New-York tribune., 1890-08-08
FIRENZI DEFEATS TENNY.
A SUPERB RACE IN THE FREEHOLD STAKES.
THE QUEEN OF THE TURF RESUMES HER REIGN.


ycnny's name might we'll be changed to almost"
He has had a greater number OF narrow escapes
from brilliant trumphs than any other horse in the
history Of racing. Last year he failed oil winning
the Realization Stakes by short head, when Salvador
defeated him. His nose only few inches be-
hind Raceland in stubborn and noteworthy contest at
Brooklyn in the autumn This year he was beaten
by narrow margin for second place in the suburban
and was not far behind the winner Salvador. In the
famous match with Savator he was in front in stride
or two after passing the winning post SO yesterday
when he met Firenz in the Freehold Stakes at
nile and half he almost caught her at the hnsh
and all of Murphy's skill and all Of the Queens
speed and staying power were required to snatch the
prize from the iron jaws Of fate. There have been
other races we'll in which Tenny has been foled OF
victory by little than the breadth of ones hand
singularly unlucky colt this colt Of rare power,
Of wonderful flight OF speed, Of no mean quality,
raccorse among the racehorses Of the day. but yet
horse that pursued by nishap after mishap, acci-
dent after accident, blows of lluck falling upon his
unfortunate quarters like the strokes of a Russian
knout or of steel fall 1t is bitter cup indeed,
that Mr.. Pulsfer has often pressed to his
mcey and unresisiing lips. Time after time,
again again. he has the laurels with which he
fel, sure Of adjoining his brow go TO another by so
scanty space that every observer would say: "WeD
Tenny has Just been barely beaten again, but what
raochorse he iss His breahess dashes Of the highest
to defeat such horses salvator, Firenz Kingston
and Raceland. Animals Of inferior elias Tenny can
conquer easily enough them almost TO stand
still and win against them by many Iengths. but
not so with the very elect of the turf.
After Tcnfys defeat Of Firenzi at mile last Satur-
day in a common canter, II was not surprising that
the betting on Mr. Pulser's colt in the Freehold
opened at 2 to / II varied somewhat at dinereht
times in the betting. Here and there was book
maker who offered 5000 against $500. Others wouIo
not give than $500 against $500. The betting
against FirenA opened at 10 B, but in many
books the mare was backed down to to ..
Just before the two went to the post, now
ever, deluge Of money came IN ON Tenny, ana
the supporters of Firenzi appeared to lose hearo'
II was impossible to get better than 10 against
Tenny at the close and in many books not better tah
o 10 s. while David Johnson and some other plnngers
offered even 2 TO / against the Queen of the Turf
They had to repent their temertty for, whhe
the SPECTATORS who 81 900 bills ana SOW oliis
and even 800 bills were in the main on Tenny'
Firenz was still the popular IDOL not shattered nor
DISPLACED from her pedestal by the defeat of satur
day. And the small bettors, the men who put up
s5 80 S25 and $50 a race were on Firenz almost
TO a man. They displayed better judgment
better memory and more discernment than
the plungers The plungers seemed To forget
that Firenzi last year. at the old Monmouth
Park ran two races which were just as bad as her
race of saturday and on track in exactly similar
condition. Firenzi has beaten Raceland ana other
horses on sloppy track with thin watery surface,
but with hard ground just underneath she can Ia'e
in that sort of going, but track dry and HUE
cahed ON top but guey and sticky, and heavy under
Meath she cannot beat any ordinary sellngpater ana
she has shown this so many times that any one VINO
estimates form by such race as that OF saturday
or by the two caamitous and overwhelming oeicats
which she suffered at Monmouth Park year ago on
heavy track is simply no close observer Of racing l0r
Tommy is a good racehOrse. He would be a hardy
man indeed who would venture to dispute that. But
will Il ever dawn upon the vision and the intellect
Of his stubborn adherents his wildly enthusiastic aa
mlrers that horse which gets beaten so constantly
and regularly at a mile and half or more, after all
Is not the worlds wonder as Thoroughbred! Ihat
after all he is not quite the equal Of salvator and
rircnz at these long distances? But it takes some
people great space of time to discover matters whch
are entirely conspicuous on the surface 1t is always
easy 10 find excuses for Tenny. But don't the ex
cuse- makers In while become little weary OF
their incessant and labOrfous task?
Green b. Morris sensiby took Judge Morrow ont OF
the Freehold, and left IL match between Firenzi ana
Tenny. Iy the weight conditions Firenzi had an
allowance Of five pounds below her regular schedule
weight for age. Tcnny with Garrison in the saddle
carrie l22 pounds aud Firenz with Murphy up, was
weighted at 115 pounds. Byrnes Mr.. Ilaggins
trainer, instructed Murphy to go out and make the
pace, and he performed his task WELL The two went
of head and head Firenzi took the track and the rail
and led by something over length Tor the nrsV
quarter mile IN 70 SECONDS, DOtil VI tncm running
easily and well within themselves. In the second
nuarter Murphy called on the mare aud she shot away
in her own queenly fashion, making that quarter III
241-2 seconds. The first half-me was therefore.
covered in so l2 seconds. As they reached the be-
ginning OF the long the race was on the outer
circular course) Murphy called OH toe mare again. anu
this time with vigor and energy. lie pursued similar
tactics TO those followed by him III the great match
between Salvador and Tenny, when Salvador shot
away from Tenny and took lead Of three lengths
before the race half over. F1renz sprahg away
from Tenny as they entered on the long upper turh
in precisely similar style. Up to that point Garrison
had kept Tenny in close attendance on Firenzi. In
fact during the second quarter he had sent
Tenny's head up to Firenzs saddle. 1t was ex-
aetly this superb rush of Frenzs in the third quar-
terme that defeated renny. and in this masterstloKe
OF jockeyship Murphy clearly demonstrated MS su-
perority to Garrison in judgment Of pace ana III
management of high-cass horse in race OF mile
and a half. Both Tenny and Garrison appeared 10
be somewhat taken by surprise when FirenA fled away
from them like falcon in its swiftest swoop Ienny
WAS inclined TO sulk little when the mare left him
behind in this way, and when the pair reached inc
head OF the homestretc and turned for the straight
run home Firenz had two lengths and a half tDe Der
ter of IT, II was the Salvator-Tenny match over
again lirenzi came iDto the stretch with SO long
@ lead that all of Tennys STRIVING couiu HoV quiV0
make up the gap
Garrison went 10 the whip long before Murphy
raised his arm but Murphy was far from being cooi
and uncOncerned. lie knew from his previous eA-
pcrcnce that Tenny was the hardest horse he had
ever met 70 keep away from in the homestrech The
getting such lead he got before
the homestretch was reached was the one
way to win, and praise is due to him for the
deftness with which he employed se fective device.
The homestretch is Tennys field There, above all
other places he is at home and at his best. Under
GaFrisons fiery riding, under short sharp sabs OF
the spur and under the cutting rain of the biting lash
the hooded colt sped with fight that no antelope
OF the desert no deer of the forest could attain or
even approach The fastest thing Oh earth for a mile
Is d crack thoroughbred hOrse-emember we are not
now sneanc of birds the ar but only Of beasts OF