Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-13
GOSSIP At THE
SARATOGA TRACK

Special Dispatch to The Star.
SARATOGA, n. Y. August 1.-THE lead
pad lost by Sea Horse II on his memora BILE
trip over the jumps at the Spa August
has been found and therefore there IS
longer any mystery as TO why Jockey Rogan
returned to the scales short of weight after
running second to Maiden on the day in
question There were two theories after
the running of the race. One was that a
lead pad had slipped its moorings en- route.
the other that Jockey Rogan had sweated
out five pounds by his strenuous exertions
to win with Sea Horse II. The question
was settled when a search of the course
disclosed the missing piece of ballast.
1t will also be remembered that there was
a deal of criticism of the race in question.
In which Sea Horse II and Alamansor, the
coupled entry of Mr.. Cotton, the nom de
course under which the horses of John
Temple Gwathmey are raced. were heavily
backed by the public on the strength Of
the great reputation of Sea Horse III, but
that the entry steadily receded in the bet
ting odds in the face of a mysterious plunge
on Maldssl. the source of which has never
been salts eictorily explained, but which, it
was reported at the time, was generally
accredited to the betting operations OF an
allie ged gang of steeplechase "fxers, whose
fine Italian hand had often been suspected
before in the manipulation of races of this
character.
The facts are that the Cotton entry and
Maiden opened almost equal favorites, 3 TO
l against either being quoted In many
books. The public money went on the Cot
ton entry with rush and was greedl!y
snapped up by the layers OF odds VINO did
not however, cut the price OF the entry
one iota but on the contrary, gradually
heightened II TO 4 and then to l at the
close Meantime stacks of yellow backs
were suddenly thrust upon the bool<makers
on Maiden and his ODDS tlghtened 10 II 10
5 at the end of the betting.
In the running of the race Sea Horse was
In front in the early stages, but was taken
back and thereafter Maiden led to the
finish. hotly pursued by Alamansor, with
Sea Horse close behind, and at all stages
appearing to be able TO run over the leaders
at his pleasure. Maiden won by length
and a half though at the very end Sea
Horse came through the stretch with a
rush that with a half furfons further TO
go would have landed him an easy winner.
When therefore, X became known that
Sea Horse lis rider had returned to the
scales short of weight many persons who
had bet on the Cotton entry jumped to the
conclusion that the gang had hHed the
race so that Maiden could not nave los'
oven II Sea Horse had beaten him home,
and the mutterings of the losers were long
and loud.
Mr.. Gwathmey. the owner of Sea Horse
II, yesterday threw new light upon the
running of the race, and at the same tlme
stanchly defended steeplechase jockeys In
general and decried the talk about the al
legged operations of gang In connection
with steeplechasing. as merely sensational
gossip which was. nevertheless. arousing
q prejudice in the public mind against
feature OF racing regarded by himself and
many others of the highest stamp of turf
men as one of the sports brightest orna-
ments. -
I'm the race In question: said Mr..
Gwathmey Il declared to win with Alaman-
sor. with Owens up. and Rogan, who rode
Sea Horse. had positive instructions not to
go to the front as long as 1t appeared that
Alamansor could WIN, but to lay back,
ready to go on If Alamansor should seem
at any stage OF the race to be beaten. My
declaration to win with Alamansor and
the instructions to Rogan were given for
the reason that l wished II possible to save
the penalty Sea Horse II would incur by
winning. Alamansor had headed Maiden
and was in the lead, and he would have
beaten Maiden had he not pecked at the
jump and bowed a tendon when he landed.
AS it was. when Rogan, on Sea Horse III,
saw Alamansor falter, he came on with