view raw text
Here and There on the Turf $ i It was in 1920 that Samuel D. Riddles Man o War, while sweeping all before him, easily defeated Sir Barton in a match race at Kenihvorth Park. Monday, at Bowie, a son r of Man o AVar whipped a son of Sir Barton 1 in a two horse race. This was not a match, hut it might as well have been one, for 2 Annapolis, the son of Man o war, and Clear 3 3-Sky, the son of Sir Barton, were the only 4 4 starters. 5 r Annapolis is many removes from being a colt of the quality of his illustrious sire and Clear Sky is many removes in quality from 6 6 Sir Barton, but the race was much the same 7 7 as that Kenilworth match of ten years ago. It was much the same as far as the running was concerned, for Annapolis whipped Clear Sky with much the same ease as Man o "War whipped Sir Barton. Many of the big eastern stables will show r their silks at" the Arlington Park meeting in Chicago this year. One of the latest with such plans is that of Willis Sharpe Kilmer. 1 1 The plan is to ship the stable to the big Chi- j 2 cago course for its meeting, after campaigning 3 in New York and then return from Chicago for the racing at Saratoga Springs. 4 4 Announcement of like plans have been made 1 5 by various other of the stables that have in 6 . the past confined their racing endeavors almost exclusively to New York. This is a reward for the excellent sport that is being planned for the big Chicago course. It is racing that has come to instant importance, largely by reason of the bounty of the prizes. These awards have had the : desired result in attracting the best horses ; and it should mean racing of the best for the Arlington Park season. And with steeplechasing also an attraction, there comes that additional appeal to eastern sportsmen. For a considerable time steeple-chasing on this continent has been confined to New York, Maryland and Canada, with most of the hunt meetings also in the East, while the Middle West and the far West has been without such racing. Arlington Park is to bring it back and it is expected it will be brought to an importance similar to that enjoyed by the flat racing. The news that Golden Guinea is in good condition at this time, after having broken a shoulder and having insurance paid on him, calls to mind the effort of the late "Billy" Oliver to collect insurance on a live horse. This one was the old gelding Kewessa. It was in a race at Empire City that the old gelding broke down so badly there was no end of trouble taking him back to his stable. Oliver had no remote hope of the old fellow training again, but he had a sentimental love for horses and he could not destroy Kewessa. The canny Scot argued, and with sound reasoning, that Kewessa was only of value i as a race horse and, with that usefulness i gone, he should be paid the insurance. He ; was advised that it might be possible to collect some part if he could obtain a veterinary certificate of the utter worthlessness of his 5 gelding for racing purposes, but it is not on 1 record that he collected the insurance. Kewessa was taken to the Oliver place at t Lakewood, N. J., with the idea that he would j be permitted to spend the rest of his days in comfort. But old Kewessa, romping about in 1 the winter snows, made a remarkable recovery, - his crippled legs became strong again 1 and, to the amazement of all who had seen 1 him break . down the season before, he appeared - at the races the next year. Not. only V did he come back to the races, but he was s winner of two or three races during the Q season. Oliver possibly was more amazed than any y one else at the recovery of his favorite for, . when he sought the insurance he was simply! y seeking a fund with which to pension the e old gelding for the rest of his days. The building of a stand for stable workers s at Churchill Downs will be a welcome addition to the famous old Louisville course. This stand will overlook the back stretch and will afford an excellent view of the racing. No betting will be ixjssible on that side of the course, but it is fitting to have these real workmen of racing accommodated with a view of the sport. It is of especial value for Derby Day when so many of the exercise boys and "swipes in the past have had no opportunity to see the running of the big race for which they played an important part in fitting candi- daAnd there is a real sporting spirit among the workmen of every stable, and no sportsman of the club enclosure takes a keener sporting interest in racing .than the little fellows who gallop the horses in the morning hours. Tlie seating capacity of Churchill Downs has been enlarged as much as the limited 1 1 property would permit, but this latest expansion " will probably be more warmly commended " than many -others that have gone B before. . , . .. , Churchill Downs has come to its present t magnificent proportions for one day of racing, " "Derby Day," and each year the capacity, ..as been taxed to the utmost.
