The Washington times., 1902-10-19
M'CHESNEY AND H[RM|S
MAY MEET AT B[NN|NG
Washington Jockey Club
Proposes Star Event.
WOULD BE GREAT RACE
Two Best Three -Year-Olds Of the Year
Track Much Improved
One.

| The Washington Jockey Club is out
with a proposal for a match race be-
tween the two crack three-ye year-olds OF
the season. Hermis and McChesney. Her.
| mis- is unquestionably the best three
year-o old that has been shown in the
East this year, while no one who is at
all familiar with the form of Western
colts, will deny that McChesney is far
| the best three year-old in the West.
| There has always been an intense
rivalry between turfmen Of the two SEQ
tions OF the country, as we'll as the gen.
eral race going public, and a meeting
between the two horses named has been
suggested on several occasions. Partis-
ans of both horses are equally confident
that their favorite can defeat the other
horse, and all are anxious to see match
race between the two.
Hermis has shown on more than one
occasion of late that he Is the peer Of
all the three-year- in the East,
while his meeting with older horses Las
|
average thoroughbred. In the West Nc
Chesney has not only beaten all the
three year olds in his section of the
country, but has defeated many Of the
older division in a manner that stamps
him as a horse far above the ordinary.
1t would be but natural therefore that
meeting between Hermis and McChes-
ney should attract more widespread in
terest than any event Of the present
season. and it would draw very large
McChesney Will Come East.
A dispatch from Chicago announces
that Durnell & Herr, owners of Nc
Chesney, are willing to bring their
horse East to meet Hermis, the star
three year-old of the Eastern turf, pro-
viding the Westchester Association will
hang up purse OF $4,000. Inasmuch
as there is but one week of the Morris
Park meeting remaining, 1t is hardly
likely that a match between the two
horses at Morris Park can be arranged.
The suggestion of the Washington
Jockey Club that match be arranged
between the two colts to take place |
at Benning early in the meeting would |
therefore give the horses a chance 70 |
meet. and each would have plenty of !
time to be shipped. and become accus-
toned to the track. 1t would also |
have the advantage of being neutral |
ground. and neither owner could have
cause for complaint on that score |
whichever way the race resulted. Her
mis-, it is true, would have the advan-
tage in the matter of distance to travel.
but Benning has always been good |
track for the Westerners, many OF
them having won races here. Indeed.
it is probable that more Western horses
have captured purses at Benning than
have Eastern thoroughbreds.
Club Will Add Purse.
S. s. Rowland, president OF the Wash
ngton Jockey Club, is authority for the
statement that the club will add a sat
sfactory amount of money to make 1t
worth while for the owners OF the two
horses to make the match.
1t is true that both owners are veal
thy men and that IL match race were
arranged it would be due more to a
spirit Of sportsmanship than from pc
cuniary standpoint. The objection may
be raised that the meeting is held too
late in the season, but a. everyone
Knows. the weather generally during the
Benning meetings is the best kind for
he racing of thoroughbreds.
Undoubtedly a better class Of horses
Will be attracted to the coming meeting
han ever before, inasmuch as the purses
or all the overnight events have been
'aised and number OF attractive stakes
With liberal added money have been I
laced on the program.
The chief event will be the Grand Con- !
olation Stakes, for two-year- olds, at 7
even furlongs. 1t will be worth nearly
10000. and as some Of the best young
tiers of the year have been nominated +
or the race it Is bound to furnish n
ood contest. Besides this event there :
re others almost as tempting to own I
RS. The long distance events provided
'ill doubtless furnish some exceedingly
interesting contests, while the steeple-
hases have always been feature OF |
he Benning meetings. s
Recent Improvements. Il
The recent improvements that have :
cen made at the track have converted .
!. into one of the prettiest, safest and
,stest race courses in the country. For
long time owners complained that the
-ack itself was too slow and unsafe, and
lany trainers refused absolutely to en- Ii
II their horses on that account. Now, +
owever, the going has been greatly i'm q
roved with a top dressing OF good II
'am soil, which will make the track not e
My very fast. but safe. D
Additional stabling room has been {,
rovided, and all Of the appointments. h
nder the direction OF the new superin- II
'ndent. Tom Strahan, have been nut in
rst-class shape. There promises to be
treat In store for lovers OF the thor s.
II phbred when the autumn meeting at ~