Man O War "Yard Stick": Mighty Horse Standard by Which Other Horses Are Measured, Daily Racing Form, 1934-07-17

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I ] i i 1 i , j I , I . 1 i j i I i i j • i : , I i I i I i 1 , I ■, I ] | , | , • ■ • I ! MAN 0 WAR "YARD STICK" ♦ — Mighty Horse Standard by Which Other Horses Are Measured. « 1 Cavalcade Latest to Be Hailed as Another Man o War — Comparison of Racers of One Year With Another Futile. Ever since Samuel D. Riddles Man o War swept through the season of 1920 he has been the standard of excellence whereby other horses have bean measured. He probably will continue the standard for many yeais, but it is always more or less futile to compare the horses of one year with those of another. Now it is natural that to some Mrs. Dodge Sloanes Cavalcade equals Man o War, while many others with a vivid recollection of the magnificent big son of Fair Play and Mahubah laugh at the thought of the Eng-| lish colt being another Man o War. Mrs. Sloanes colt is at least worthy of consid-i eration in such a rating, even though such comparison means little. As a three-year-old, Man o War was win-1 ner of the Preakness, Withers, Belmont, Stuyvesant Handicap, Dwyer, Miller, Trav-1 ers, Lawrence Realization, The Jockey Club Gold Cup, Potomac Handicap, and a special race with Sir Barton at Kenilworth. Man © War played havoc with existing track records as a three-year-old, establishing five new American marks, 1:354,5 for a mile, 1:494 for one and one-eighth miles, 2:14% for one and three-eighths miles, 2:2816 for one and one-half miles, and 2:40 5 for one and five eighths miles. Two of those records for one and three-eighths miles and for one and five-eighths miles are not only the American marks but worlds records for those distances and still remain unequalled or surpassed. Cavalcade, thus far has been winner of the Chesapeake, Kentucky Derby, American Derby, Detroit Derby, and the Classic as well as an overnight race won before his Chesapeake triumph. He was brought to the races April 25 and has been at it ever since, having raced seven times with his only defeat in the Preakness when he was nosed out by his stablemate High Quest. Man o War, in 1920 started for the first time in the Preakness, May 18 and up to this time of the year he had only been sent to the post five times, and his notable victory in those five efforts was in the Belmont, a race for which Cavalcade was not eligible. Cavalcade at least had a busier time than Man o War and barring that nose defeat in the Preakness, by his stablemate, he has a triumphant record. So there is reason for comparing the son of Lancegaye with the generally accepted American champion. There was something about Man o War that made him a champion that was particularly impressive. A colt of magnificent proportions and unbounded ambition, he worked faster in the forenoon than races were run in the afternoon. In his races he dominated from end to end and smothered his opposition with his mervelous speed and altogether filled the eye both in repose, and he was seldom in repose, and in full flight. With Cavalcade there has been none of this flashy quality. In all of his races, he has been outfooted through the early stages to finish with that irresistible rush that brought victory. In almost every one of his triumphs there have been stages to the running where it appeared he was doomed to defeat, but he has come through mag-j nificently despite these handicaps. His racing has been absolutely the opposite of Man o War and while his winning rushes have thrilled there have been anxious moments in every race he has won. He has done what has been asked, but not as it was done by Man o War. The results have been the same and that is what counts. As long as Cavalcade continues his tri- umphant march there will be others come to the belief that he is another Man o* War, and with reason, but the. Riddle champion had that conquering way about him that will for a long time keep him the standard by which excellence is measured.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1934071701/drf1934071701_24_7
Local Identifier: drf1934071701_24_7
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800