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1 i •-.-•-•- - • New York Match Races * Little boys in racing silks and jockey caps, reciting El!a Wheeler Wilcoxs poem, "How Salvator Won," has made that match race at Sheepshead Bay in 1890 between the spectacular son of Prince Charlie — Salina, and Tenny, his famous "swayback" rival, best known of all the match races in the history of our turf. There have been other match races, however, of which the present generation of turf lovers never heard, but which were just as important as the Salvator-Tenny match or the scheduled meeting on Memorial Day, May 30 at Belmont Park between War Admiral and Seabiscuit. One of the first was that between American Eclipse and Sir Henry at the Union Course, Long Island, in 1823. Just as today with Seabiscuit representing the West and War Admiral the East, Eclipse at that time represented the North and Sir Henry the South, which gave the special an intersectional flavor. The Eclipse-Sir Henry match was the result of another match in 1822 between Sir Charles and Eclipse, the latter winning both matches. Peculiarly enough the date of the Eclipse-Sir Henry match was May 27, and accounts of that date give the attendance at 60,000 New Yorkers, who thronged the Union course. The recitation of "How Salvator Won" has become a bit passe in these modern times due to the radio and movies, but every so often the "home guard," forced to attend recitals and plays given by their offspring are brought out of their lethargy by some little chap marching out front attired in racing regalia and jockey cap. They know what will follow: a grotesque riding posture and "How Salvator Won." New York has been the scene of many famous match races, including the Salvator-Tenny affair, but it has not had a monopoly on such affairs. Its status in this respect has been due largely to its geographical and historical position. The Eclipse-Sir Henry affair was followed at the Union course by another thrilling match between Ariel and Flirtilla in 1825, which Ariel won. Since medieval days New York has been the scene of other match races that have captured and fired the imagination of the American public, such affairs as those between Miss Woodford and Free-land in 1885; Troubadour-Miss Woodford, 1886; Longstreet-Tenny, 1890; Tammany-Lamplighter, 1893; Domino-Dobbins, 1893; Domino-Henry of Navarre, 1894; Henry of Navarre, Clifford and Domino, 1894; Admiration-May Hempstead, 1899; Ethelbert-Jean Bereaud, 1900; Endurance by Right-Heno, 1901; Novelty-Textile, 1910; and Zev-Papyrus, 1923. The stream of blood that flows through the veins of both War Admiral and Sea-biscuit has been tested in match races before. In fact, it is a trifle famous in that respect because Lexington, a forbear of both horses, met his own brother, Lecompte, in a famous match race. Lecompte had a town named in Louisiana in his honor, he was so strongly admired in the South. Lexington also met Sallie Waters in a horse against horse affair. However, the meeting between the Riddle and Howard stars will be one of the few occasions on which such closely-related horses have furnished both sides of the arguments. By heritage they are qualified to such honors as will be heaped upon them May 30. Salvator was a grandson of Lexington, his dam being a daughter of that famous horse while Man o War, sire of War Admiral and grandsire of Seabiscuit, has a Lexington cross. Man o Wars match effort, took place against Sir Barton at Kenilworth Park, Windsor, Canada, in a so-called Gold Cup affair. Famous matches of other years such as the Ten Broeck-Mollie McCarthy match and the Zev-In Memoriam embroglio in Kentucky; the Boston-Fashion match, the Kentucky Tennessee feud involving Wagner and Grey Eagle, and a host of other specials are all worthy of mention, but space does not permit and New York having won the Seabiscuit-War Admiral match, the following tabulation deals with the noted matches taking place there in more modern times:
