in nicely with the iFunning of the rich Belmont Stake of the .Westchester Racing Association and doubt-ijess some of the best will keep both engagements. The Belmont is down for decision at Belmont Park, June 8 and it affords a full week to make the trip from New York rto Chicago for the other big prizes. Sortie, the A. C. Schwartz four-year-old, by victory in the running of the Maturity £is takes at Belmont Park Tuesday, moved up le. bit among the eligibles for the Suburban [Handicap. The son of On Watch ran a truly creditable mile and a quarter and it should wdo him world of good in putting on the final ledge for the Saturday engagement. He some-Itimes seems to be a colt of moods and he is iftiot altogether consistent, but should he be in *■, running mood Saturday, he ought to give en excellent account of himself in the Subur-Iban field. But in the meantime Joseph E. Wideners Chance Shot, topweight for the ; Suburban, had a wonderfully fast trial for [the running Tuesday morning. The son of Mr Play reeled off a mile and a quarter in 2 :05, with plenty in reserve and it was a [move to indicate complete readiness for the Saslc There have been occasions when a fast Work, before the running of a big engagement has worked more harm than good. Too often the race is left with the work, but the Wid-ener candidate went along so well in this trial that there seems little doubt of it having worked other than good in completing his preparation. He never was better and he is fit and ready to run all the way. With Toro on hand, and other prominent candidates showing so well in their preparation, there is every reason to expect that the Suburban Handicap renewal will be a notable one. ■ Decoration Day was fittingly celebrated at the various race courses and it is safe to promise that with all the various sports of the big holiday there were none to have i a wider appeal than racing. At magnificent Belmont Park one of the greatest crowds in its history was on hand and it surely was a program of sport in keeping with the holiday. With the Withers and Juvenile Stakes as the big features of the afternoon, there was also the Potomac Steeplechase and the Memorial Day Handicap, and any one of the four offerings would have made it a notable afternoon of racing. At Washington Park, in Chicago, there was the Debutante Stakes, for two-year-old fillies, over the five and a half furlong route —further than the youngsters have been racing — as well as the Memorial Purse for sprinters and the Decoration Day Purse of a mile. Then at Churchill Downs the big prize was also for the juveniles, with the Bashford Manor as the best feature. It was a dash of five-eighths that for some seasons was decided on the same day as the Kentucky Derby. In addition to that old prize there was also the Memorial Day Purse. Fairmount had its Decoration Day Purse and the various other associations offered prizes in keeping with the holiday. And the racing was conducted at eight different courses throughout the country, with each of them attracting tremendous crowds. While there has been some surprise at the number of falls and mistakes made in the Belmont Park Steeplechase field, few except those who are thoroughly familiar with the course could find a reason. And the course Is to blame principally for the various mistakes that are made by first-class jumpers. There is no more deceiving course in the country and it comes from the manner in which the brush is used at the obstacles. This brush is built from the ground up and ft completely hides the bank, instead of hav- Coatimicd. on seventeenth page. , i . . • * HERE AND THERE j ON THE TURF $ _ @ Continued from second page lng the bank exposed with the brush topping it as is the method usually. With the broad, solid bank completely hidden from the horse many a good jumper will try to brush through, particularly if he is tiring, and he will naturally hit the solid bank and come down to make a bobble that may put him completely out of the running. Steeplechasers of finished education are cunning and the good jumper will rise no further than is necessary and to have this bank bidden as it is will readily bring down the horse that knows he can go through brush without completely clearing it. There may be a reason for this construction of the steeplechase course, but it does not seem entirely fair to the horses. There Is no reason for deceiving a horse. He should be able to jump any of the obstacles he meets and he may be able to jump them all, but he should know just what he is meeting. All of this could be remedied with a guard rail placed across the brush to show the top of the bank. Such a rail would be a guide to the horse and in clearing it he would be eafely over the bank, but as the brush is placed at this time it is inevitable that many a good fencer will come to grief through being fooled. A defense is being offered for the Australian barrier that is in use at some of the starting points at Belmont Park. There have been some accidents In the use of this barrier, and the most serious was when Mrs. Graham Fair Vanderbilts Desert Light was thrown by the ropes of the contrivance when it was charged that the inside of the machine did not release promptly. Now the charge is that Lillie Garner, who had the mount, anticipated the start and jumped his mount at the barrier in a desire to beat the Btart. It has also been charged that like accidents have come from attempts to beat the barrier. That may all be true, and it is reprehensible for jockeys to try and beat the gate, but it must also be remembered that alertness at the starting post is greatly to be desired, and the rider who is not alert has scant chance, particularly in this country, where horses are Bent away at top speed. It is easily understood that abroad the gate would be more of a success than in this country, for race riding is still a bit different on the other side. There is not the same dash away from the etarting post that is found in this country, and the horses are not trained to leave with the same great burst of speed. And this barrier education — to leave at top speed —may readily result in horses lunging at the barrier in an eagerness to be away, that makes the conditions particular trying for rigid barrier through which the horses cannot break without accident. It is fitting that the riders should be taught not to charge at the barrier, and it is fitting that they should be discouraged in attempts to "beat the gate," but it will be teaching them at a heavy cost if a barrier is used that endangers both horses and riders. No matter what the starting device it is imperative that the starter have an absolute control of the jockeys. That corrects many of the evils of starting and unless there is this control there will be a certain amount of confusion. The Ausfralian gate may be really the best machine that has been used in this country, but no stretch of the imagination could give it Buch an endorsement from its use at Belmont Park. It may be the fault of the riders, but they are the same riders that are employed with other machines that offer less danger and bring equally good results.
