New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-13
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Turf Rivals to Fight 1t Out in
Suburban Handicap.
BASEBALL FEVER SPREADS
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

followers Of racing as the one which Will
he decided on Friday II s. c. Hildreth's
Fftz Herbert and James r. keene's Ballot
60 TO the post. II matters not how many
other horses face the starter If only these
two great thoroughbreds go out to do bat
tie Both have been carefully pointed 10
this historic fixture. which has marked the
opening day of the spring meeting OF the
Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead
BAY for many years, and each has host
Of followers. Both are in fine condition and
should be trained 20 the hour, while both
have shown in races this year that they
sre ready 10 run TO their best form. IN
fact everything points TO turf history being
made If the weather and track conditions
are favorable. and the best traditions Of
the race are sure 10 be upheld
Fftz Herbert was beaten In only one race
last year, for which. as has been said in
this column two or three times. there was
ample excuse He is unbeaten in two races
.llis season, his performance in the Brook
iyn Handicap stamping him once more as
one Of the greatest horses ever foaled and
raced in this country. Ballot won the
Suburban Handicap of 1908 and four other
races. for 8 total of $685., being unbeaten,
IN fact, that season. Following the passage
of the Agnew-Hart law against organized
bookmaking he was shipped to England.
where he raced two or three times last
year with poor success, due partly to the
change OF climate and conditions, and due
partly, according to a friend of mine VINO
was abroad, TO injudicious handling. which.
Of course. is only e. matter Of opinion. He
was not in particularly good physical con-
oition on his return to this country, but in
the hands of his old trainer, Jimmy Rowe.
has improved to such extent that he
stands out to-day as one of the handsom-
est best looking and most vigorous horses
in training. He showed at Belmont Park
In his only start this year that he had lost
none of the speed and stamina for which
he was known and admired in 1908.
That Ballot is q worthy rival for Fitz
Herbert no well informed horseman ques-
tions but that he is the master of the
great son OF Ethelbert-Morganatic is a
point On which racegoers and horsemen
split Personally have a slight leaning
TO Fitz Herbert, # for other reason than
that there is no telling just how good he is.
He has done everything required of him in
such impressive fashion that I must see
him beaten on his merits before can be-
lieye that there is horse living capable
of taking his measure. The two horses are
down TO meet at even weights SO far the
original handicaps were concerned but F1tz
Herbert will take UP small penalty for
winning the Brooklyn Handicap, so that
Ballot will have whatever advantage lies
in two or three pounds
At the present writing it looks as if .
field Of from eight to ten horses viii go to
the post in the Suburban. s. c. Hildreth
may send out King James TO bear Fitz
Herbert company, while Mr. keene may
decide 10 let Masllet1e. and possibly Helmet.
which in q way qualified at Gravesend on
Thursday, nelp out Ballot, if help be need
ed. Racegoers have been looking forward
for long time to meeting between Fitz
Herbert and Maskette, and perhaps this
mooted question can be settled at the same
time. Other probable starters include the
Cneck Stables Fashion Plate, T. A. For
syth'S Dorante, Harry Payne Whitney'S
Dinna Ken. r. T. Wilson. jr.'s. Olambala.
which ran second TO Fitz Herbert in the
Brooklyn Handicap. and the Woodhaven
Stables PRINCE Imperial.
The spring meeting of the Brooklyn
Jockey Club. which has proved so highly
successful, will come to an end on Thurs
day. Chief interest centres in the running
of the Brooklyn Derby. at one mile and a
quarter. tomorrow. for which Sweep. Dali
matian and Prince Imperial are eligible,
among others. If all three so to the post,
as seems probable. the race for the Carlton
Stakes, which was marred by an unfortu-
nate jump at the start, can be fought over
again. The Turk, which ran second to
Sweep in the Carlton. was not named, but
ina he hi
that race. whereas excuses could be offered
for Dalmatian and Prince Imperial he will
not be missed. The fremont Stakes, of $500,
on Wednesday. also promises We'll. r f.
Carman's Semprolus is not eligible, but
Naushon, Babbler. Footprint, Novelty and
most of the other good two-year- olds are
ready TO fight out the issue.
Marh Cassidy is a good starter, and has
had remarkable success in getting horses
away from the post under the walk-up
system which he used 20 advantage in
Mexico and at other places and with the
standing system, which is in force on
tracks operating under the control of the
Jockey Club. Recently. however, be has
fallen into the way of combining the two
systems no doubt unconsciously, and this
hybrid form OF starting has aroused much
unfavora bic comment. In the Carlton
Stakes. on Wednesday, Sweep was walking
up 10 the barrier and consequently was in
motion when the start came, while the
other horses in the field were standing
In the arst race on Thursday il was much
the same thing, while in the sixth race the
Ralk-up system was shown to perfection, as
none of the horses came to a full stop be-
fore the barrier was released. Other cases
could be cited. and Mr.. Cassidy should use
one system the other, or else trouble is
in store.
There is a vast difference of opinion be-
tween the merits of the two systems, and
both well enough in their way when
the horses and jockeys know what to ex-
pect- Personally I am rather disposed to
the walk-up system. as in my opinion il
leads TO less 5ockeying at the start But
Ny. Cassidy has been successful enough
with the standing system since the season
opened up to two or three weeks ago to
arouse nothing except favorable criticism.
Good starts cannot be expected in every
-ace, but bad starts will be the rule and
the Jockeys will not know what to expect
&: he continues TO mix UP the two systems.
II seems fitting that Thomas J. Lynch,
president OF the National League should
keep his eye On Moran. one OF his umpires,
after Offering a little timely advice as TO
the importance of seeing a play completed
before making q decision. Umpires are