view raw text
Here and There on the Turf Wins Futurity Second Time Far West Has Made but Few Tries Whitney Celebrates With Boeing Porters Mite Deserved Victory H 1 From out of the Far West, back m 1888, came Proctor Knott to win the first running of the Futurity, but half a century elapsed before another colt from beyong the Rockies could take the two-year-old classic, then run at Sheepshead Bay, now at Belmont Park. That there have been, no Futurity winners in between Proctor Knott and Porters Mite from the West Coast doesnt mean the youngsters from that section of the country lacked the ability of their Eastern and Midwestern contemporaries, but, rather the percentage of nominations was very small and in many of the runnings the Pacific side had no representation. Morvich, for example, was the acknowledged two-year-old champion of 1921, but the California colt was not an eligible to the Futurity, and therefore could not have added the classic to his unbeaten string of victories that season. As was the case with Proctor Knott, Porters Mite was not bred in the West, nor by his present owner, William E. Boeing, but was one of a group of horses sold him last winter at Santa Anita by John Hay Whitney. Grim Reaper, which later won the California Derby was another. Boeing entered racing as an owner a few years earlier in a three-way partnership, but his own colors did not come into existence until last winter, and with The veteran Ted Horning as trainer, has steadily assembled a stable which now must be accounted one of the foremost in America. The Seattle airplane manufacturers interest in the sport is not restricted to the ownership of a stable either as he headed a group of northwest sportsmen who took over control of Long-acres and made it a track of greater importance. Whitney, whose turf fortunes have been anything but good this season, undoubtedly had a depressing feeling that Porters Mite Continued on thirteenth page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. won the Futurity in anothers colors, but he has been gratified all along for having sold horses that could win such a fine recruit as Boeing. The victories of Porters Mite and the others from the Whitney stud have given it record that will make up for the poor showing of the stable. Unfortunately, Minima, dam of Porters Mite, is no longer, but when she was sold last autumn at public "sale, her further career as a broodmare was all but hopeless. The Porter is still standing at the Whitney Farm, but the son of Sweep and Ballet Girl, by St. Leonards, is twenty-three years of age, and beyond his zenith. However, with Porters Mite added to Toro, Rosemont, Aneroid and Flying Scot, among other good sons, The Porter has been highly successful. A tough race had been expected in the Futurity, and it was just that. The Boeing colt again demonstrated his liking for straightaway racing, first demonstrated when he lowered the worlds mark for six and one-half furlongs in winning the Champagne Stakes under conditions more suitable for speed, but he could not draw away from his field as he did in the earlier event. In fact, he just lasted to win after being two lengths in front a furlong out as Eight Thirty bore down steadily. George D. Widener might have celebrated, his third Futurity victory but for the injury suffered by Eight Thirty at Saratoga, which kept him out of training until the beginning of the Belmont meeting, and the son of Pilate and Dinner Time had to be rushed in his preparation. He didnt have a chance for a tune-up race, nor to gain competitive experience on the straight course. None of the Futurity contestants appeared to have any excuses of note. Perhaps the winner had the greatest as he liore out considerably in the final quarter, when, under the severest pressure, but Basil James, smart lad that he is, made no effort to straighten him out but concentrated on making Porters Mite run as fast as he could. Third Degree finished steadily under the strongest sort of riding but wasnt good enough, while Johnstown, well up with the leaders all the way, flattened out in the final drive. Benefactor just couldnt keep up, and the condition of the track, which although regarded as fast, was quite damp, might have been against him. Olney and the others just couldnt keep up. Thats the story of the Futurity, and Porters Mite deserved to win it, but El Chicos claim to the two-year-old championship remains secure.
