New-York tribune., 1918-08-27
Two oFavorites
Win in Races
At Saratoga
Ride Of Ambrose on DR..
johnson Calls F orth Storm
of Criticism
By w. ]. Macbeth

saratoga summer race meeting did not
prove quite so disastrous as the long
suffering public anticipated. Two
favorites won in a card of six events,
and that is some accomplishment when
one considers the exasperating lack Of
form that has obtained for three and
a half weeks
Whether or not both Of the win
ming favorites triumphed on merit is
question open to debate. If evsr
there was a suspicious looking race
the same developed in the running Of
the second event, at six furlongs. If
ever horse was pulled E. Ambrose
pulled DR. johnson. The deal was such
raw one that racegoers grown gray
in this form of butterfly chasing de-
clared it the most brazen exhibition OF
riding they had ever seen. In COM
rarison 70 it the ride of McGraw on
Dancing Carnival, some couple of
weeks ago, was a Carlson finish.
Jockey Clearly at Fault
How the stewards ever overlooked
this ride of Ambrose, unless, indeed.
they are afflicted by blindness (and
none SO blind as they who will not
SEED. Is mystery. The fault of the
jockey all the way was discernible to
the naked eye. Ambrose never would
let DR.. johnson down. The gelding
was fighting for his head and Climb
ing" all the way down the back
stretch and all the way around the
turn.
Ambrose kept him choked TO death
under triple wraps. He arose in his
stlrrups to get better strangle hold.
When Flags, the favorite, shortly after
the start, shot past DIR. Johnson, which
broke in front, everybody expected
Ambrose would try to keep within
sight Of the pacemaker. He didn't
make move, if one excerpts the back
ward pull: In spite of the pull DR.. John
son fought his way around the bend
within striking distance Of the leader.
But even when they hit the stretch
Ambrose refused to let go Of his
mount. He kept him under wraps till
, the final sixteenth. when he had
sacrlhced all chances of even finish
Ing within the money. Then to
camouf1age his barefaced treachery to
the public he gave DR.. Johnson his
head and even applied the whip under
the Judges, noses, hitting his mount
even after he had passed the officials.
There is work for the stewards i,
this instance and they will do we'll to
lace squarely the responsibilities Of
office. The public should and must
be protected If racing is to survive.
better to lock the gates now than to
stand further manipulation, such as
has disgraced the Saratoga meeting
from time to time. 1t is not the first
tune Ambrose had allowed suspicion to
De directed against i'm. He has been
down on the ground before for oues-
tlonable work.
In this instance the stewards should
look further than the offending bov'
too. Those familiar with ths inf
know that the jockey is and has heen
close to racing interests very
ANXIOUS TO see the favorite, Flags. win
mat mat particular six furlongs dash
ms stable. last time Dr. johnson won
at odds of to 5, had a $4,000 in
We Testment on his chances. it is said.
do-oay Dr. Johnson's odds went beg
elhe from SKIES to eights.
Opportunity for Stewards
here is an opportunity for the
aus IL thcy are at all serious as
10 the welfare of the game to land
some Dig nsh with the little FRY. II
- hlgh time the turf should be nur~.J
OF the like of Ambrose. az we'll &c ~
manlpulators at whose orders the nuh.
lie is betrayed p0o
Little George Walls. with Edward
aarHngtons brown two-year-old co,t
Questlonnajre, won the Trov Sell;ng
Stakes at five and a half furlongs. the
feature event of the afternoon. Oues-
tlonnalre was pounds the best of ths
held OF nine. This one got away next
70 70 !ast, sOHered interference repeated
~ IN 1he backstretch, but like a good.
game colt raced around the contenders
on the stretch turn and came aw,av 81
an easy victory.
Inc distance race, a mile and $ur
long, fell to Lieutenant Gifford
Cochrain's light weighted chestnut fll,,
Fairy Wand. Little Willie Midglav
again had the mount on this four-vear-
Sld and showed improvement in horse-
manshlp. Last time out little Willie
lcsS Ine race because he was unable
TO help his cunt in the final sixteenth.
wien Fairy Wand began to tire.
To-day Willie, off wingine aa befor.
rated Fairy Wand better, even taxing
her, up for breathing spell down the
oackstretch. He came on again and
opened up commanding lead. Ms
taking up of Fairy Wand doubtless
saved the day, for the filly hung On
much better in the final sixteenth
though weakening at the end.
Ihe Cochran trainer selected bis
little son to ride Fairy Wand in her
last two races because frankie Rohir-
son punished this front running tho
ouGhbred so badly as to make her sour
and quit IN an earlier engacement
A number Of good things we're nm
covered, which help pay the feed bills
here and the transportation elsewhere
Brother Jonathan, an outsider. came
from nowhere with Grouse in the fret
and beat the latter by head Christie
and Feu d'Artifce colided shortly
after the start of this race. T. Rice
who rode Christie, ESCAPED with 80
we're shaking up, but H. Erickson sur
tered fractured collarbone-t sec
ond accident of this nature during the
present season.
Serenest, long shot, tin-canned ont
in the mile fifth, and lasted Just long
enough to stave off Woodtrap's closing
rush by head. The favorite. Gold
Tassel. couldn't or wouldn't run a lick
with Wessler, who made the mistake
Of not crowding out to the front ~
once after a somewhat disappointinp
start
John f. Madden cut one of his
luscious melons-and he has had few
melon cuttings to date-when Milh-
maid galloped home to an easy victory
in the Ave and a half furlongs curtain
number Herodias. the odds-on favor-