Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-22
THOROUCHBREDS SHOW
:, SPEED IN SPR|NT|NG
Heme Horses Reputed to Have Made
SO Great Time in Short
Runs.
EALvATOR. SYSONBY AND
KINGSTON ARE THE BEST
Racers Have Record of 10, 1919 and
II Seconds for the
=: Furlong.

II Seconds for the
~ Furlong.
:&
Somebody once asked a famous ken-
lucky turfman what was the chief reaui-
site in the makeup of a great race horse,
and the answer was Speed.
And what after that was the next
question.
More speed" was the reply, and from
the records of the turf it seems as II the
Bluegrass horseman had given the proper
replies to the questions.
If is the horse with the dazzling burst
of speed, able to extricate himself from
danger in a large field, that earns the
bulk of the prizes. especially in races for
tWo-year-olds Those who saw Novelty
win most of the rich features for two
yesr-olds in 1910 especially the F'uturity
stakes recall the manner in which he al
WAYS shot away from the post. escaping
the Jams and interferences which came to
Textile and other slow beginners. If it
hadn't been for the speed he displayed at
Saratoga in the first half mile of the
Futurity il is probable that he would
have been nearer third position than first
at the wire.
Won All on Short Spurts.
IL was speed which was the distinguish
ing characteristic of Kingston, the sire OF
Novelty, and it was the superlative quail
ity of speed possessed by Kingston that
made him one of the greatest race horses
ever seen in this country. a winner of
eighty-four races and upward of $4,000
during his racing career. Kingston won
1t 49, art n
which stood his opponents, figuratively
speaking, on their heads.
When Kingston was supposed TO be far
from his best the reisning sensation as
a sprinter was that really fast horse
Doctor HaSbrouck The TWO horses met
at Gravesend in q siN-furlong dash, and
many persons expected very fast per-
Torrance. and most of the talent looked
for a victory by the younger horse This
is what happened:
The two horses ran head and head for
a quarter of a mile in "a, or trifle less.
and then Kingston put in the next eighth
in IL The race was won then and there,
the mighty son of Spendthrift galloping
home in 1.16la, fully .O.1s slower than
Doctor Hasbrouck could have covered the
six furlongs in fight against time or IN
a contest against a horse of less speed
than Kingston.
Extreme Speed Lasts Briefly.
1t was that terrific sprint that cooked
DR.. Hasbroucks goose, and it is the
ability to put in that squirt at the psyche
logical moment which makes the differ
ence between the f1rst-class and the sec
ond-class horse. No horse can carry his
top speed far-just how far is a moot
Question-but 1t is generally believed that
between a quarter and three-eighths of a
mile is the outside limit. This, of course, |
means pulling the throttle wide open. to
borrow an engineers saying. for the pur- |
pose Of illustration.
When Sysonby made his mad dash after |
Olseau in the race for the Grand Repub- |
lie stake at Saratoga, he was timed an |
eighth OF q mile In .1O12. and those who !
knew the horse say that on one or two
occasions he beat this feat in private.
Salvador, the holder of the mile record in
America, was said by Matt Byrnes, his
trainer, to have run a furlong in the
marvellous time of 10. Fast as this is.
those who saw Salvador run his straight
mile at Monmouth Park would be almost
ready to believe any tale Of his speed.
Made Record on Awful Day.
The writer was stationed at the half |
mile post that day. and he will never |
forget the sensations experienced DUR |
ing that trial. 1t was binding hot day |
in July. the sun beating mercilessly
upon the reddish yellow soil over which |
the trial was to be made. Bergen. on |
Salvador cantered leisurely to the post |
accompanied by a two-year-old in the |
Haggin stable, which was TO act as pace
maker for a portion of the way. Per- |
SEPARATION was oozing from the big chest |
nut as he paved, champing nervouSly at |
the bit. The heat rays danced fantas- |
tcally and almost blinded the vision
when the eyes were turned up the long
straight where the start was to be made. |
In the huge stand at the finishing line
".r0GJ persons waited anXiously for the
fr,ai AGAINST time.
C;x.sr1 hrfa ~ Yty,ffx 70
get we'll into his stride, Bergen set him
down with the fall of the starters flag.
To the men on the track looking at the
2pproachin horse the first simile for his
cnlazing speed was the flight of some
huge bird. Too far away as yet to hear
the rhythm of the flying feet, the only
evidence Of speed was the quick recur-
ring clouds of dust which rose at every
hcof beat and joined each other like
wreaths above smokers head.
Like Splendid Machine.
As the seconds passed there was the
stead patter of feet like the rolling of
battle call on a drum, and with neck out
stretched and body poised perfectly. the
mighty legs working as smoothly as
pieces OF some splendid machine. the race
horse Numbered down the track. Now he
was hundred yards away and now he
was abreast. the pounding of his feet on
the yellow soil ringing clear and true.
Another moment and the dust clouds had
partially hidden him. and then far away
came the hoarse murmur Of applause as
the champion drew near the stand.
The rataplan of the hoof beats dieo
away iii the distance and the cheers in
creased in volume. There was a
mentary silence while the time was being
put up. followed by mighty cheer. and
the IL the ira ok half a mile away
knew that history had been made.
Salvador was fast horse. and so was
his doughty opponent. Tenny. when that
famous swayback was inclined TO try. 1t
was Salvatore speed and tractability that
made him conquer Tenny in their fierce
battle at Sheepshead Bay.
None as Good as Kingston
Voter was another fas, horse-as fast as
most OF them. John HGesins the veteran