New-York tribune., 1913-12-28
Three Worlds Records for
the Running Turf a
Distinct Feature.
WHISK BROOM SETS =.
SEAL ON GREATNESS
Pennant and Old Rosebud Divide
Honors Among the Two.
Year-Olds for 1913.

i-OEN.O AOi LOiOs
! One Of the mileetones FOR thoroughbred
racing will be marked by the year 1911
! After lapse Of three years the sport Was
| revived in this state last May. and wsl!le
! il failed TO reach the heights OF popular.
| ty that made it so gripping before the
passage Of the Agnew-Hart law aiming
TO prevent public bookmaking, a most ex.
| celent start was made.
One year ago the outlook was gloomy.
! TO say the least but now the future Is
bright with promise. The Jockey Club
and the various racing associations have
made an earnest effort to build anew on
a much stronger foundation, and II begins
| 10 look as If these efforts would he
| crowned with success.
| Combination meetings. in which four
| associations were interested, were held az
| Belmont Park and one at Saratoga
Springs. In the metropolitan district the
sport was confined TO an average Of about
three days a week through June and July,
while up the state every day was utilized
through August.
In spite OF the fact that racing had been
dead IN this state for almost three years,
that many of the best class horses had
been shipped abroad, and that the breed
ing industry had been hampered and re-
stricted, the sport on the whole was re-
markably good, even II not up to the
standard set in happier days. There was
a marked weakness among the older
horses, and many of the fields were lack
ing in quality as we'll as quantity; but
four or five horses Of real merit made rp
lin part for this, and furthermore the
competition from day TO day was keen
enough to satisfy the most captious critic
Harry Payne Whitney's WhIsk Broom
H. returned TO this country from England .
where he had proved his class. and made :
a name for himself which will I've through
turf history. He was not only the first
horse to win the three big spring handl-
caps-the Metropolitan, Brooklyn and
suburban-in quick succession, but ne es-
tablshed worlds record for one and
one-quarter miles in the last named BY
running the distance in the amazing tine
OF 200 fat, with l39 pounds up.
! This time was discredited by some
,clockers, but William II. Baretto, who has
timed horses for the various associations
for more years than II is safe 70 suggest,
was positive that no mistake had been
made, and, OF course, was in the only
position 20 pass accurately. The marx
was accepted as official, and surplsnted
the record OF 2:02 4-5. set by Broomstick,
the sire OF whisk Broom IT, at Brighton
Beach in 1904, when he beat the great
Irish Lad head in the most sensational
Brighton Handicap ever run. Whisk
Broom II did not go to the post again, as
he pulled up slightly lame while being
prepared for the Saratoga Handicap, and
his owner retired him for the season
rather than take any chances
Froglegs. a four-year- colt. and Iron
Mask. a flve-year old also established
worlds records. The former took up i0S
pounds at Louisville on May l3 and ran
one mile and twenty yards in i:Ss. 1t was
a sterling performance, and the mark
may stand for years.
Iron Mask. sold by Harry Payne Whit I,
ney last summer. took up l27 pounds At
Louisville on September e, and ran six (;
furlongs in the remarkable time oS
1lO As. The old mark for a circular
track was shared by Chapultepeo end'
Priscillian.
Fred Johnsons Cock O. the Walk. win ,
ner OF the Saratoga Handicap and other
fixtures, was rated by most horserren az
the best three-year-old OF the season. AL ,
though some conceded the honor to Au- !,
gust Belmont's Rockvtew, a colt OF high !,
quality, but one which trained on slight I,
! ly as the season progressed.
Opinion was divided among the two 4
year-olds, which, by the way. were nor,
as a rule up TO the standard Of previous !
years, but which. with two or three ex-
/ ceptions. were a fairly even lot, and con-
seauently provided good racing. The
post OF honor was accorded by many TO
Harry Payne Whitney's unbeaten Fen
nant, winner of the historic Futurity.
run at Saratoga Springs. by courtesy OF
f, the Coney Island Jockey Club. Pennant
( was suffering from spllnt, and was 50
| slow to settle in his stride that ne was
several lengths out OF II rounding the far
turn and looked hopelessly beaten. He
closed with a great rush. however, and
won going away and in manner which
set the seal on his greatness.
! II. c. Applegate's Old Rosebud easily
was the champion OF the West and won
twelve out OF fourteen races in such an i'm
pressiye way that no question could he
raised as to this class He did not meet
! Pennant, so that no direct comparison
was afforded. but number OF clever
horsemen counted him the best OF the
year Unfortunately he is a geldng. so
that the son OF Uncle Is not likely 20
leave such O strong imprint on the Ameri-
can turf as Pennant
Harry Payne Whitney headed the lis
| OF winning owners for the season in this
state with So. 500 while r. T. Wilson wss
! second, with $l9,555; II. F. Carman. thircl
with sls.SSo, and August Belmont, foa-~--
with slT,7s0
Jimmy Rowe. who handled the whitney
horses. headed the list of winning train
ers, while the leading jockeys were But
well. Wilson and Johnny McTaggert The
/ las named-a mere boy-rode his first win
ner at Belmont Park early in the season
but he improved So fast and showed him
self to be such natural horseman that
toward the end he was getting the choice
OF mounts.
! Amateur racing prospcred, the meetings
at Piping Rock being close up TO the
| standard set at the bigger tracks The