The Washington critic., 1885-08-03
MUMrORD,s STORY.
How He Explains His Easy Defeat
by SmithsOn.

was dlsqualllled aitef the last Potomac
River regatta, has nearly a column in
this weeks New York Sportsman, in
which he gives Mnmford's side OF the
story and critlcises Secretary Gibson
aud the executive committee of the Ma
tional Association. The Perseverance
Club, Of which Mumford il member,
has tried hard to have special meeting
of the executive committee OF the Ma
tonaI Association called in order to try
the question, so II acquitted, Mumford
could row at the late regatta at New
orleans aud also at the National. The
executive committee refused to meet
and Mumford was prevented from row.
ing this season. Mumford makes the
following statement about his race here :
All who saw that race will remember
that Mumford ceased rowing short
distance from the start when ahead.
This Is what he says: "Thc left cross
bar (starboarD side on which the slides
are, broke, and when it broke the slides
came down with the crossbar, and |
slipped my seat right in between the
stretcher and the slide. | was unable
to row the full length OF my slides, and
could go no ful thcr back than the third
cross piece so as to prevent my seat
slipping again. This alone prevented
me from taking and making my usual
long and sweeping stroke. 1t was fully
ten seconds before / could replace my
seat. Not only did that accident cause
me to lose the race, but my boat was
full OF water, as there had been heavy
shower before the race star ed, and
that was enough for II man to lose a
race. Smithson, whom they call the
boy sculler, came to the starting place
after the shower, and therefore was
not In the same predicament as ! was.
MY boat Is ut present at the Potomac
at-house, of which Smi,hson il a
member. My reason for leaving it
there was for the executive committee
to satisfy themselves If they had any
doubt Of the boit being broken.'
The Columbia Boat Club Of this city
have a cracking light-weight four. cared
crew in training for the Potomac re.
gatta. It is composed OF James Young,
stroke; Platter Greene and Robert
Brewster, In the waist, and Arthur
Snyder, bow. They will render good
account of themselves in any contest
in which they may participate. The
Columbias and POtomacs may each
send an eight cared crew to participate
in the Old Point Comfort regatta on
the 10th instant,
Turf Gossip.
The following just structures on IA
growing evil are quoted from to-day's
New York Times: "The judges at Mon
mouth Park are beginning to realize the
necessity Of putting stop to foul and
reckless riding, which Jockeys now in
dulge in to an alarming extent. Under
the rules the judges are not required to
take cognizance of foul riding unless a
complaint is lodged by one of the
jockeys, but this is seldom done, and
the evil has grown rapidly. The jockeys
laugh in their sleeves, and the three
judges have the modification of observ'
ing that their admonition has been in
vain. Young CovingtOn's case on Sat-
urday is an example. The judges saw
him commit deliberate foul, and all
the punishment he received was a week g
suspension. He won two races after
ward, received handsome bonus, and
will ride to-day at Brighton Beach.
This is punishment with vengeance,
and doubtless this boy and others like
him arc always willing to undergo like
penalty for large pecuniary cOnsidera-
ton. Such farce as this only brings
the judges into contempt and racing in
to disrepute."
Up to the present time King Alfonso
stands at the head of the list OF winning
sires with nearly $5S, 900 to his credit.
His son, Joe Cotton, has won more than
$22, 900 of the amount.
The stakes Of the Monmouth Park
Association to close on August Is, are
numerous, and comprise the following
events: For 1SS6--The Hopeful, July,
Tyro, Sapling, Junior Champion,
August, and Criterion Stakes, for two.
year-olds. For lSS7-The Lorillard,
Stockton, Stevens, and Omnibus Stakes,
for three-year old colts and fillies, and
the Monmouth Oaks and West End
Hotel Stakes, for three. .year-old fillies.
There will probably be no racing on
Saturday next, although several i'm
portant events are fixed for that day,
including the Champion Stallion Stakes,
for two-year-olds, and the Champion
Stakes, for all ages, at Monmouth Park.
With August at hand the first half OF
the racing Of 1885 Is matter of record.
Up to date it is the best ever known
Theiattendance has been larger han
ever before. There has been more
racing and there are more horses in
training at the present time than in
any previous year.
The first OF the autumn meetings in
the West to command attention Is that
of the Washington Park Club. The
fixtures of the meeting include three
handicaps, viz, the Palmer House, for
all ages, ut mile and quarter; the
Dearborn, for tTee-year-o at a
mile and furlong, and the Lake View,
for two-year.olds, at three-quarters Of a
mile.
The racing at Monmeuth Park on
tomorrow and Thursday will bring the
midsummer meeting to close. The
features tomorrow are the Camden
Stakes for two year olds at three quar-
tiers OF mile and the Passaic Stakes
for three-year-olds aud upward at the
same distance. The stake closed with
6l subscribers, of which the starters
may be expected to include Thackeray,
Greystone, Little Minch, Duchess, Pom
tiac, Miss Woodiord, Richmond, Du-
plex, Blackstone, Thomasia, Rica, Long
knight and imported Richmond.
On Thursday there are three stakes
to be run, the Optional, for twO-year-
olds, ut three-quarters OF a mile; the
Trenton, for three year olds, at mile
aud furlong, and the Eatontown, for
three-year. olds and upward, at mile.
The trotting attraction next week is
the meeting Of Phallas and Harry