The Washington herald., 1911-10-22
Sir John Johnson Captures the Washington Handicap at Laurel
HORSE-LOVERS TRAVEL
TO LAUREL TRACK
Horsemeu Attend Maryland Fair.
Charley Mitchell Is Good Gelding Trotter.

I heats. In the third heat, which was in
2:lo 3-4, Berka finished next to Miss Ru-
shan, who was third, notwithstanding the
| fact that she had to make up a lot Of
Grounl in the mile by being unable to
get off with her field. Could Berka have
| gotten IN equal break with her field her
| position in the summary would have been
much better than it is. She is a great
/ timsher, but does not get of fast enough.
Unless this defect is overcome she will
be disappointment.
Tie 80 trot was of interest to Wash
! ingtOnians, because of the fact that Foxy
Grattan "a cogaomen not unknown in this
community was in the race, and, be-
cause again, there are men in the Dis
| trict of Columbia who have persistently
maintained that the Grattan gelding was
, rank lobster, and a counterfeit Of the
purest ray serane. He led his field home
the first heat in gallant style, when in
the next, Murphy, behind Ethel Lyon.
took command and finished the affair up
in "straights," with Foxy Grattan the
chaser out in each heat Although the
first heat was only in 2.21 IA, it was fast
enough to shut out the local colt, Keen
worthy, and two others. 1t is but Just
to say, however, in this connection that
ing against aged horses and probably had
not fully recovered from his race at Rich
mOnd the week previous, when he trotted
the first mile in 2:22 IA, record faster
than any other three-year-o ever bred
in this vicinity has been able to attain.
AS his sire, Bale Axworthy and his dam,
Elsie DOnegan, are each to be sold under
the hammer next Saturday, October %,
on the premises of their owner, Mr.. ]. NJ.
Corbin. in Hamilton, Va, added interest
is given to KeenwortEy's recent achieve
ments.
The 2:1O pace developed some high
Class wrisglers. and it took five heats to
decide which was the best of the eight
that answered the summons of the bell.
The Laurel track Is not suited for the
gait Of PAGERS as yet, and possibly never
may be, as there are spots on the back
stretch that are soggy and holding. and,
when hit at speed stop the stOutest horse
that ever drew sulky.
Even the trotters. when they struck
those spots, had to slow down almost to a
jog; 50 that when T. was announced that
the first heat was paced in 2:121-i and
the second in 2:l) l-2, and. the remaining
three heats were in better than 2:15, the
class of the horses entered need not be
dwelt upon at length. While the chest
nut geldins Exall got the big end of the
purse. a different story might have been
told If Lucius Todd, who had only ar
rived from Lexington, an hour before
the race was called, had had a good
nights rest in a stable, instead Of being
on a freight car. AS evidence of the good
horse ne is. he won the third heat in
2:13, and was second in the fourth and
he in L Il nd "a
of the fact that he had nothing to eat
after he landed at the track. He is a
bay stallion by Todd, 2:14 3-4, and will be
heard from in 1872, if nothing happens to
him.
Starter Frank Walker. the greatest cf
America starters OF harness horses, was
questioned by the writer as to his Opin-
ion of the three-year-O!ds of the year,
most of whom had raced under his eye.
He declared them to he the best lot that
has yet appeared On the American turf.
The time recorded In their arces tells
the story of their grea tness in brief, he
remarked. Il am afraid, however, that
they Will be better three than fOur-year-
oIds. When We recall to mind that fact
that three-y -year-olds drew the past season
a Sulky weighing, on the average OF
thirty-six pounds and that in 1t was a
man weighing not less, under the rules,
than $50 pounds and that the miles were
around 2:O7 and POS. 1t staggers one. Some
of the races of these youngsters went
five heats This is taking too much out
of young horses. and the practice should
be barred in all future contests. Races
for horses under four years should be
confined 20 three heats, best two in
three Under this more humane system
we shall have sounder horses, and. for
breeding purposes, they will be worth
more 20 their owLcrs, because their vi
taIity will have not been sapped. Besides
We will not have as many broken down
youngsters as we now have.