Here and There on the Turf: Pimlico is Successful Bidder Riddle is Given Concessions Both Horses like Track, Daily Racing Form, 1938-10-07

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---t Here and There on the Turf Pimlico Is Successful Bidder Riddle Is Given Concessions Both Horses Like Track Sensible Terms Are Arranged A By this time, more than likely, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, vice-president and moving spirit of the Maryland Jockey Club, will have received Samuel D. Riddles check foi ,000 guaranteeing the appearance of Wai Admiral in a match race with Seabiscuit al Pimlico, November 1. Vanderbilt has beer in possession of Charles S. Howards chech for a similar amount, assuring the jresen of Seabiscuit, since late Wednesday, wher the two owners signed an agreement for the race. Riddle didnt have his checkbook witl him at the moment, and promised to send th draft as soon as he returned to his home near Philadelphia. Should either horse de cline to run for any reason whatsoever, tin owner of the other contestant will get botl checks, as will the winning owner in additior to the 5,000 purse offered by the Marylanc Jockey Club. If the race goes through, th victor will increase his earnings by 0,000. Vanderbilt has been working quietly foi some time to obtain the race for Pimlico Both Narragansett and Rockingham Park; made overtures to the two owners while a least one Belmont Park official was interest ed enough during the early portion of tha meeting to contact Riddle, Howard anc others having horses in the limelight at th moment. Riddle, however, had made up hii mind about starting War Admiral in th Jockey Club Gold Cup, and would not thinl of any other race in the interim, and it wai obvious that the son of Man o War wouk be unable to compete in an event at a mil and one-quarter or less within several weeki after an engagement at two miles. Conse quently, Rockingham and Belmont botl were automatically eliminated as bidders fo the match. This left Pimlico and Narragansett as th principal bidders, but the former track pos sessed an edge in the fact that Howard is i Maryland Jockey Club stockholder, as wel as being a close friend of Vanderbilt. Riddl Continued on thirty-third page. i , 1 , , i i i i 1 : 1 I i 1 i t 1 t HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. had an objection to the race at Pimlico or any other Maryland track because of disliking James Milton, the starter at all major courses in the Old Line State, but this apparently has been overcome with the promise that George Cassidy and his New York crew will be in charge of the start Riddle also asked for and was given the concession of a walk-up start. War Admiral long has been noted for his antipathy to the starting gate, and his ability to move into top speed almost instantly. On the other hand, Sea-biscuit ever has been well behaved at the-gatc and, although better than the average breaker, considered not quite as quick as the Riddle colt. Apparently, the Howard forces arc satisfied Seabiscuit will not be put at too much of a disadvantage in a walk-up start and, following his engagement in the Laurel Stakes, he more than likely will be schooled in this method of beginning. However, it is very little different from the manner in which he begins his morning trials out of a slow gallop. Both horses have shown partiality to the Pimlico track in their two performances each there. Seabiscuit established a new Pimlico record for the mile and three-sixteenths distance over which the match is to be held when he won the Riggs Handicap last fall, but his mark of 1.57 was lowered this spring by Pompoon, in the Dixie. The California-owned veteran made his record a few days after War Admiral had won the Pimlico Special in 1:58 i. Seabiscuits other appearance at Pimlico was in the Bowie Handicap, at a mile and five furlongs, in which he was just nosed out by Esposa in the record-breaking time of 2:45Vs, carrying 130 pounds, as he did in the Riggs. War Admiral shouldered 126 in both the Pimlico Special and in his victorious effort in the Preakness, in which he was timed in 1:5873, over a drying out but good track, while narrowly beating Pompoon. A fast track is desired by both owners, and if it is not available on November 1, opening day of the Pimlico meeting, the event will be staged two days later, or as scon as the going is acceptable. In so far as the terms of the match are concerned, they are much more sensible than those for the race which Belmont Park was to have staged in the spring, when it lost some 5,000 in promotion. Pimlico does not plan to risk so much. We hope the race is held, if only to get the two horses together for once and all.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1938100701/drf1938100701_2_3
Local Identifier: drf1938100701_2_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800