New-York tribune., 1918-08-03
Lacework Clips Two-6fths
of a Second From Mark
for Shorter Distance
By w. ]. Macbeth

j
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y, Aug. 2.
w. r. Goes Polymelian, the four
year-old son Of Polymelius, in whose
thoroughbred veins ran a rich strain
OF English blood, helped save a some
what ordinary racing card this second
day Of Saratoga's summer racing meet.
Polymelian simply. galloped through six
furlongs to new track record of
1:103-5 for the distance.
1t should not take long for Saratoga
to establish its claim to possession of
the fastest track in the country, a
claim already conceded by practically
all of the horsemen Of consequence af-
ter watching the competitions of the
two days. The noble Polymelian was
not this only equine to smash a mark
this afternoon. Lacework, which won
the opening event, at five furlongs, un-
der stiff drive, clipped two-ffths of a
second off the old mark when the two
year-old flly hoofed it from start to
finish in the remarkable time of
0:59 3-5.
Creditable as was the performance of
Lacework, the victory nevertheless was
more or less of a fuke. as will be shown
just bit later on. Had the race been
truly run Nan Knoehr, the favorite,
snd not Lacework, should have had the
honor of the new record, and said rec
ord probably would have been just
trifle tougher one for the future to
shoot at.
Polymelian's Victory Is Genuine
There was no element of ffuke in
connection with Polymelian's win. The
only pity in connection with the run
ming of this event was that the English
colt had no sitter opposition. He
went the distance without an effort. He
won as easily as the great Roamer took
the opening days feature at a mile and
quarter, and had he been crowded
fractional seconds, just as Roamer also
might have done. Like Roamer, Poly
mellan scored his triumph with the
least sign of urging, but, unlike
Roamer, he made his own pace, leading
all the way and finishing eased up for
more than the last sixteenth
Here is Polymelian's fractional time
dor dor the respective furlongs: 12 1-6,
%, "a rs, 46 1-5, 81 4-5, 1910 3-5. Age
and weight considered, this was prob
ably the best race ever run anywhere
for the distance. Polymelian shoul-
dered the heavy impost of 129 pounds,
and without apparent effort, despite a
lack of racing incentive in the matter
Of real competition or without being
extended at any time through the long
stretch, spun out the record breaking
m sfCpsr
ing sprint shattered the best previous
time shown at Saratoga, a mark that
had stood since August 8, 1914, when
E. F. Cooney's three-year-old Punch
Bowl stepped in I'LL fat.
Nears Worlds Record
Polymelian's performance this after
noon not only discounted that earlier
effort of Punch Bowl over the same
creditable performances for the dis
tance in the history of the turf. 1t
was thought for time that it was
a new worlds record around the turns
until the oracle of Saratoga pulled the
books. 1t then transpired that Iron
Mask, under the colors of JEFF Living
ston, some time back in 1914, at the
winter meeting in Juarez, had sprinted
six furlongs around the turns in the
most astonishing time of 1909 3-5.
But Iron Mask was six years old at
the time and carried only 116 pounds.
Which is something else again from a
run by four-year- with 129 pounds
on his back.
This third race in question, which
made the public forget an apparent
just breeze for Polymelian. Fair
brother handled his mount as we'll as
could be asked. But from the start it
was only question of the boy sitting
on the colts back. Whether it was to
the credit of the colt or the rider, the
fact remains that Polymelian was ex-
cellently rated all the way. The odds
on favorite had SO much speed that he
breezed away from the others before
the end of a furlong and had opened
up the gap of a length and half.
George Starr Tries in Vain
Wilfred viau's George Starr raced
himself out trying to catch that will O.
the wisp in front. Try as he would,
Starr could not cut down the length
maker carried to the head of the
stretch. That advantage was never
even threatened. George Starr faltered
after half q mile of killing effort, and
barely lasted long enough to save show
money from Hollister, which hung onto
him grirnly from start to finish.
There was one in this race which
finished second and which will bear
watching next time out-none other
than Willis Sharpe Kilmer's Sunbriar,
which won much fame as two-year-old
in 1917. After such a race as he ran
with 124 pounds to-day Sunbriar Is
liable to be dangerous in any company.
Willie Knapp came like bullet through
the stretch with the good three-year-
old, and cinched the place from the fast
firing George Starr But when he saw
Polymelian was not to be headed,
Knapp, too, eased his mount through
the last seventy-fve yards.
Nan Knoehr Poorly Ridden
Now, getting back to Lacework's rec
ord-breaking performance of the open
ing event: 1t seems somewhat Of pity
TO question the victory of thorough
bred that runs in record time. But the
fact remains that Lacework never would
have won had Tommy Waac not carried
Nan Knoehr away wide at the stretch
turn.
Tommy Waac, which showed a world