Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-23
Stable Owners Getting Ready
for Wind-Up at Charleston.
TO LATONIA AND NORFOLK
Inside Information About Two.
Year-Olds at Palmetto
Park Track.
BY JOE KNIGHT.

Now that the second winter race meeting
at Palmetto Park is nearly half over,
owners and trainers are rushing their
backward horses to their best FORM not
alone in the expectation of campaigning
them for the remainder of the meeting,
but also in anticipation of the meetings
to follow in Kentucky, Canada and the
east Up to this afternoon 2O6 horses
had started here, while the reports of the
checkers show that nearly every one of
the JOO-Odd horses stabbed at the Charles
ton course is taking regular workouts
The better class of horses are daily be-
ing seen under colors in increased num-
bers Trainers of those in the stake and
handicap division have no excuses for
their charges not being ready. and, to
tell the truth. no excuses are being
heard. The third stake book, as issued
by Assistant Racing Secretary Gerhardy,
shows what these owners and turfmen
had anticipa ted-a general Tightening up
of the selling conditions, admitting less
and less of the cheaper sort. and af-
fording an enlarged opportunity for own
ers of the better class of selling platers.
as well as those Of handicap caliber.
Thus from now until the end of the
meeting. when Norfolk to the north and
Wellington farther UP the line summon
l
abound in class as well as keen contests,
which have been the rule since the meet
ing began.
The George Washington handicap,
which was decided this afternoon, is a
case in point. 1t being one of the higher
class fixtures. being valued at $1,5OO
guaranteed, it attracted a classy field, as
was anticipated. and most Of the entrants
are also nominated in the other fixtures
which remain uncontested over a moder-
of
Juveniles again will be asked to go
three furlongs and a half in the Ju-
venile stakes. to be decided next Wednes-
day. Inasmuch as this will be the first
contest where colts and fillies will hook
up at the distance. contest of con-
siderable interest Is sure to result. The
success of the FLIES SO far in all con-
tests which have admitted the youngsters
to contention is deceptive to one not &C
quainted with conditions here. The FLIES
which have won. like Please Welles.
Ruby Hyams Miss Gayle and Miss Char
cot, are undoubtedly CLASSY ones but
there is no lacking in numbers of high
class colts. There are several reasons
why these colts have not yet given the
public line on their prowess.
Best Babies to Come.
In the first place, the only stake so
far decided for the baby racers was
the Debutante stakes, to which fillies
alone were eligible. In the second place,
all the earlier contests for the young
sterS We're al a quarter of a mile, which
increases at Palmetto Park the element
of hazard and tends to decrease the
chances Of a starter which draws an
outside position.
Palmetto Park has no chute at the
head of the stretch, and the topography
of the vicinity forbids one ever being
constructed. as the ocean itself backs
up to the seven-furlong pole. Thus own
ers of good colts have delayed preparing
them until during the week just passed.
The result is that the best two-year-old
contests are yet to come.
The victory of Miss Charcot in the De-
butante stakes was as unexpected to the
rank and file of turfmen as would have
been a bolt from the blue. Miss Charcot
is by no means deficient in breeding lines,
and on her only previous start at a short
distance of ground she showed early
speed.
Only Jim Everman, her trainer how
ever. and j. II. Morris, owner of Ken
tucky's famous Bosque Bonita stud and
owner of the tilly, had real line on her
ability. Like the victory of Forward,
which Mr.. Norris also bred. last year.
the first win was sensationally run. Miss
Charcot is by Charcot, a stallion that
only recently has been lost to the thor
oughbred running turf, though still per-
forming utilitarian service in this coun-
try.
Charcott had shown little previous to