The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-02
Gossip of the Track

Gossip of the Track
Good judges who saw Borghesi win
the Thanksgiving handicap are prac-
tically a unit in declaring that Rudolph
Spreckels can lay claim to having as
clever a racehorse as any in training
throughout the country at the present
time. Walter Jennings, whose good
handicap horse, Proper, was the con-
tender in the race which Borgbesi won
so easily. believes that Borghesi is
capable Of giving five pounds to the
pick of the class horses at Emeryville
at any distance from mile up.
Borghesi's victory was a very impress
sive one from any standpoint and the
experts believe that he will have no
trouble in handling the weight that
good horses are required to carry. The
horse appears to have both speed and
stamina, and the owners and trainers
who have followed the game on the
big Eastern tracks are firmly of the
opinion that this gallant son of Brutus
would make his mark on the metro
politan turf if his new owner should
conclude to take a shy at the rich
stakes under the jurisdiction ,of the
Jockey Club at New York.
The suspicious entry of Rudolph
SpI6Ck6AS INTO the sport Is nailed
marked satisfaction by the great mass
Of the racegoing public, for obvious
reasons. and the hope is entertained
that Spreckels success will tempt
others of corresponding caliber to fol-
low his example. The accession of
owners of this type is bound to exer-
else beneficial effect upon the sport
from local standpoint.
Borghesi's next appearance will be
in the Christmas handicap, at one and
a quarter miles. Trainer Randall re-
recent race in perfect condition and
he will be carefully pointed for the big
race on Christmas day.
The statement has been printed that
Spreckels paid Charles Boots $4,000
for Borghesi. The writer is informed
from authentic sources that the price
paid for the horse was considerably
less than $4,000, although the terms of
purchase were private.
After the running of the second
race Harry Mack, owner of Malitah.
the second horse, bid Stuart Polk s
Gemmell up from his entered price of
500 to $1,000. The gelding was re-
tanned by his owner by the customary
IS advance Mack stated later in the
day that he had afterward offered Polk
$500 for the colt but that the offer
had been refused. Polk thinks a great
deal of the youngster, and it is evident
that others do, too.
s. c. HiIdreth yesterday sold his two
shifty sprinters, Burleigh and Gypsy
King to Michigan" ]. B. Smith on
private terms and the new owner of
the pair Immediately leased them for
the next six months to Harry Robin
son, owner of Katie Crews and other
horses. Robinson formerly campaigned
a pretty fair string, but has had few
good performers of late. The horses
will be raced here throughout the win
ter and may be taken to Seattle next
summer. Burleigh has run six fur
longs in 1:12. Gypsy Kings recent per-
formances are well known to the local
racegoing public.
The work of Starter Richard Dwyer
at the barrier from the very inception
of the meeting has been of the gilt
edge sort The starting has been uni
formly good and in the isolated cases
where horse has not got away well
IL has been the fault of the animal it
self or of the rider rather than of the
efficient official who has been presid-
ing at the barrier. Dwyer has certain
ly performed his duties so far in a
manner calculated to sustain his repu-
tation as Americas premier starter.
OF the seventy eight races that have
been run at Emeryville since the sea-
son opened twenty-nine have been won
by favorites, twenty-five by second
choices and twenty-four by outsiders.
This is indeed remarkable showing
for short priced horses. The percent
age Of winning favorites is more than
81 and of second choices 80, making a
total of 65 per cent of first and second
choices that have won. From this time
on the percentage of the winning IA
vorites is likely to increase as the
form of the horses that have gathered
here from various racing centers be-
comes apparent TO the price makers
and the public.
p Sheridan escaped with a $50 fine
for his failure to notify the judges of
the scratching of Blue Eyes in the
Thanksgiving handicap in season. This
was the horse the withdrawal of which
after the odds had been posted neces-
STATED the making of a new book to
the inconvenience of the IL, 1000 people
that attended the races on Thursday.
H T. Griffin ran up from Los Angeles
yesterday to look over the fifteen
horses that he has in training here. He
also has a string of eleven at Ascot
Park, and will divide his time between
the two tracks. Jockey Horner will
do Grifin's riding upon his arrival from
the East in few days. The boy rode
here a year ago and has meanwhile