Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-07
TEAMS DoPED LIKE HORSES,
Cleveland Picked to Win, With
Athletics Close Up,

from the st. Louis Star.
The American League Derby, the richest
classic In the base ball world has settled
oo"n 10 great race. now that the teams
nave gone laundering past the haif-mle
post and are approaching the stretch.
The Star-Chronicles statistician liked
Cleveland originally. at the weights. That
entry looked like one real good bet
But Owner Somers was forced to change
Jockeys. With the marvellous Lajoie up
the wearers Of the blue would have led
from flag-set to fiag-fall.
They outclassed their field and were sure
Of winning first money in the derby.
But Lajoie's failure to handle the rens
has hurt The entry is now waIlowing
around in the mire, losing valuable ground
which 1t may never be able to make up.
Philadelphia. the present pacemaker, is a
tidy runner. Owner Mack has bred more
than one derby winner. and though the
players overlooked his entry in the winter
book there Is a good chance that the few
sharpshooters that got aboard 1t will
cash In.
Chicago is hanging ON we'll and has it's
its sire, the wonderful Comfskey was the
fieetest thing on the base ball turf a dozen
years ago.
Cleveland is Best Bet.
A restriction has got to be placed on the
best bet. The choice Is Cleveland. Lajoie
up, 1t cannot lose. With a stable boy in
the French riders place anything is liable
to happen.
The entry was nicely "prepped' for the
great race Lajoie beat the barrier with
his mount and had he not been cut down
at the quarter-mile pole would have put SO
much daylight between his mount and the
field that he could have wheeled around
and backed in.
But the substitution of riders hurt Brad
ley. the stables second Jockey. Is good
boy. but he hasn't the Frenchman's seat
or nerve. His hands are good. but he's
given to blowing when the crucial test is
on, and he cannot stand for the ding-dong,
hammer-and-tongS finish.
Don't Overlook Athletics.
The Athletics, the fields. dark boss" has
stuck it's proboscis in front Owner Mack,
who owned the 1902 derby winner, prophe-
sled that his entry would be bracketed this
year.
The wise guys looked upon his crack as
Thomas rot. But 1t hasn't proven as such:
In fact. the shrewd ballite was giving the
public an honest steer when he stated that
he would own the winning animal.
The White Sox, western entry, have
tnelr ADMIRERS by the thousand. They
were bred in the purple-their sire was the
fleet and noble Comiskey and oft-crowned
champion in his day-and they have been
an important factor in every stage of the
race.
They may not find the pace too warm,
but l do not figure they can carry so much
Observation-Disclosures, Tannehill and Green
and beat Cleveland and Philadelphia in the
sprint down the stretch.
New York Has a Chance.
The best of the longshots is New York.
Jockey Griffith got left at the post with
his charge. He has at last got it in its
stride and it has improved its position from
eighth to fourth.
Its sprint has been little short of phenom-
email. 1t is a good one. and if you must
daily with the longshots. play New York.
Boston hasn't a chance. She won the last
two derbies. but she's all in. 1t is an over
weight, old animal Collins is riding, and it
will be lucky to stick its nose inside Of the
money.
Detroit, Armour up; st. Louis, McAleer
UP. and Washington, Stahi up. are out
classed. They'll finish one-two-three from
the bottom. Not even at odds of 600 600
to are either of those nags worth bet.
Steer clear of them you would small
pox and yellow fever.