New-York tribune., 1918-07-12
Johren, Badly Beaten, Arrives
More Than Six Lengths
Behind
BY W. J. Macbeth

War Cloud, the handsome three
year-old bay colt of the A. K Macon
Der stable, for which was predicted the
1918 three-year- old crown when he
went into winter quarters rs two
year-old, vindicated sound sense to
that prophecy at the Aqueduct race
track yesterday afternoon. The i'm
ported son of the great English sire
Polymelus. won the Dwyer Stakes of
$4,000, the feature of the racing card
and The most important stake for the
age contested in the East this year.
The field which War Cloud conquered
under the masterful ride on the part
OF Jockey M. Buxton may have lacked
quantity, but there was nothing lack
ing in quality. Colonel w. E. Apple
gates brilliant Jack Hare, co-winner
with War Cloud OF the rich Preakness
Stake run at Pimlco last spring,
tralled the Macomber colors by a
length and half at the end. Harry
Payne Whitney's Johren, winner of the
Belmont. the Latonia Derby and other
rich prizes this year, ohren, an i'm
ported son of the great Spearmint,
Of the English Derby-was beaten off
so badly that he finished six lengths
behind the beaten Jack Hare. Elmen-
dorf, an added starter, was last But
every one surmised Elmendorf was
simply running for exercise.
Seldom has the winner of any stake
hace been rendered such an ovation
as that which greeted War Cloud as
he pranced back toward the judges
after his spirited effort toward vindi-
cation. The outburst of applause,
which lasted many minutes, was the
FAR cry back to true craftsmanship
sportdom's tribute paid where tribute
was due. For those who had squandered
their last shekel on the chances of
the fallen idol Of the day were quite
as enthusiastic with hand and voice
as the fewer, though happier, who sup
ported War Cloud in the hope that he
might have returned to Preakness form.
Ovation at Paddock
Every one who admired game effort
be 1t IN man or beast, joined in the
pubic acclaim, and the numbers were
not few, for the finest mid-week crowd
OF the year was out to see the grand
three yearold duel. Down at the pad
dock an even greater ovation was ten
dered Buxton, once more back into his
own, for through the UNDERGROUND
channels the news had gone abroad of
wonderful early morning work k-out bv
the Macomber entry, work out which
justified faith in the performer in any
company. And the grooms and hos
tiers and swlpes and hangers had
plunged heavily at the last moment
with the wise money of the more ex-
alted pillars of the sport which had
personal interest in War Cloud. a a
plunge. that hammered War Clouds
ODDS from threes to almost twos at
post time. No wonder Buxton. aside
from his Garrison finish, was popular
out about the paddock.
Nobody at Aqueduct was more
pleased with War Clouds victory than
was w. b. Jennings, the trainer of the
good colt. Jennings was mortally
Plqued when War Cloud failed in the
betmont. which ,Johren won. Johnny
Lotus rode the Macomber colt on that
occasion and Jennings said at the time
ne had not followed stable instruc-
tlons Shortly afterward the stable
set Lotus down for alleged insubordi
nation. Jennings yesterday was verv
sanguine over War Clouds chances
and made no secret Of the fact.
WI prove. to-day" he told almost
everybody of his acquaintance. "th at
War Cloud didn't have a chance 70
show the best that was in him in the
belmont. He'll beat Johren almost a.
lar you can throw a stone" And
he did. 'N -1''o
Track Suited War Cloud
!, NOW, 1t must not be taken from this
that the writer is casting any aspersion
on Loftus's ride in the Belmont. Bnt
tne tact remains that the War Cloud
OF yesterday was a far different horse
from the War Cloud of the previous
event. 1t must also be remembered
mat track conditions could not better
have suited War Cloud, and that the Ia 81
named colt had had long rest while
toth Johren and Jack Hare had been
more or less busily engaged-Jo ohren,
as matter of fact, having made the
long and trying journey to Latonia and
back again.
indeed it would not be at all surpris-
ing II the turf history Of 1918. so far
as victor and vanquished of yester-
oay classic are concerned, DEVELOPED a
parallel 10 the kindred race of one
year ago at the same track. On that
occasion Omar Khayyam first came
INTO great prominence in the East bv
beating the wonderful Hourless 50
paoly IN sloppy going that the latter
dogged 1T the last half of the Journey
omar hhayyanl was colt at the age
tnat could go in any and all sorts Of
track and weather conditions and d.
iiver a thoroughbred race of merit
I every time.
Hourless, on the other hand. was one
that had to be prepared lone and
arduously for each winning trial
When at top form, with weather aud
track conditions favorable, he could
beat anything in the world at his nee ~,
at anything approximatinp equal
wei ghts. War Cloud has yet to prove
that he is a champion in any Y and ID all
conditions. And in defence of LOTUS
1t must be said that the track for the
Belmont was bit cuppy.
Jockeys Ride Perfectly
But yesterday Buxton was astride q
colt OF merit second to none in the
wide, wide world. He had to he To
beat Jack Hare, Jr., and Lyke, aoth
jockeys rode to the hairline of perfect
h,orsemanship, and the duel between
the men and the animals through the
last heart breaking sixteenth was n
sight fit for the gods. The Applerate
colt was up to a wonderful race He
sprlnted the first quarter in 90 seconds
fiat; flashed past the half-nolo IN