Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05
RACES AT sHEEPsHEAD.
McChesney Beaten Two Lengths by
The Minute Man.

McChesney, idol of the west and south.
made his first appearance on an eastern
race course yesterday in the second race
at the Coney Island Jocky Clubs course.
and was beaten by John E. Maddens two
year-old colt The Minute Man, carrying
ninety-two pounds, of which two pounds
was overweight, to permit Higgins to ride.
The race chosen by McChesneys owner
and trainer for his debut on the eastern
turf was mile, under special conditions:
Two-year-olds to carry ninety pounds:
three-year-olds us pounds; four-year -olds
and upward 122 pounds. 1t was not strictly
weight for age race, for the four-year- old
had four pounds less than weight for age
and the twO-year- carried three pounds
more than weight for age. Still. the seven
pounds difference would not have brought
the two horses together, in the opinion Of
experts.
Hundreds. perhaps. thousands. visited
the race course for the sole purpose Of
seeing McChesney. His warm up was ex-
cellent. and in the paddock. where he was
almost mobbed by the crowd who wanted
to see him at closer quarters, he showed
plenty of life and vigor. All the leading
bookmakers laid against McCheSney. how
ever. and his odds were at as high figure
at the close as at the beginning of the bet
ting.
E. E Smathers owner of the western
crack. emphatically denied that he backed
his horse, Notwithstanding rumors which
made him responsible for heavy commits
sion which showed in the betting ring at
the last moment John E. Madden put
himself on record before the race by de-
claring that he could beat McChesney easily
with The Minute Man. and it is said that
Maddens confidence was SO strong that he
saved John w. Gates from losing one of
the heaviest wagers of his career as he in
tended to back McChesney.
Fuller was on Mr.. Smathers' horse. which
was last for short distance after the bar
~,,lc NI,A nfiy,,,t J,r,
was sailing out in front at a tremendous
pace. McChesney took second place in a
quarter. and then ensued a long chase after
the flying twc-year-old. The gap of day
light gradually lessened, UNTIL as the last
quarter mile of the race was begun, there
was about five lengths between the first
and second
Now was the time for McChesney to show
his famous stretch-running qualities. if he
ever was to do it, and little by little the
lead of The Minute Man was reduced. At
about half a furlong from the finish. the
leader seemed to be in trouble. but just as
the western men were getting ready to
shout for McChesney he, too. weakened
and The Minute Man passed the judges two
lengths in front of the western idol THAN,
the other starter. was beaten nearly hun
dred yards.
The fractional time of the race was as
follows. Furlong. II seconds; quarter, "a
seconds; three furlongs, 35 seconds; half
mile. 4S 10 seconds; five furlongs, LOO %;
atmosphere and going were both adverse to
really fast time If the day had been warm
and the air clear mile would certainly
have been run in 1.3S or better.
Close observers of this remarkable race
call attention to the fact that McChesney
ran some lengths faster than The Minute
Man in the fifth and sixth furlongs, which
were covered in "a 3-5 seconds 1t has, been
claimed by the partisans of McChesney that
he can run the last quarter, or any quarter
or race In q seconds. 1t is possible that
ne ran one quarter in this race in 231h sec
ondS or Whereabouts. The deep damp sandy
track is also very different from that on
which the horse won his best western races
ON the Memphis track. which is of
sandy sort, McChesney was beaten badly in
the Montgomery handicap, Odom in the
saddle.
The horse ran his last race, previous to
yesterdays. on July l. at the Harlem track
Chicago 1t is therefore nine weeks since
he ran race. Since he left Chicago he has
been lame. one of his feet being affected
The horse was asked to do something YES
terday. under this handicap, which the IA
nous Ben Brush failed to do in the month
of September. 1897 when John e, Madden's
Plaudit a two-year-old CARRYING ninety
pounds, made all the running in a race at a
mile and a sixteenth. and lasted long enough
to beat Ben Brush. 126 pounds, a head in
the fast time of LATE. Dr. CatIett three
years old. la pounds, was only head be-
hind the second horse. Plaudit was a high
class colt. yet was forced to do his best
to win from the best four-year-old of that
year. as Ben Brush was at the time
John Sanford's Caughnawaga and f. R.
Thomas Duke of Kendall, the only two
starters in the fourth race, ran almost as
one horse from start to finish. judging from
the fact that they went out of sight in the
fog on almost even terms and came into
sight again in the same manner. Up to the
end of a mile 1t a close thing Then
CaughnawagaS rider used his whip as free
ly as he could. considering that Duke of
Kendall was close as to hamper him
somewhat. and the upstate horse won by
a neck. Odom could not do the weight on
Duke of Kendall.
Florham Queen won the turf handicap all
the way. She should have won easily but
Redfern eased her up near the end and Nc
Cafferty on Leader tried to snatch the race
on the post. There was a false break, in
which all but the subsequent winner ran
out a little. Leader was so rank that Nc
Cafferty could not pull him up without ex-
haustng himself. and he dismounted under
the fear that the colt would run away from
him. Moon Daisy. as usual. was running on
at the end.
Silver Heels and Juvenal Maxim were the
other winners No time was taken in the