The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1916-12-27
Short Grass
Mystery Nag,
To Be Retired
Freak imported Thoroughbred
Always Did the UneX-
peCted Thing,
BY Frank G. Nenke,

NEW YORK, Dec 27-Short Grass
never may race again. Emil Herr plans
TO retire To the stud this most spectacu
lar and yet most erratc. race horse In
America
Herr picked him up for 81 400 year
or two ago In selling platter event IN
England. From the day he ran MS tfst
race on American soil he has been sen
sation-and mystery.
The imported thoroughbred never ran
true to form No one ever WAS able to
forecas, just what ne could do. Every
race he ran WAS n mystery -atief ulH
appointment Frequently he would be
beaten ngloriously by a lot Of truck
ers" day or two later he would come
back" in whirlwind fashion and race
home ahead Of field made up OF the
greatest stake horses In the world Ron
mer. Stromboe. the Finn and others OF
their class.
Has Won $40
Short Grass has been called the Dis
honest Racehorse." That was because ny
sloppy running he often seemed 10 chcht
himself and his hackers OF victory But
WAS IL all the fault OF Short 'hhf %
Sometimes It seemed to those M"o
watched him run his losing races that
his Jockey held him back or mishnndled
him. that II wasn't the fault OF the gam
est stallion on the turf,
No horse that ever campaigned could
run faster In the stretch than this same
Short Grass. Always slow breaker he
usually trailed the field. until the turn
for home And thep In his so-callcl
honest races" this remarkable animal
would call upon his sublime courage. his
wonderful stamina his mighty finishing
powers-and the crowd thundercd rs
cheers for the thrilling yes. awe lnspr.
ing performance,
The 81 400 Investment Herr made In
this son Of Lavcno has returned rich
dividends In two seasons short Grass.
once despIsed selling platter won over
$40 .O00 How much more he would have
turned into the Herr Golfers had he been
an honest" horse, no one can say auth
oriativclv But Short Grass surely did
lose some races In 1915 that. on dope,
looked like sure things for him
Roamer. ON the other hand. Is race
horse entirely different--a horse with A
personality-thc best loved thoroughbred
In America.
He's a honey horse. as stake horses
SO. but underneath his unsymmctrichI
frame beats a stout heart-and hn hon
est one Roamer always could hr de
pended upon to give the best thnt II In
him He won small fortunes I'm the hey
dey Of his career for those who loved
him And though he was beaten re
peatedly In 1916 and cost his hackers
many spondulicks they never cursed him
never reviled him, They knew that Ron-
mer. when beaten was beaten honestly
and by n better racer.
The Andrew Miller's gelding was the
most consistent four year old In 1918.
He met the best animals In his class
and ran away from them. He was good
for n victory In practically every start.
But II Was Tar different last season. He
started IN dozen races and won but
once True he finished "in the money
seven times but most of those who
played Roamer backed him TO win The
old speed seemed gone from the wonder
ful legs of Roamcr he had gone back
And to those that the old favortc WI 4
slipping brought something akin To n sol
from those who have almost worshipped
him.
Roamer's Greatest Race
The gelding never caused trouble FOR
the starters lie never acted up" il'
stood calmly. patiently al the bgrricr and
waited for the word. lie always wa
ready lie never was left at the post
He was dependable. honest, lovahl'
race horse--and no wonder he was al
idol
The greatest race that Roamer evci
ran brought him defeat. And his Jockey
Jimmy Butwell-was blamed. II was n
two horse affair. staged on tho Belmont
track last summer--undoubtedly he mos
thrilling distance race ever run Sirom,
boil beat him by q head after mile and
one half OF furious running.
Three horses were entered hut frl1-
tle. the imported stccd, WAS scratched
60 Roamer and Stromholi alone answered
the starters call Roamer broke away
. half length to the good and made Il q
length at the turn. SO they ran until
the great pair entered the stretch foi
home And then came Str)mholi, run
ming like wild horse with every jumT
he gained Butwell, riding Roamcr
seemed TO have lost judgment. Roame'
wanted his head-wRnted to loosen nj
the speed that was IN his powerful leg
In that final dash-hut Hutwel. fcelinl
he had n safe lead, held him In check
Too late did Rutwell realize hls error
6tromboli's giant strength brought hiT
20 Roamers saddle TO RoRmcrs head
and then they were ON even terms viii
100 feet TO 90
Butwell. awakened NJ last. looscnod nj,
lines and put the whip TO game old Roa
mer The Miller gclding responded hui
the call had come too late Sttomloi
q, the top of his stride, gained u hca,
before Roamer could speed II with hi,
fun power--and the race wac over