The Washington herald., 1917-10-20
.ALIBI AFTERMATH
SHOW RACE TOO Long
Wilfred Viau, One of Best Sports
men Ever Seen on Ameri-
can Turf.
By GEORGE b. MORRIS.

~ o1oA~o1 ~ 2noNAAA6s
Laurel. Nd, Oct. 1s.-Now that the
famous match race between Omar
khayyam and Houriess Is a thing OF
the past. there Is considerable agita-
ton along the lines that another con-
test be staged before the end of the
meeting.
1t Is improbable, however, that such
contest will be staged. wilfrid
Viau, owner of Omar Khayyam, a
true sportsman and one Of the most
popular gentlemen on the American
turf. would be willing to make an
other match. but under different con-
ditions.
In the first place it would be ask
Ing too much to bring the two great
horses together at once.
Taking circumspective view of the
abilities of both colts one must stop
to consider that Omar Khayyam has
soeen raced almost continuously since
ne was a yearling, while Hourless
mas been rested up. The last start
fHourless made was some months
PACK, while Omar has been racing
all along. Take the position of a
prize fighter who is trained for a
night and one fight alone. He is train
ed TO the minute for the contest. That
Is exactly what Hourless was, while
little Omar, while in grand shape,
had just a little too much racing
under his belt.
Give both horses a good rest and
bring them back in the spring, pro-
yiding they both train well, and Mr..
Wan will be only too glad to meet
the Belmont colt.
Hourless, while a great colt, has
not convinced the writer that he can
heat Omar under the conditions men,
toned above
As for Mr.. Viau, he is a sports
man of the highest type-races his
horses for the glory that he receives
from their victory, while the same
must be said of Mr.. Belmont. But
the great mistake was made when
the two horses were matched at a
mile and a quarter.
Omar Khayyam is known as a
plodder, and a mile and a half route
would have suited him to a nicely
Ron Thursday, but Trainer Hildreth
insisted on the mile and a quarter
route, which was against the Viau
colts chances, In fact Mr.. Hildreth
wanted to make the distance one
mile.
~ oAAaAOAS was MI Nldu 10 race
his colt that he met the demands
Of Mr.. Belmont's trainer. and allowed
the race to go at a mile and a quar-
ter. This Is what beat the great
Omar Khayyam. No horse that ever
stood on four feet would have been
able to set the sizzling pace for a
mile and a quarter and win that
omar did. He was beaten 1t is true,
but not disgraced, and while the great
crowd cheered Hourless as he
passed back to the judges stand a
winner over Mr.. Viau's colt, the pub
hes heart was with the gamest little
horse-Omar Khayyam, that has ever
faced a barrier.
Mr.. Niau had nothing but the high
est praise for Mr.. Belmont colt after
the race was run, and he showed his
genuine sportsmanship by saying:
Under the conditions the best
horse won"
Should return match race be held,
II will be under different conditions
and little Omar Khayyam will be
Tight there at the finish.
= Both Omar Khayyam and HourIess
ere In several stakes at Pimlico, and
should they meet a contest that well
5e worth hundreds of miles of jour-
icy will be witnessed.
In all likelihood Mr.. viau will send
his colt into the quarters, and he
VIII not be seen again until next
ispring.
Defeated as Omar was. everybody
on the turf has the highest regard
for both Omar and his owner-Wil-
frid Viau, the best sportsman that
has ever saddled a horse on a race
track in this country.