Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-27
TRACERY IS
THE BESIOF
RACE HORSES

A -
Tracery won the Eclipse stakes at
ago. il demonstrated that for the first
time in many years an American thor
oughbred was the greatest racehorse in
the British isles. For, although the
horses pedigree is English. Traeery
was bred in old Kentucky. where the
meadow grass etc, being foaled and
raised on the nursery farm Of An
gust Belmont, few miles from Lex
lington
Sire and Dam Imported
Tracery Is a. brown. horse, foaled in
1909 by Rock Sand. out of Topiary.
Both sire and dam were imported by
Mr.. Belmont. Rock Sand at a cost Of
$l25. 900 and Topiary at about $4,000.
Rock Sand was the greatest horse of
his time. being q triple crown winner
Iof the Derby, 0-Thousand-G uineas
stake and the st. Leger He started
twenty times in his racing career. won
sixteen events and was never unplaced
mated $236.S40.
Topiary was foaled In 1901 and was
imported to this country in 1906. Her.
first foal In this country was Trap
rock, who was colt of great speed as
a 2 and 3-year-old. Plaisanterie, the
dam of Topiary. was bred in France
and was wonderful race mare, win
ming numerous French classics and
|afterward going to England. where she
beat the pick of the British thorough
|breds in the Cesarewitch handicap.
Tracery comes honestly by his ability
to run fast and far as at the stud
Plaisanterie produced Childwick, RAJ
contour and Hawkswick, all great per-
formers In their time.
Did Not Race rs 2-Year-Old
Tracery did not start at all as q 2
year-old aud his first appearance un-
der colofs- as. q 3-year-0ld was in Eng
land, where Mr. Belmont had shipped
him from Kentucky. He made his first
racing appearance In the Derby OF
1912, which was won by Tagalie. Trac-
cry was not expected to make much
of showing. but he surprised every
one by running thoroughly good
race, steadilrS Improving bis position|
from q Sow beginning and Winding
up in third place, two lengths behind
Jaeger. His next appearance was at
Ascot, June 20, 1912. in the Palace
stakes at one mile, where he was sec
ond choice in the speculation. H. B.
DURYEA'S Sweeper being fav0rite.
Tracery got away In front and was
never headed, winning in a gallop by
four lengths. A month later Tracery !
again beat Sweeper In the Sussex
stakes In this event he picked up
127 pounds and won cleverly by half |
length. He wound up the racing year
by winning the st. Leger. one of Eng
lands greatest races, in stayle that
convinced the onlookers that they
were looking at great horse. There
were fourteen starters and among
those that Tracery beat we're the Der
by favorfte LOmond and Tagalie, the
Derby winner. With the odds Of 8 to
1 against him, Traeery took the track
at the rise of the barrier, led all the
way and won by five lengths. This
was the first time in forty years that
any horse had won this race after
making all the pace.
Won Burwell Plate
In Tracery's. first start in 1913. he
won the Burwell plate at l LIZ miles,
beating Jackdaw and Stedfast easilysl
Then came his accident in the Ascot
gold cup run on June IS and worth
5000 to the winner, distance 21-2
miles. There were eight starters and
they represented the pick Of the turf
world. Tracery. with 126 pounds on
his back, lay second to Jackdaw until
a mile from home, where he went into
the lead. Entering the stretch well in
front, Tracery was going easily when
a male suffragette rushed on the track
a revolver and, falling in
front of Tracery, he brought the horse
and his rider to the ground. The 9TH
er horses went on. Prince Palatine
winning from Stedfast. Tracery was
not injured BY his fall and when he
made his appearance in the Eclipse
stakes at Sandown he won most i'm
pressive Victory. Unfortunately
Prince Palatine was not one of the en-
tries, so Tracery's superiority to him
IS still in doubt in the minds of few
Of the English. However, all turf
critics agree that Tracery would have
beaten his rival in the Ascot gold cup
had he not been interfered with by the
fanatic. It will be noted that since the
lime Tracery finished third in the
Aorhv ha has Tlavor haen. defeated.