Here and There on the Turf: Rushaways Feat Very Remarkable Widener End Bad Luck Rides with Brevity Again, Daily Racing Form, 1936-05-26

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Here and There ! on the Turf Rushaways Feat Very Re-markable Widener Forces Have Sad Week-End Bad Luck Rides With Brevity ! Again Official Action May Be Required i : One of the most remarkable feats of racing ever accomplished in this country was that of Rushaway in winning the Illinois Derby at Aurora on Friday and the Latonia Derby at Latonia on Saturday, and, strangely enough he captured the latter affair, which was at one mile and a quarter, in tasier fashion than was required to triumph jver the nine furlongs distance at the Fox : alley course. Rushaways accomplishment jort of stole the show from the Withers re-aewal, which brought out a smart lot of :hree-year-olds preparing for the Belmont Stakes and for that reason drew nationwide lttention. By ah odd quirk of fate, Rush-away was doing his iron-horse stunt while his former stablemate, one which money :oiild not buy, was encountering bad luck tor the third time in his career and suffered his third defeat, much to the consternation of the thousands who had backed Brevity Into odds-on favoritism to capture the Withers. Joseph E. Widener, breeder and owner of Brevity, and Peter Coyne, trainer of the Sickle colt, did not spend a happy week-end, with the Withers outcome and Rushaways fine performance rankling in their minds. Rushaways feat is unique in the annals of American racing and A. G. Tarn, owner and trainer of the Haste gelding, must know his horse and had the fullest confidence in him to ask him for two gruelling efforts in two days with an overnight railroad trip in between. But Rushaway was equal to the task and now he has the Louisiana, Illinois and Latonia Derbys to his credit, and now is casting about for further deeds to accomplish. The Haste gelding, for which Tarn gave Widener the reported sum of 0,000, may have had something taken out of him which never may be replacd, but until that is demonstrated, he remains an outstanding - Continued on thirteenth page.. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. candidate for the Detroit and Chicago Derbys to be run June 13 and June 20 respectively. If he gets by those engagements successfully, the improved Haste gelding will go into the Classic as the western hope to turn back a formidable eastern bid. Once again one of the nations outstanding races has been marred by roughness. Connections of Brevity claim he was knocked off his stride at the start by Mr. Bones, and if that is the truth, the Belmont Park stewards are called upon to make a thorough investigation and to make a decision in keeping with their findings. Rough stuff, especially in events of major importance, is not to be tolerated and if the officials cant put a stop to this sad commentary on American racing the associations should hire stewards who can cope with the situation. The public must be protected at all times, which would appear to be good business for the tracks because good will stimulates patronage. In New York the officials, unconsciously or otherwise, have not been as stern as they might have in cases involving the large stables. It so happens that Mr. Bones is suspected of having hit Brevity and he is owned by John Hay Whitney, a member of the state racing commission, and was ridden by John Gilbert, the contract jockey. If Gilbert was at fault, the fact that he rides for Whitney should make no difference in the action of the stewards. White Cockade displayed a splendid performance in winning the Withers, but Brevitys effort appeared the better one. The Widener colt was privately timed the mile in 1:36 but the official time for the race was 1:37. Had the Widener colt gained a good position in the early running, which is customary with him, he would not have had his speed used up getting into contention and-consequently would have been fresh for the stretch battle. Ogden Phipps colt was rated in close pursuit of the pace and when the leaders tired he forged into a lead and easily withstood Brevitys assault. As he had something left at the finish, the son of Diavolo and White Favor turned in a performance that deserves commendation and places him in the front rank of candidates ifor the Belmont Stakes, if trainer James Fitzsimmons can keep the colts ailing knees from hurting too much. The Withers definitely eliminated Delphinium, Coldstream, Bien Joli and Mr. Bones as outstanding hopes for the Belmont Stakes, but the supporters of Teufel and Memory Book can string along with them with some hope as they were stout finishers in the mile test. Both colts were well back in the early running and made up ground through the stretch, so they should be favored by the mile and a half distance of the Belmont. Hollyrood failed to run down Rushaway in the Latonia Derby but he displayed an effort that was an improvement upon his performance in the Preakness Stakes and the Hal Price Headley colt may bo expected to accept his Belmont engagement. The race also will bring out Granville and Bold Venture, so metropolitan enthusiasts have something savory to look forward to on June 6. Red Rain failed to live up to his promise and his case remains an enigma. Perhaps Thomas- J. Hcaley, a master horseman, can solve it. Meanwhile the son of Pennant and Dustemall has been relegated to the second division of Belmont Stakes prospects.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1936052601/drf1936052601_2_3
Local Identifier: drf1936052601_2_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800