view raw text
— — " r~ zzr~ REFLECTIONS by nelson dunstan NEW YORK, N. Y., May 15.— The feature event will be the Withers Stakes, which has been run since 1874, one year before the Kentucky Derby came into existence. We daresay it is one of the most exacting aces on the American calendar for, at one mile, it is sandwiched between the Preakness, which is at a mile and three-sixteenths, and the Belmont Stakes, which, like the Epsom Derby in England, is at one and one-half miles. It is an oft-recorded fact that only two three-year-olds in history have been able to win the "Triple Crown" races and also the Withers in the same year, and they are — Sir Barton, in 1919, and Count Fleet in 1943. That is not to say, however, that the Withers has not been won by some of the finest horses ever to step onto an American track, and while we could name others, there are seven that we doubt could be left out in any list of the 20 truly great horses of the American turf. Starting back in 1878, our list includes Duke of Magenta, and he was foaled by Hanover, 1887; Domino, 1890; Colin, 1908; Man o War, 1920; Alsab, 1942, and Count Fleet, in 1943. AAA The Withers was named for David Dunham Withers, the man who founded Jerome Park. He was one of the real bulwarks of American racing, and this event was run at the same Jerome Park prior to 1890. The first winner in 1874 was Dublin, and in the following year, Aristides, the famous little "red" horse who won the Kentucky Derby, came on to New York to win the Withers. He must have been a tough little animal, for it is recorded that while he was being transferred from the ferry downtown to Jerome Park, he took a dislike to a truck that was standing at Columbus Circle. If the legend is correct, he kicked the side out of the truck and a day or two later won the Withers, for which he earned exactly ,150 for his owner. It was back in those years when the sons of Lexington, "the blind hero" of American racing and breeding, were writing spectacular pages in the sport, and among them were Norfolk, Asteroid, Harry Bassett, Kentucky, Kingfisher, Tom Bowling and Famous Horses Have Won Withers Stakes Race Named for David Dunham Withers Hanover First Great Horse to Be Nerved Domino, Ben Brush Founded Own Lines last, but by no means least, the pair of Preakness and the Duke of Magenta. Preakness, as you know, won the Dinner Party Stakes, and the second leg of the "Triple Crown" was named for him. Duke of Magenta was one of the best horses of his day, and in the Withers renewal of 1878, he defeated Bramble, the horse who was to play such a prominent part in the breeding of this country by siring Ben Brush, who was to found an American line of his own. AAA Down through the years, there has been a never-ending discussion as to "the 20 greatest American thoroughbreds." There are four whose names are always foremost on the list and they are — Man o War, Sysonby, Colin and Exterminator. This is not to say that there were not other greats, and in that list must be included Hanover, one of the most glorious horses that ever answered a bugle. It is an old story today as to how, when Kingston went wrong, Hanover stepped up to take his place and won 14 of the most valuable stakes of the Metropolitan season in succession. The merciless use of this horse is something that will never be forgotten. It is a known fact that he never should have been beaten, and probably would not have been, had he been owned by someone who took more glory in the winning of the race than the Dwyer Brothers did in the winning of the bet. When he was retired after winning 20 of his 27 starts, he became a successful sire from the very start. In 1895, he became the leading sire of this country and held that position until 1898. He died in 1899 as a 15-year-old, due to an injury caused by his being "nerved." He was the first horse, as far as the records arc concerned, who was nerved in this country. AAA It was in 1893 that one of the greatest two-year-olds of all time was to make his appearance on the American turf, and that was Domino, who was to be undefeated in that year. Like many another thoroughbred, Domino could only go a mile, but the manner in which he ran that mile was to proclaim him one of the truly great horses of our racing in this country. In all, he won 19 of his 25 starts and in winning 93,550, this sum placed him far in advance of all other American thoroughbreds and kept him there for many a year. This is a long cry, we know, from the 61,161 which Whirlaway is credited with today, but if anyone was to go to the trouble of comparing the purses in the days of Domino and those of Whirlaway, they would see the strides that the prosperity of American racing has caused within the past 50 years. Like Ben Brush, Domino created a line of his own in this country. As a race horse, Henry of Navarre was his nemesis, but that is joing into a phase of history which has very little bearing on what we have to say here. Domino created what is often referred to as the fastest line ever developed anywhere in the world. AAA In those early days of the Withers, there were great winners, but since the turn of the century, among others, we can name four that would rank with the best horses in racing annals, and they are Colin, Man o War, Alsab and Count Fleet. There will always be a question of whether Colin should be mentioned with Man o War as the greatest horse in this country. But, suffice it to say, both were winners of the Withers. Alsab was a great winner, but just how we should rate Count Fleet has been a question in our mind. It has always been our opinion that this son of Reigh Count was one of the greatest horses we have ever seen in action. As a three-year-old, Count Fleet was never to know defeat, winning the Wood Memorial and then going on to take the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness in convincing style. He was the second horse to win the Withers and then go on to take the Belmont Stakes. How great he was will never be known, for the Belmont was his last race. But, if we were asked to name the greatest of Withers winners, we would say — Man o War, Colin, Count Fleet, Hanover and Domino.
