The Washington herald., 1914-10-25
nr GEoRGE .. MoRRIs.

may have existed in the National Capital
concerning the popularity with Washing
tonians OF Laurel Park and the pari-
mutuels was dispelled today by the vast
throng which turned out to watch the
running Of six well-balanced races. More
than 1000 persons, including a gay and
fashionsbly clad contingent Of the fair
sex. visited the park. and the clubhouse
was crowded from the beginning Of the
first race until the end Of the last race.
1T reminds me of Benning In the old
daysT' This exclamation was heard on
every hand, for the throng brought back
memories Of the famous old track in the
palmy times Of several years ago.
The course was lightning fast and the
card an excellent one. New York sent
a special train of society folk to witness
the running of the Potomac Handicap
It brought to the barrier unquestionably
some OF the best tvo-year-olds in Amer
lea The public took kindly to James
Buffers Pebbles, the champion two-year-
old Of the season. The handicapper
thought 20 well of the Butler colt that
he was asked to shoulder III pounds.
This was more than he cared for and
under the weight he did not finish in the
money Pebbles left the barrier very
slowly, and was on the outside all the
way. He also was carried wide entering
the stretch.
stable of S. L. Parsons, stamped himself
a horse Of considerable class. He picked
9-p III pounds and won wen In hand.
Soluble Eagle managed to drop into the
third hole.
Trial by Jury, the Cassatt representa-
. tive ran a dull race He was off well,
but after going the first half mile dropped
back into next TO last place and finished
in that position
The first race on the proRram fur
nished a surprise, not in the winner, but
the fact that II paid Is to /. On all
figures, Hurakan was the horse that
sNood out The public did not take kind
ly 90 him, but deluged the machines with
money on True as Steel The result was
that Hurakan defeated Mater by a neck.
while Joe Finn, at i to to show, was
third and True as Steel finished in the
rear.
Soldier, who has shown some good per-
formances in his recent starts here an
nexed the second event by a length, while
Patty Regan was second and Quick
Start. third.
]. S. Tryee, the Washington sportsman,
sent Celebrity to the post in the third
event. He was well thought of. but third
was the best he could do. Mallard cap
tured the event, beating Meelicka by a |
length and a half.
Kewessa, who has been running con-
sistently, won the fifth number, beating
Belamour easy, who, in turn, beat Sher-
wood.
Guy Fisher. a horse that can never be
depended upon. annexed the closing
event Uncle Ben was second and Billie
Baker, third. That Guy Fisher is AM
actual menace to the best interests of
racing has been shown time and time
again. In his last race he was beaten off
at least twenty lengths. yet today he
hr@w IL aNN
horses than he met in his previous start !
Today he made all the pace and was un- |
tNar Faps most of the day and fighting !
for his head. That the horse is an in !
and outer has been shown time and time |
again and II would be just as well if |
the stewards would refuse his entry in |
the future
With the return Of American horses |
that have been racing abroad for the !
last several years, there is sure to be a |
big revival Of interest in the American |
turf next season. Harry Payne Whitney |
will race a number Of horses in 1915 that |
won laureIs in France and England. and |
August Belmont, Herman B. Duryea and |
John Sanford, not to speak Of other |
prominent American owners, will devote |
their best efforts to the Upbuilding OF |
the turf in this country. 1t is not proba- |
BILE that racing will flourish abroad next |
year, for the war has not only put a |
the ranks of the thoroughbred. Perhaps |
the English Derby winner, Durbar II. !
owned by Mr.. Duryea, will be seen in /
races here, for with no races in England |
a condition not improbable, Durbar II |
would have no place TO run except in the |
United States.
Even with the influx Of the foreign |
racers owned by Americans, those own |
ers who have stuck to their native hearth |
need not despair. James Butler will un- |
doubtedly hold a strong hand, for not |
only has he the best two-year-old shown !
in this country this year, but a powerful !
string of yearlinsS that are sure to prove |
their worth as t0Fo-year-olds. When Mr.. |
Butler bought the choice of the Keene |
yesrlings last year there were some who |
considered that he was taking a long
chance, but the splendid victories Of his \
horses throughout the season is proof |
enough Of the long-headedness Of the |
New York millionaire. Pebbles alone, |
though he was beaten in the Potomac |
Handicap today, is worth large part |
Of the amount Mr.. Butler paid for the
sixteen Keene yearlings. Then there are |
Last Coin, a colt that has not been |
beaten and is regarded by many as the |
equal IL not the superior Of Pebbles |
High Noon, Comely. Doublet, Kilkenny |
Boy, Dervish, and Tudor King are all |
two-year-olds that promise to be in the
top hight next season, and it will take |
the best of those brought BACK from /
Europe to show them the wsy home.
It Is not often that a sire Of thorough |
breds sends two winners to the post in |
one day. That happened today when |
Sharpshooter and Kewessa won. The |
former, who captured the Potomac |
Handicap, is perhaps the best horse by |
MCGEE that has been shown since Horror |
went wrong. Sharpshooter is a hardy |
looking two-year-old,- much larger than |
the average, and appears to be Of the |
wear and tear sort He not only has /
speed, but showed that he is game, and ;
can go distance. It is questionable |
whether any other two-year-old. unless /
It be Pebbles can give the Parsons horse |
weight and beat him at distance. Kew
essa, who took the sprint race for Billy |
Oliver and In doing so broke the track /
record, is one Of the fieetest sons Of Nc |
Gee, and were IL not for his bad legs /
would undoubtedly be Of stake caliber. /
There is not horse in training that can
outrun Kewessa, except perhaps Roamer
and Pebbles, and II he stands up there I
Is no doubt Rewessa win win more races
for the astute Ecotchman before snow
flies ...
James Butler, the New York millionaire
turfman, was an interested visitor at
the clubhouse today and witnessed the
running Of the Potomac. Handicap IN
which his heet-footed Pebbles started.
John McGEaw, manager OF the New
York Giants, accompanied by several
Eeli-known baseball men, was visitor