The sun., 1908-05-21
GOSSIP OR THE RACRTRACK
DAVE JOHNSON WILL MATCH
ROSEBEN AGAINST JACK ATKIN.
susgests Race at SIX FurIongs. Weight for
Age, TO he Run at the Hay Next Month
--wagers Only $500 on the Big Train
but Is Happy-Transaction In the Ring.


-wagers Only $500 on the Big Train
but Is Happy-Transaction In the Ring.
Dave johnson was warmly congratulated
when Roseben won at Belmont Park yester-
day while the Big Train. one of the most
popular racehorses In training. received an
ovation from the crowd when he trotted back
to the scales. The starting Of Roseben at the
last moment came In the nature OF surprise
TO the talent. but when Golden Pearl and Col.
Jack were scratched Trainer Weir decided
to send Roseben to the post for he believed
that the Big Train would beat Aletheuo In q
romp. Roseben picked up i4o pounds.
Because of his previous crushing defeats.
however. the form players did not show
much confidence id, him. 80 they made Ale
iheuo a strong favorite. backing him from
u to 5, to III to TO-
Roseben opened at 8 to 5 and receded to
y to before the real money" made It's ap-
pcarance. Then there was a rush to get
aboard all over the ring, with the result that
the big sprinter was reduced to to again.
Frank J. Farrell. James f. Garney, r. +.
Carman and the Sullivans bet heavily on
Roseben, but johnson. who used to wager
1000 at a clip on the Big Train. wagered only
$500, according to his own statement When
it came to racing Roseben showed that he
still had plenty OF foot. but as he had nothing
to beat his victory was decidedly hollow.
said afterward that he never let the son OF
Ben Strome down. After the race johnson
said:
"Roseben is as good as. he ever was In his
previous races he met with hard luck. When
he was badly beaten in the Toboggan Handi-.
cap last week there was an excellent reason.
Roseben cannot break away from the barrier
except from a standing start. In the Toboggan
the barrier went up when he was moving
toward II, so that when he broke he crossed
his legs. did not get into his usual quick stride
and was promptly shut of, losing at least
eight lengths. After that he made up the
ground in the first half mile and was not far
behind the pacemakers when he stopped
and Shaw eased him up.
n hat performance alone convinced both
Weir and myself. as we'll as Shreve. that
Roseben was himself again. and that was
why we did not see how he could lose to-day.
| think he is still the champion sprnter.
and to show that have perfect confidence
in him will make match with Jack Atkn.
weight for age. six furlongs. the race to be
run at Sheepshead Bay next month Such
race would be a sensational affair and would
draw an immense crowd. 1t il up to the
Coney Island Jockey Club to offer special
purse for this test of thoroughbred skill.
How much did | bet on Roseben to-day!
Well, to be exact, I waeered just $500. which
was all could afford But the wager was
1
saw the old horse come home in all his ma
iesty.
As Barney Schneider Is a good sport and as
Trainer Brandt thinks that Jack Atkin Is
Rosebens master right now, IL Is probable
that the great sprinters will meet in a special
sweepstakes at the Bay. Jack Atkin. bv the
way. has been declared out of the Brooklyn,
Suburban and Brighton handicaps because
Brandt intends to race him exclusively in
a IN I'm m tn n mil 10
Because of the muddy track James R.
Keene's Colin was scratched from the fifth
race. Yesterday morning at the Bav, how
ever, Colin. who will start in the Withers
Stakes next Saturday, II the track is good,
worked mile and furlong in 2'02 1-5. He
was under a pull all the way and made a
most impressive showing. By a strange
coincidence after Colin was scratched Mas
aniello, his half brother. a six-year-old. by
Kingston -Pastorella, won the last race
for Willie Mckinney at odds OF Is to l. In
cdentally Masaniello upset a well planned
coup with Chantillv. from the Weir stable.
Pretenson and Bad News were both with
drawn, so that Chantilly looked as ii he was
in" There was much support for him
that he was hammered down from TO
8 to 5, the books winning. fortune. The
Matthews boys thought that Rio Gran de
was the candy and played him from 3 TO 4.
bat IT was not the right day.
John +. Madden. who seems to be in a
streak of hard luck just now, thought that
Salvidere would walk on with the ffth race.
Although Salvidere was apparently sore
going to the post. he got widespread play.
mis- odds falling from to at the last mo-
rnent But Notter was unable to get him
going at any stage and he came homo in dis
grace. badly beaten by two platers. Berke-
lev the winner. was well taken both ways
et n 10 ! and even, while Col. Jack was a
strong favorte. cut from ~ 10 to II to 5.
There was also n big play on Beaucoup. low
cred from 20 y %. ssalyidere gave thirteen
pounds 10y the scale to Berkeley. twenty-one
tn Col. Jack. two 10 Benuconp and thirteen
70 lhurenne. Tie books cleaned up hand
romely on this event.
Trainer Rowe sent word to james +. Keene
Yesterday morning that he wanted him to
come to the track to see 1urncoat run in the
second race. Turpcoat n bay colt by Voter.
Costume, said to be one Of Mr.. keene's best
youngsters, caused a most favorable i'm
preston when he came out for warmup.
An Of the wise men had him tabled and pro-
cecded 10 back him from to to favorite.
But Turncoat, just as other keene two-year-
olds hav We done this spring. ran disappointing
race. possibly because he was green or did
not relish the going. A killing was pulled
~ with Jack Bennets Uncle jim the winner
of this event The clubhouse experts backed
him from Ia to and all OF the books felt the
shock
John r.. Madden did not expect his entry.
Sir Martin and Edward. 10 beat rurncoat.
but he did not see how he could be kept out
Of the place. The Madden pair opened at
! to and closed at ~ to 5, with n strong play
for the place Vt 4 to ). II T. Carman's Right
Sort was a tip that caused his price to iall
from 20 to 10. while F. \. Forsytbe's Moorish
King. a son Of Oddfellow Mack. was
backed from 80 down to 20, probably because
the sharpshooters did not care to let any
horse from this powerful stable run unbacked.
George Odom had another chance to gloat
over II. I Grimm when franc e beat Fitz
Herbert in the Bouquet Stakes. Griffin sold
Trance to odom believfng that she was on
the verge OF a breakdown but The Ben Brush
ny has never been defeated since and is
already top notcher. 0dom said he could
not lose this race unless she broke leg and
the Ally made good In superb style She
vas heavily backed By the public at to u,
hut the sharp insiders who did not care for
that short price went to Fitz Herbert. who
carried lot OF coin at II TO 10. Trance did
not have to turn n hair to win and Odom was
kept busy shaking hands the rest OF the day.