The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-14
BR|TONS PLUNGE
 ON KING JAMES Doubt Exists As to the Future
 of Sir Martin EXCUSES OF POLO TEAM British Players Are Claiming That That Americans Have Gobbled
 Up All the Best Polo Po-
 nies on English Soil.
BY RICHARD pAHLGREN.

London, June 13.-(SpeciaL )-Not satis- fled with dropping thousands on Sir Mar
 tin to win the Derby, thousands more
 were lost to the bookmakers on the Brooklyn Handicap, won by King James on Thursday, while British bettors, when Sthey bet at all, placed their money on King James. No reason can be assigned for the British pubics plunge on King James, as not one in a hundred knew anything. about the horse and had never read his pedigree
 Much speculation Is indulged in as to what MT. Winans intends to do with Sir Martin The colt has not yet been en- tered for any of the summer races and there seems little prospect of a match race between the American horse and King Edwards Minoru It Is said in | racing circles that the Kings secretary has been approached with an offer to h match the two horses, but the proposition was discouraged from the start. A unique excuse Is given by the Hur- lihgham polo team, which represents Eng land in the international polo games with . the Meadowbrook, N. r., club, represent ing America The Birmingham manage
 ment claims that the Americans have gobbled up the best polo ponies in Eng land and the home team is unable to secure suitable mounts. It is said that 1 the Meadowbrook club has paid as high as 800 guineas for pony. The American | team sustained their first defeat on May 2s after having won three straight vic tories.
 The international cup, which was first 1 given and played for in 1SS6 will be 1 fought for at Birmingham on June 2S 1 and succeeding days, the cup going to
 the team winning the best two out of
 three matches The American team Is i made up as follows:
 1 No. 1-J. M. Waterbury.
 No. 2-"Larry' Waterbury. | No 3-Harry Payne Whitney | Back-L. E. 6toddard.
 l MT. Stoddard may be replaced by D. | Milburn. who arrived from America to-
 day The Waterbury brothers are well | known to the players in this country ! but MT. Whitney and Mr. Stoddard are i, newcomers. Mir. Milburn was at Oxford |, some six years ago and there established
 great reputation as a polo player. | The makeup of the English team will | probably be as follows: Capt. Herbert f Wilson. MT. Freake, MT. Buckmaster and | P. Nickalls.
 British polo players in general do not
 attempt to conceal their opinion that the 1 brilliant American team will take the | international cup with them when they | recross the Atlantic.
 An old polo player recently said that
 money plays large part in the success | of the Meadowbrook team
 l T do not for moment say that the l Americans are not splendid polo players" !"
 he said. They play wonderfully well l together and show perfect combination.
 English teams do not always get the
 same opportunities of playing together. English players as a rule cannot afford
 to put down any price which Is asked l for pony. One of the Americans paid | 600 gufneas for a pony. and two of their
 stud, which consists of 20 ponies, cost
 300 guineas apiece"
 With the exception of two or three Ar | genuine ponies all of the ponies now be-
 ing played by the Americans are Eng
 fish bred and are the fastest and clever
 est ponies in the kingdom.
 The work of transforming Olympia into l a huge conservatory for the international horse show, on which some 1600 men have | been engaged this week. is all but com pleted. According to those most com potent to judge the exhibition, which
 opened yesterday. and continues until
 June 16, will be the best that has ever been seen in London
 The entry list contains most of the finest animals in the world, and of the 125O exhibits which will be seen are said
 to be valued at thousands of pounds.
 America has made a splendid entry,
 and there is keen competition among the
 exhibitors from that country as to whc