Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08
ARTFUL GETS A REST
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. October THE reign OF
Artful on the turf is at an end for this
season. This Is authentic, inasniuch as II
comes direct from Harry Payne Whitney.
Mr.. Whitney who is Just back from Eu-
rope. went down to Brighton to watch his
colts Battieaxe and Midas run In the Tri-
umph stakes. John W. Rogers. Artfuls
trainer, would not say what would be done
with the mare, because he did not definitely
know what Mr.. Whitney's desires were.
Mr.. Whitney thinks It wise to retire Art
full now because of the soreness she recent
ly developed in one Of her forelegs, which
prevented her from starting In the Cup
Preliminary and which also kept her away
from the post In the historic Brighton
stakes. Since Sysonby is out OF the run
ming, and since the stakes for which she Is
eligible at Belmont Park are Of small
value. there is no object in taking chances
with her.
But If Artful is believed to be done for
the season that is not equivalent to saying
that she is done for good Whatever plans
Mr.. James p. Keene may make for Syson-
by's future, Mr.. Whitney Is determined that
the Melton colts rival shall continue &C
race as long as she keeps her feet and holds
her form. The vice president of the Sara
toga association has inherited his fathers
theory that race horses are bred to race,
and that 1t is right and proper to keep
them going while they can run No Whit
ney horse ever retires until 1t has out
lived It's usefulness. While Artful Will be
regularly exercised from now until the
close of the season, she will get no more
work than is necessary to keep her in good
health. When the other Whitney horses
are put away she will be put away also.
She will go to Aiken, s. c., for the winter,
and 1t is not without the bounds of proba-
bIlity that she may come north next spring
fit enough to win the next Metropolitan
handicap.
The Whitney quarters at Aiken are
great nursery for Metropolitan handicap
nursery winners. Gunfire and Irish Lad
were trained there. So far Artful has not
been an early horse. She did not come to
hand as a two-year-old until the middle
of the Saratoga session and she was not
ready for business this season until the
Sheepshead Bay June meeting was half
over But horSemen would not be sur
prised If she trained early next season.
She has not had a great deal to do this
year She has run only three races, and
her last appearance under colors in
the Brighton handicap, which she won
from Ort Wells and Beldame over a muddy
track in rafting good time.
Mr.. Whitney has a deal to say of Artful
things he told them that there never
was q time when he was afraid to have his
flly meet SysCnby, although he never for
a moment questioned the greatness of the
Nation colt and he did not oVerrate Artful.
Other horsemen say in his presence that
Artful is better horse than Sysonby, but
Mr.. Whitney always shakes his head. When
ever the question of match is brought up
he declares frankly that Artful may beat
Sysonby, but that If she does she will have
to run she has never run before. While
Mr.. Whitney was In Europe he repeatedly
cabled to Mr.. Rogers and to Herman B.
Duryea to do their best to get Artful ready
for a meeting with Sysonby and not to
dodge if the opportunity offered. I'VE have
nothing to lose in the way of match with
Sysonby,' Mr.. Whitney explained, land
everything to gain But luck was against
us. 1t was absolutely impossible to get
Artfu to the post since the Brighton handi-
cap. She has fallen sick every time we
have thought her ready for a frst-class eff
fort. She was sick at Saratoga when the