Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
HOW GENERAL MONROE
WON FIRST SUBURBAN

American turfmen at home and abroad
were much interested In the cablegram
from England announcing the success of
Mrs Langtry's three-year-old colt Aurim in
the $4,000 Prince Edward stakes at
Manchester. for the winner, by the Aus
tralian bred horse Aurim. Is trained by the
former American jockey. William Donohue,
a contemporary of Mclaughlin. Garrison.
Isaac Murphy and Hayward when these
famous riders were at the zenith Of their
fame quarter of century ago. When
Costello. Hughes. Lakeland. Rowe, Swim,
Fitzpatrick. Barber. Spellman. Holloway.
Withers Barrett. Flakes. Shaner. Walker,
Only. Stoval Evans. Clark. Blaylock. Lit
tlefem. Spailing. Hyland. Sutcliffe. Money.
Mccarthy, Midgeley and Little were also
doing yeoman service in the saddle far
above the average American jockey of to-
day.
OF all these skllful knights of the pig
skin. William Donohue's record was one
that earned him a prominent place in the
history of American race riders. His ability
to ride at light weight-9S and % pounds
for years after his fellows had grown
heavy caused his services to be much in
demand and 1t was only natural that
Walter Rollins sefected him to ride Cen
eral Monroe in the inaugural race for
Sheepshead Bays great event-the Subur-
ban.
The present trainer Of the Oneck stable in
1891 was one of the youngest of his pro-
feSsion, hardly out Of his teens, but his
schooling had been thorough and he show
ed it by his preparation Of Tom Bowling 8
son. General Monroe. for the great race at
Sheepshead the following spring.
Monroe had been through an arduous
campaign for those days. when horses were
not drummed to death. as now. his tasks
for fho OF aVin Nv
three races all told, of which he won seven.
was second seven times and third on seven
occasions Only twice was he out of the
money, most consistent showing. During
his five years racing the horc- was rarely
unplaced until Monroe for a situation"
was an axiom of the betting ring
Gallops in the Snow.
The winter before the first Suburban was
a pretty severe one in and around New
York. The stable of Ed McElweel. OF
which Rollins was the trainer. wintered at
Fordham. with Jerome Park as its training
ground. Foaled in 1878, General Monroe
was then a six-year-old with feet and legs
in race good shape considering that he had
been racing steadily for four consecutive
seasons. much longer than his great sire.
Tom Bowling. The latter broke down when
a four year-od through being pulled up too
suddenly after he had won the Mansion
House stakes at Long Branch. A tendon
was ruptured and he never ran again.
Trainer Rollins gave General Monroe
steady exercise through a great part Of
that winter. frequently galloping him
through the snow, across icy riverlets and
up hill and down dale at Fordham. In Feb
ruary and cary March he drove Monroe in
harness to a road cart, and by the time
1t became necessary to take him up for
regular track work. the old horse was as
sound as brass. and few weeks training
made him hard as nails
Sn uya11 n
Jerome Park that he was made favorite in
the future books made on the three handi-
caps run at the June meeting-the Ford
ham, Metropolitan and Westchester handi-
caps He did not start in the first event.
but won both of the others in great style.
The Metropolitan. mile and a half, he
won from six others, carrying 119 pounds.
and in the Westchester. a mile and three
furiongs he took up 10 pounds and
spreadeagled the field in hollow fashion.
In each of these races at Jerome Mon
roe was ridden by Billy Donohue in the
highest style of the art, and while the lit
tie jockey carried from twenty to twenty
two pounds dead" weight, he handled the
big heayy-headed son of Tom Bowling as
well as a welterweight could have done.
So Monroe on the eve of the great race
at SheepShead came to the bay with Gre
dentials second to none in the long list of
entries to the first Suburban-seventy-fo
in all. For three months betting had been
going on in the future books with George
over General Monroe. But the latters great
form at Jerome brought him heavy support
from the public.
Eve of the Great Race.
Three days elapsed that year between
the closing day at Jerome Park and the
opening at Sheepshead Bay. Jerome closed
on Saturday the 7th of June, and on the
same day Brighton Beach raced against
the Fordham track, large crowds attending
at both courses. On the meet, Monday the
9th, Brighton went on with its meeting
only to close the following day on account
of the opening at Sheepshead.
OF the seventy-four entries for the first
Suburban, no less than twenty came to
the post. Designed by its Trainer, the
late J. G.. K. Lawrence. secretary of the
Coney Island Jockey Club, a prototype
of the city and suburban, England's great
spring event, the new event met with in
slant recognition from turfmen and the
flower of the eastern stables was engaged
with sprinking from the west well.
The crowd at the bay that palmy June
afternoon was large one The empire
city emptied out its thousands, and turf
men from all sections We're on hand to
assist at the inaugural of the great event.
There were 10 layers in the ring, all
solid operators, while auction pools under
the management of Robert Cathcart, and
mutual pools by Kelly and Bliss, furnished
three different methods of business.
After the California horse. Jim Reunick.
had beaten Little Minch for the opening
sprint at six furlongs, the Dryers great
mare, Miss Woodford, won mile and
half dash In hollow style. Then w. l..
SCOTS two-year-old colt Florio galloped
away with the Foam stakes from Pierre
Lorillards peerless Mortemer hily WANDA
and twelve Others
BY this time the Suburban starters were
In the paddock, and as the great race was
rung up the betting ring filled instantly
the best price against the horses of their
choice As the odds were posted layers
were almost mobbed. and In . few minutes