, 1877-12-30
THE TURF.

Mr.. Bushey, who has charge OF the turf depart
mcnt OF the Turf, Field and Farm is one Of the
best posted men concerning trotttng horses in
| America, and an extremely pleasing and able
| writer on turf topics. But, like almost every
other man. Mr. Busbey has his hobbies, and, very
naturally, rides them somewhat too frequently.
| Some time ago he became convinced that Smugsler
| was great troser-in fact. the greatest in the
land; and SO great is bis enthusiasm concerning
| the horse that whenever he sits down to write
about him, his Imagination becomes Oriental in its
workings, and the most extraordinary gush
| flows from his pen. To prore TINT this
| assertion is not unwayrantcd, it is only
necessary to reproduce the following, written by
him concerning the free for-all race at Hartford in
| 1876, when that peerless little marc, Goldsmith
| AIaid forced the big stallion to lower his colors
and squit as oadly the worst unacr that ever
| disgraced raec-track, he losing the race after
winning the first two heats in fine style. The fo1
lown. ia that portion OF the article referred to- it
| being description of the third heat:
u ts sa sa %ss s aaq 5!n,aS The M aE @
s% @ s III
ad + m e By ry esa 0!o soe oFe se see sce soa
e.sss With S Es $s sssa ss
queen wien tic t5ova stallion fet the EaIi Of se1si.ae
f s oGe 1 q
If the rc Of victory rolling from Ills nostrs. And.
soW a h. :s
che distance san an he hara e hes be- Tnes
tongues arc pasIed for the momcn1-
It is very sad to learn, after all this s' fine writ
ing about the fires Of victory rolling from the
stations nostris, and auricles and VEN
tricles performing their functions in sus-
pense. while a similar number Of tongues are
palsied. and "a, 900 optics {not allowing for any
oDc-eyed men in the crowd) are strained, that
Smugslcr did not win the eat, and that before the
race WAS finished he as tired as a dog, and had
to run half OF tue last mile in order to save his
distance.
The extract above is given to show that when Mr.
Busbey writes about Smuggler his enthusiasm is
Liable to ret the better Of his Judgment. lie be-
lieses The brown stallion to be the best horse in
America, and disiikes to have anybody disagree
with his views on this subject
Not long ago THE TRIBUNE had occasion to speak
Of an alleged proposed match between Rarus and
Smuggler, and in the article expressed the opinion
that Smugg!er could never win race from Ragus,
when the latter Ia condition, although he might
capturea heat. 1t also al1ude9 to Smuyyler
dulfcr and gutter, and referred to the racc with
the Maid at Hartford in 1876 in support Of its as
scrtion. That article has aroused the wrath Of the
Tar}, Field and Farm man, und in the
last issue Of his paper he uses con-
siderable space on the editorial page in
eudeayoting to prove that Smugsler is game
horse, takiug the free all race ut Cleveland in
1876 as text from which to preach his sermon.
1t will be Remembered that the stallion won the
third fourth aud ltth heats in excellent time, but
his victory on that occasion is easily explained by
the fact that he had trotted or two not long
before, which gave him come seasoning. while the
Maid had for more than year been trained for
exhibition purposes. where Sue was required to
trot only one very fast heat. The Turf man en-
t'eavors to make great deal out Of this Cleveland
ruce. but omits mention that in the second heat,
while the Maid was trottng honestly and winning
and had the benefit Of rest, obtained
by break. He also omits to men
lion that, on the following week, at
DutEalo, Sfnuggler was dstanced By Goldsmith
Maid; that at Poughkcepsie. their next meeting
plnce distanced min in the heat; at Hart
ford used him up SO completely that he ran half
mile In the last heat to save his distance, and
cerding to the IMrf's own report of the race,
should have been distanced and that ut Springfield
he Was the last horse in the race which was slow
2::2!. 1t would occur to most people that when q
horse wins one out OF five in which he starts
against another horse and is distanced in many OF
the Others it il rather difficult matter to convince
people that he Is par excellence, the great trottng
horse OF tue world. THE TRIBUNE in its remarks
tor Ill rnce in 1876, and stated that it proved
Smuggtcr to be i quitter- This tue Turf denies |
emphatlcaliy. To prove that its deductions were
right this paper will quote q little from the |
TurJ's account of the race in question. At the |
close OF its description OF the ffth heat 1t says:
while Goldsmith Maid brealhed as ii not dis |
tressed, Smuggler treblcd his legs and the dre
was gone from his eyes. He was unmistakab1T |
leg tired And again: 'Smuggler was used up
On The dfth score The mord WINS gwen. Smuggser