The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-31
Fred Fosters Horse Defeated at
Fair Grounds After Winning
Eastern Feature.
IN ri Il j
SIMMONS WAS HIS C0NQUERER
Both Horses Had Raced Over the
Old Madison Course-His-
tory of the Brooklyn
Handicap.

Local interest in the Brooklyn Handicap
was never moro strongly manifested than
when Fred Fosters horse, Doctor Rice, was
entered in 1894. At that time. the Madison
and East st. Louis tracks were in full blast
and were the haven of even high-class
horses In the winter months. The Madison
track had not then been outlaved.- and
some good performers started over the
track.
Foster was well known on the local
courses, where Eloroy. Sullross. and other
members of his stable were frequent per-
formers Doctor Rice was a good deal Of
a cripple in the winter OF 1893. but was fixed
UP and sent East early in the spring. The
mere fact that the horse had been racing
over the local track made horsemen here
take an interest in the race.
RICE won the handicap rather easily. He
was brought back West and was kept in
ming in races with a horse named Simmons
at Madison, and Tom Walsh. owner of the
latter animal, kept insisting that Simmons
even IL the Doctor had won the Brooklyn
In the meantime.
Eoster was finally invelgled into a match
&8axhich was carded for the Fair Grounds
EfnEahe spring of 1896. A ore-day meeting
was arranged. five purses being hung up for
competition AS both horses had local repu-
l e1''chs ps CloNu tuFTeu out 10 see the
| race. Some trouble was experienced before
the American Turf Congress, then the con-
trolling body of the sport. would give its
were barred.
For a time 1t seemed as II the project
would have to be abandoned. not ouly on
account Of this official objection. but also
because the Turf Congress wanted to know
something about Walsh's connection with
horses who had raced over the Madison
track. which had been outlawed in the win
! Ter OF 1875. This was also ARRANGED nv ctort-
ing Simmons in the colors of Pat Groean.
Doctor Rice was a prohibitive favorite in
was to 1; but the volume of small bets
GENT his price down to 8 to 5. while Rice's
price was as good as g to 5 in some books
that held out.
The horses were sent away to a good
start. and Doctor Rice opened up a gap Of
three lengths in the first quarter. At the
half he maintained his lead. and the race
pole.
Simmons never faItered. however. and.
running gamely under the whip. he COM
menced to overhaul the Doctor. He cut
down the lead to a length at the head Of
the stretch; and and was on even terms at an
jockeys working desperately. Simmons
gradually drew ahead and won by a length
and a half; with Rice hopelessly beaten and
Foster had brought his mother and sisters
down from st. Paul to witness the race. and
was CltteTlS disappointed over the result.
Simmons was a good horse at the Fair
Grounds all the next summer and won
many of the distance events on the card.
The Brooklyn Handicap was started in 1887
by the Dwyer brothers. Michael F. and
Philip j.. who were the builders of the
Gravesend course. In those days the Dwyer
brothers were n power on the turf. Michael
Dwyer was famous as a plunger and his big
wagers oil his own horses were the terror Of
the bookmakers in the ring.
Phil Dwyer was of different ilk. He was
satisfied to let his horses run for the stake
money. The result was that Mike Dwyer
is now a comparatively poor man. broken
in health-a physical wreck. Phil Dwyer
is still In the best of condition and worth
more than a million dollars.
Seven or eight years ago the brothers dis
soved partnership. each taking several of
the horses, the famous red and blue SASH
remaining as the colors of Phil Dwyer,
while Mike took for his colors white jack
ct and cap. gold ~tassel." Strange to say,
the colors of the Dwyer brothers have
never been seen in front at the finish of a
Brooklyn Handicap. although from the first
running Of the race it was the ambition of
both men to win. .
The first Brooklyn Handicap was won by