The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-29
Keene's Unbeaten Thoroughbred
with Record of Is Straight
Victories Breaks Down,
Especial to the Evening Start

NAV AOINhS WAY zJ.-COlln, king Of
the American turf, the unbeaten race
horse, who has won thirteen consecutive
victories, will never face the starter
again. James R. Keene, his owner. who
has had singular misfortune with the
splendid colts the race-going public
loved, is today so distressed that he
says he cannot find words to express
his sorrow.
Colin had been pronounced by experts
the greatest horse ever bred in this
country; greater, even, than S~ysonsby,
Keene's 3-year-old, who died of septic
poisoning early in his fourth year, after
sweeping all before him the year before.
With an unbeaten record as a 2-year-
old, Colin was confidently expected to
maintain his standard as a 3-year-old,
and was picked as the winner of the
Suburban and all the other leading
races this season.
Had racegoers been asked "Wha is
the greatest misfortune that could hap
pen to an owner" the reply would
unanimously have been 1.-THE loss of
Colin" say dozens of turfmen today,
who share keenly Mr.. Keene's grief at
the breakdown of the greatest colt ever
foaled in America.
The collapse of Colin was totally I'M
expected. The horse came out of his
stall in the morning as frolicsome as a
lamb. 1t was this exuberance of spirits
that brought about his undoing. When
sent for a trial at 10 o'clock he was $50
full of life that his negro rider, Mar
shall, q stout lad who weighs 100
pounds, said: Il can't do anything
with Colin this morning. He's just full
Of fire.
During the latter part of the trial
Trainer Rowe became frightened when
he saw the great pace at which his
favorite was going, ran out on the track,
and, waving his hat to the negro rider,
shouted: Pull up. Are you crazy?"
Marshall was doing his utmost to
obey Rowe's instruction, but his best
efforts were in vain. At the end of the
trial Marshall explained to the angry
trainer: II did my best. Mr.. Rowe" he
said. but I couldn't hold him back"
The great horse seemed one the
worse for his fast trial when rubbed
down with hot lotions. He champed
the bit and was as full of fire as ever.
Bandages were placed on his legs and
he was taken to the stable. When
IDR Dd1QdS6S WGlG lOiiiONCN - "N|
ound that his legs were stiff and
sore and Ina the tendons were swol-
len. This was the first intimation OF
trouble. Bandages We're again APP
piled and the horse sent back to his
stall.
An hour later, when the second
bandages We're removed, 1t was FOUND
that the tendons of both legs were
1.L.-1 Y n1-,a bic trafs,ofs RnaXV at
once that Colin was on the verge of a
complete breakdown. The middle ten
dens had been severely strained, and
the legs shook like those of a man
with palsy. A veterinary surgeon con-
hrmed his worst fears.
During the brief hour that inter
vened from the start of the fast trial
to the arrival of the veterinary, Collins
value shrank from more thai a quar-
ter of a million dollars to a few thou
sands-the price at which Mr.. keeise
will value him for breeding purposes.
Mr.. Keene's greatest horses nave
heen lost to him before they reached
their prime. Commando COINS sire
was forced to leave the turf When ne
was 8 years old because OF a stone
bruise. Sysonsby, after beating all INC
great race horses in his 3-year-ola
form, died of septic poisoning Peter
Pan, after winning the Brighton Han
dicap last year, had to be retired. But
the most crushing blow to the veteran
turfman is the loss of Colin, VINO was
enteredLin all the leading events OF
the year, and was picked as a sure
winner.
No horse, not eve ~Sysonsoy, was
such a public idol as Colin. Although
he was a poor betting proposition De-
cause of the fact that he was always
an odds-on favorite, ~racegoers lovea
him because he was an honest, true
going horse.