The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-28
GOOD RACING SEASON
PREDICTED THIS SPRING
Purses Are Bigger, Class of Horses
Higher, and Big Stakes
Well Filled.
AN INCREASED INTEREST

NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-Everything points
to an unusually prosperous racing season
this year. The purses are bigger than they
ever have been, the class of the horses
higher than for many years and the big
stakes will be contested for by an unusually
large number of good racers That this all
means an increased interest on the part
of the public, and money in the Golfers of
the racing associations is a fair presump-
tion.
Not only have the great classics like the
Suburban, the Brooklyn and the Brighton
filed unusually well and stayed filled so
far as declarations are concerned, but the
stakes of the second rank. like the Ben
nings and Metropolitan, for example, have
also done we'll.
The horses which have wintered about
New York have done remarkably well de-
spite the extreme weather. The most noted
of them. McChesney, was never in finer con-
dition at this season. He was given his
first track work last week and enjoyed 1t.
When big Mac" found that he was out
for exercise only and could not go as fast
as he wanted to, his rider had as lively a
time as any broncho buster on a Western
ranch ever had. The big racer jumped and
bucked and danced at rate that showed
he was full of life and energy.
McChesney Is the only one of Smathers's
horses which will be seen in the West this
season according to previous plans. He
will go after the rich worlds fair stake
if he trains well, but outside of this Mr.
Smathers will confine his racing to the East
ern tracks. Dick Bernard, who also was
entered for the st. Louis event has been de-
clared out 1t was not a question of lack
of class that induced the withdrawal of
Dick Bernard, for there are few colts that
have shown a greater Improvement during
the winter months. The colt is particularly
well engaged in the East, however, and
not even the American Derby has tempted
an entry.
Frank Taylor, Mr.. Smathers's trainer, is
quoted as saying:
"Mr. Smathers has not purchased anv
two-year-oIds. but he will have some before
the season is old. He intends going into
the market after the two-year-olds have
been shown in races. and he will buy colts
that are we'll engaged. 1t has been his
/ policy in all turf ventures TO purchase tried
/ horses. and he will continue il this wear
L don't know just how long Mr. Smathers
will be in Europe. but know he will be
I
| as will bring the twO-year-old end OF the
/ racing establishment up TO the same plane
/ as il is in the other divisions
! There will be no Western engagements
made for any of the horses, and / would
not recommend the shipment of McChesney
| for the St Louis Worlds Fair handicap
1 unless the race looked to be a particularly
\ easy one for him. He has engagements
enough in the East to keep four horses
busy, and the disadvantage a horse suffers
/ shipping from New York TO ST Louis in
the summer is such that would not con
/ slider IL wise
| George Henrie. of Detroit. the PRINCIPAL
/ mainstay of the Highland Park Jockey
/ Club, with race meetings at Detroit and
/ Fort Erie. will, for the first time next sea
son race extensively in the East. lie has
a large stable, and naturally is eager that
/ ii shall be in competition with the best in
| the metropolitan circuit He has named
| Reservation, a thoroughly good colt over
a distance OF ground, In the great handi-
caps. and in many other events. and has
| engaged very literally as good lot of two
year-olds as now are at Nashville.
| The coming season the horses OF T. L,
Watt will race in his own name Instead OF
/ the dame of the OsceOla stable as i'm the
past The stable is thirteen strong to begin
the season, and is undoubtedly the most
pretentious that Mr.. Watt has yet cam
| paigned.
In addition to the older horses. which
| were seen in public last year, there are a
number of twO-year-olds In the lot that
| on a breeding individuality should rate with
| distinction. Among these are five OF Eng
| lish breeding, bought yearlings from
the Douglass grand contingent last fall
They have developed splendidly. and Man
ager Flack is much pleased with their pros
| poets for the season
Maid OF Harlem. one OF the best horses
| that ever carried the Osceola stables colors
l. now IN foal to the graz horse Belmar.