Here and There on the Turf: Discovery Losing His Popularity Fails Again When Favored Will Lack Support in Gold Cup, Daily Racing Form, 1936-10-02

article


view raw text

j Here and There j on the Turf j Discovery Losing His Popu- larity j Pails Again When Favored j Will Lack Support in Gold Cup Action, Count Arthur Consis- j tent j a - - - - - -- -- -- -- -- ---- Discovery will not quit racing -with near the popularity he possessed at the height of his form last season, his latest failure, which shocked a majority of those present to see the Havre de Grace Handicap run Wednesday, demonstrating once again that he runs only when in the mood, whether it is temperament, pain or weight bothering him. His effort at the Harford course was Discoverys fourteenth of the year and it marked the sixth time he did not prove a contender and finished well back. The five-year-old son of Display and Ariadne, by Light Brigade, began the year by winning the San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita, but then he ran unplaced in the San Antonio and Santa. Anita Handicaps. Before the latter two events, Discovery worked very brilliantly, once in the afternoon with the colors up, accompanied by a running mate and breaking from the stall gate. He went the mile in 1:36. After failing to achieve his California objective the A. G. Vanderbilt horse was returned to the farm in Maryland and did not sport silks again for nearly four months. Returning to competition in mid-June, Discovery took an overnight handicap and a few days later the Brooklyn Handicap at Aqueduct, running the nine furlongs distance of both events in 1:50, with 135 and 130 pounds up, respectively. He then moved to Arlington Park, to finish ninth in the Stars and Stripes Handicap, after which he switched to Suffolk Downs to land in eighth position in the Massachusetts Handicap. At Saratoga Discovery returned to winning form, by taking the Saratoga Handicap by six lengths and the Wilson Stakes by eight lengths, having up 132 pounds in the former and scale weight in the latter. His Stars and Stripes and Massachusetts imposts were 138 and 136 pounds. Then over a slow track he was last in a field of five going a mile and three-sixteenths in the Merchants and Citizens Handicap, but came back to capture the Whitney Stakes by ten lengths, having 143 pounds up in the former and scale weight in the latter. His Merchants and Citizens weight was the greatest he ever accepted. Discovery was favored to take Granville in the Saratoga Cup. but the three-year-old held him in check throughout the l0Afterhaving competed in the Cup, the Display veteran was sharpened up and he gave much more willingly that his of his speed so connections were confident he would run a good race in the Narragansett Special. Al-fhnnnh losing by a head to Rosemont. Dis-wvcrjstigcd one of his greatest efforts ; in coS from lt place at the three SS Under 130 pounds. Discovery did not SanYnch duringV opening mile ofttat : I I I J race, after having been bumped at the start, but Stand Pat, in tiring, came back to him. whereupon the big chestnut horse decided that if he could run by one horse he could go by others and, aided by plenty of room on the inside, he rushed by all but Time Supply and Rosemont, Getting to the former, Dis- . it t J J : t : covery lunged over, thus breaking the momentum of his rush, but after being straightened out again he went after Rosemont and was ready to collar that fellow when he bore over again. Discovery long has had that habit and running along the I rail suits him better. Although losing the Special, it will go down in history as one of Discoverys greatest efforts, yet he has n3 one to blame for his defeat but himself. In the Havre de Grace Handicap, Discov cry had no excuses. Breaking from tlJ Continued on thirteenth paoeJt HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. inside post position, he found racing room on the inside all the way, the sloppy going being neither for nor against him. Fourth in the early stages and in the clear, he refused to move up when called upon and at the end he dropped back a position to finish fifth as Roman Soldier flashed a return to his best form to be the winner. Off that effort, little can be expected of Discovery in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, if his connections decide to start him. He carried 128 pounds at Havre and his impost tomorrow at Belmont would be 121 pounds. His remaining starts are numbered, and a Gold Cup victory would be a wonderful distinction for Discovery to retire with, but regardless he is not nor will bo again the same popular horse he has been. Action ha3 yet to reach the ceiling of his improvement, apparently, as his effort in the Manhattan Handicap was his best since he came up from the lower ranks. With 122 pounds on his back, the Mrs. E. D. Jacobs veteran carried only one pound less than Firethorn and gave considerable weight to the three other starters. He followed in close pursuit of Count Arthurs pace for a mile and one-quarter, and then ran down the latter, even though he was carried out. The two horses staged a brilliant stretch battle, with Ann ORuley joining in near the end. after having saved several lengths by skirting the rail. Actions victory was his eleventh in thirteen starts this year or since he was purchased for ,000 early in the season, and it brought his earnings up above the 2,000 mark. As consistent as Action has been this year. Count Arthur has been the same in running second in important racei Previously this year he placed in the Edgemere, Washington Park Championship and Merchants and Citizens Handicap and as a three-year-old he was the runner-up in the American Derby, Lawrence Realization and the Potomac, Washington. Aqueduct and Continental Handicaps. Count Arthurs string of seconds in stakes is probably unmatched.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1936100201/drf1936100201_2_4
Local Identifier: drf1936100201_2_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800