The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-02
JOTS ON RACING.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD

~ TIE EDlIOh OF THE HERALD:-
The meeting Of Longfellow and Harry Bassett
proves there Is strong love Of sport in the Amerf
can nation, and SO a few words on racing may not
be uninteresting during the dog days, when
reading, qualified with q brandy and soda, is all
man can reasonably expect to do Well, then, "to
bark back" think too much importance is at
tached in America to the time test, which has
proved itself so delusive snare in England that
racing man regards 1t as any criterion of q
horses merits, and the system Ia entirely dis
carded there by all trainers. Your sporting CORE
spondent mentions that the one and half mile
was run by Meteor in 24OA, and that the quickest
Derby time was 2:43 this is correct-Blair AtholA
and Kettledrum both did 1t in this time) 1.-THE in
ference naturally being that horse who
beats 243 would be good enough to win
Derby; but in gauging the time the
most important event is overlooked ana
that is the severity easness OF the course ITSELF
which not only tests the speed but also the stamina
OF the horse. Any one cOnve rsant with the EPSON
Downs knows that the severe half mile up hill at
the commencement, and the finish from the dis
lance post being also up HILL is sufficient to break the
heart OF nine horses out Of ten who on it, thas
the DERBY course Is dead against good time. The
same remark applies to Ascot; also to the Rov,ev
Mile at Newmarket, where tn Two Thousand a RIM.
Last year Forest King, carrying eight stone ten
pounds, was second in the Derby, the pace being a
donkey's gallOp and taking 2:52. Yet three weeks
after, carrying five pounds more weight he won
the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot on an equally
difficult course, and one fur0ng farther lone mile
five furlongs), in 2:53 How do the time opponents
account or tnisi by either theory the King proved
himself duffer IN the first race yet clipper in the
second In making any match against English
horses Americans should remember that race is
rarely run from post to post in England unless some
the pace, when tall time Is always obtained Whyn-
yard won the Liverpool Cup last year, one and q
vonius, the Derby winner, who was 2:52 in doing
the Derby, would have given him stone in weight
and have lost him. could cite numerous instances
OF similar nature, but will content myself by say
ing have seen Caller On win mile race, hands
down, and come bounding in like cricket bali in
142, and yet next day, over the same course and
with the same weight, be beaten In $50, simply
through getting chopped at the start-another fall
l observed your correspondent last week. in re-
porting on the Ascot races commented on the
'cowardice" OF M. Lefevre in not sending Sterling
to America to run match. think he loses sight
OF the fact that over big handicap it is possible in
England land to win os even one million dollars
would be impossible to land any large stake
at decent odds, owing to the conspicuous absence
Of the knights OF the pencil and the substitution
of pools When the enormous expenses connected
with racing are taken into mountaineering down
OF expensive yearlings, forfets trainers charges,
&c.-unless man occasionally plunged and landed
the good thing, nobody but a Rothschild could
afford such an expensive luxury. Stcrlings owner
always runs his horses straight as q die. so,
don't YOU think, Mr.. Editor, 'cowardicen is rather
q hot term, when 1t might be only not Wishing to
incur the risk OF q valuable (but in my opinion, q
greatly overrated) horse breaking DOWN.
The relative value OF English and American horses
will only he decided when they actually meet. not
by comparing time. Harry Bassett could easily be
entered for the great autumn handicaps, such as
Casaerwitch Cambridgeshire, when his true
form could be arrived at, his party win fortune;
and am certain If Harry first caught the Judges
eye ''when his number went upn such ringing
English cheer would greet him that he would be
frightened and go on galloping for week. We
always like seeing the best horse win. 1t Is donbly
sweet, though, II we should happen to be "on" tho
good thing.
without wishing to disparage the racing wit
messed at Jerome Park the course Is such an easy
that even roarer could compass IL and q
genuine slayer be beaten for speed by some fash
peacOcky horse. Over such course quick time is
bound to be made, and If match took place on 1t
Charlie 1.-TWO Thousand winner) the latter would
carry my money, though he couldn't get within
hale on the Surrey Hills last Goth OF May Your cor
respondent remarked on the way, the favOries were
bOwed over at Jerome. No wonder, for in some
races, through the utter want OF knowledge OF
pace on the Jockeys part, they their horses to
q complete standstill, and when the finish came
with. Fordham's and Challoner's success is chiefly
owing to their marvellous knowledge of pace. APP
parently oupaced, they gradually creep up, and
magnificent race VIII ensue few strides rom
home; the verdict, "a short head.r In England TN
seven cases out OF ten 1t Is the jockey not the
horse, which wins. Here am compelled, but not
In captious spirit, to remark how much the roll
prevented the horse winning, though there were
notable exceptions. Apologizlng ior the length or
'''' ''''' 'u'''' A TRUE COSMOPOLITAN.