The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-24
BROOKLYN HANDICAP
A HARD RACE TO PICK
Regulars Puzzling Their
Brains to Guess the Best.
BLUES IS DISAPPOINTING
His In-and-Out Work Subject of Much
Worry to His Stanchest
Admirers.
BLUES IS DISAPPOINTING

The Brooklyn Handicap becomes moro
of puzzle each day. Only a few days
ago one of the cIeverest of trainers said:
blues will be very hard horse to
beat in the Brooklyn"
The performance of Blues Friday was
good and bad. He had all his usual
speed and showed the way over the
hill. But as soon as he swung into the
stretch he seemed TO stop, and Iniunc-
ton and Surmise both ran by him. Then
he seemed to come on again, and half
way down had repassed Injunction and
at the end was only beaten two lengths
by Surmise.
The race was run in record time by
Surrise. who beat Ethelbert's record by
three-quarters of a second Blues. there
fore. must have run inside the record
also. But, at the same time. that trick
of stopping and coming on again will not
gain Blues any friends. While the per-
Torrance was a good one, the fact is
proven that Frank Weir has not made
Blues lose his old tricks. Blues always
would work as kindly and as sweetly
as any horse living, but when it came
to racing ne was freakish. Sometimes
he would run like a blue streak AT
other times he would sulk and run
thirty pounds below his form.
Blues Strange Race.
The most mysterious part of his race
Friday was the fact that he was ap-
parently coming on again at the end
This is not the way the Blues of last
year raced. When he was done he was
done to turn. There was no hanging
on at the end 1t is difficult to under
stand the performance of this horse and
his presence in the race Will be a thorn
in the sides Of the other owners
The Whitney candidates we're out on
Thursday and added to the puzzIing
problem. Goldsmith, Gunfre and Irish
Lad were all let down at a good clip.
Irish Lad has not heretofore been re-
garded seriously, but his trial was an
eye-opener for the track watchers. Afri-
cander was also worked -. lie .-...,.
day, and he furnished corking good
trial. Pentccost was shown Friday at
a n Il
good race: 1t is said. however. that he
is being pointed for the Suburban and
not the Brooklyn Yardarm will be Mr..
Thomas candidate in that stake.
Yardarm Hard to Beat.
Take Goldsmith, Gunfre. Irish Lad,
Articulate, Yardarm. Blues. Africander,
Ronnibert and Herbert and you have
about as tough a proposition as ever
faced Handicapped. Yardarm Will take
some beating. This colt Is about as
sweet a proposition as has been seen
this season. His two races were moth
ing but gallops, and the last perform
ancc was a mile in I:4O 4 colt of great
early speed. he is likely to 90 away
and tincan in that Choppy space-dev0ur-
ing stride Of his that may carry him
the entire route in front 1t is true Irish
Lad held Yardarm safe as twO-year-
old. but great changes take place be-
tween two and three-year-old form.
For instance, River Pirate and Mexi-
can always held Shorthose safe as two
year-Olds, but now as three year-olds
Shorthcse appears TO be the master of
both Irish Lads work would make It
appear that he was as good as he was
in his two-yedT- old form. With Cold
smith and Gunfre to rely upon i Is
hardly probable that irish Lad will be
sent 10 the pest, though the Whitneyg
have made no declaration of their in
tentious thus far.
The Brooklyn grows in interest each
day, and on Thursday it win present
one Of the most puzzling propositions
racegoers have had served up to them
in many days