The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-04
Waterbcy's Triumph Clipping Two
Seconds From Salvatore Rec
ord Not Open to Suspicion
Of Fluke.
IRISH LADS GALLANT STRUGGLE
Burns Choked Life Out of Three
Year-Old for First Mile
Closing Event Next
Tuesday.


New York, July 3.-The second running OF
the Suburban Handicap at Sheepshead Bay
Thursday proved to be better race in
every respect than the original event.
Waterboy's triumph was signal and IN no
respect a fuke. as was proved by the fact
that the great son OF Watercress clipped
two-hfths of a second from Salvatore rec
ord Of 2:0e for the race, which had stood
since 1880.
Waterboy's feat IN setting a new mark OF
400 3-5 was the more remarkable for the
reason that 1t was done in the face of a
strong gale, and all things considered. It
was generally regarded as fully as good a
performance as that OF Gold Heels. when
the latter set the worlds record for a mile
and quarter at 2.O3 AS. at Brighton Beach
IN July. 1902.
The two tracks are dissimilar. It Is true
so that no absolute comparison can be
made, but 1t is a fact that circular track
records for all distances made at Brighton
Beach show that course to be at least a
second and half faster than Sheepshead
Bay.
Gold Heels carried 1876 pounds when he
made tho Brighton record. while Waterooy
yesterday carried liz. but as Waterooy's
time was less than a second slower than
that OF Gold Heels. and was made against
a strong wind, it must be regarded rs fully
strongest proof of Waterboy's class is the
fact tina: he lowered the race mark set
thirteen years ago by the greatest race
horse of his age, Salvador.
II is n coincidence that both Salvador and
Waterboy, the old and new Suburban cham
pions, should come from the stable OF Mr.
ton as to Waterboy's courage after yes
terdays race. and at least one son of Water
cress will be fully absolved from the i.eredt-
tary suspicion OF cowardice.
This doubt about the gameneeSS OF the
progeny of Watercress, by the way. seems
10 be entirely unmerited. though it has been
urged and repeated so often that it has come
to be accepted as a family faint.
Yellow Tail came East with the unjust
suspicion about him. but silenced even his
mcst severe critics by his courageous per
formances on the Metropolitan tracks be.
fore he was injured and thrown ont of
traiilins: Now Waterboy has. done his share
TO convince the gentleman from Missouri
that he Is as feet and game thoroughbred
as looks through a bride.
HARD-LUCK HORSE.
Waterboy has had a remarkable career
He has always been a sort of hard-luck
horse. In his first start at Morris Park he
was left at the post. but worked his way
through a field Of fifteen or twenty to win in
a gallant struggle by a nose. only to dis
qualified for humping into horse that new
er was factor in the race.
Waterboy once came near being DESTROYED
as hopeless cripple, and his victory yes
terdav is a tribute to the skill and fore
SlElt Oh DOCTOR Hail. II Is an Old story now
Of how Waterboy broke his hip last year
when being prepared for the Belmont Doc
tor Hall put the horse in sings for four
mor>ths When the horse was at last let
down he was a mere bag of bones and skin.
but sound as apdollar. Yesterday was the
result, and he |sill improve over that race,
been extended
Adjectives become cheap when one at
tempts to describe the gallant struggle of
Irish Lad All honor to the Suburban re-
newal goes to him, though defeated Great
as Is the merit attaching to Waterbcy's
performance; even greater praise is due to
Irish Lad. the wonderful 3-year-old. which.
though conceding fifteen pounds to the win
! ner, ran superb race. contesting every inch
OF the route and only yielding to the newt
able in the very last strides, when nature
herself threw UP the sponge.
The Westbury stables colt stamped him
self when he ran Waterbov to a length fin
fsh and subjected Goldsmith. his 4-year-old
lengths away.
There were few persons who saw the race
who were not willing to give odds that
Irish Lad can give five pounds and beat
Ing to Africander on any day of the week,
given good track. despite the fact that
Afrfcander defeated Irish Lad on June q
at q mile and three-eighths.
The Suburban Renewal only emphasized
me me criticisms of the ride Irish Lad got on
terda.
IRISH LADS HARD RACE
IL may De that Burns rode to orders, but
II he did the orders were suicidal As a
matter of fact. Burns choked the ambition
and the life out Of Irish Lad in the first
mile. instead of letting him go to the front
and fight out the issue the entire route
That is what Irish Lad did on Thursday,
and had he been ridden the same way on
June q, Africander. in the opinion of good
| Judges, would have been as far back of
him at the finish as Goldsmith was yester-
day. Yesterdays race also threw into bold
relief the race of June 30. when Africander
vas disgracefully beaten by Goldsmith.
Proper and LUX Casta at a mile
II Africande- one day beats Irish Lad.
| quered the handcappers. and the next day
| Is beaten by Goldsmith: and II. few days
| later, Irish lad makes a show of Goldsmith.
where are We at?
And no answer to the question Is forth
coming except that on the day that Gold
smith beat Africander 1t was in the air. the
betting ring was permeated with the tip;
Africander's odds went up and Goldsmith s
came down. both with a rush, and the run
ming OF the race justified the predictions.
Goldsmith won easily and Afrcander was
beaten off.
on Tuesday next, the closing day at Sleeps
head Bay, for which event Africander has
been especially pointed. There are thou
sands of Metropolitan racegoerS who would
go a long way to see the pair meet in this
mile and five furlong journey, and the r a
iority of them would bet their money on
Irish Lad.
The only way now It would seem, to settle
the question OF the 3-year-old supremacy
| is for the respective owners of Africander
| and Irish Lad to agree upon the terms of 4
sweepstake for which the pair may enter