The Washington herald., 1918-12-16
OLD ROSEBUD
TO RACE AGAIN
King of Handicap Horses
Will Once More Face
the Barrier.

Old Rosebud. king of the handicap
horses will race again next year.
This announcement will quicken the
pulse of racegoers. for ''Old Buddy"
as he is afrectiOnately called. is to the
turf what 'Matty' is to baAeball-a
popular idol. He was too lame 10 race
in 1918.
1t will be "Old Buddy's" second
comeback stunt of his career. II he
wins half the number OF races he did
in 1917. he will have accomplished
new record of performances such as
no other horse has to his credit. His
performances give him a niche in the
hall OF fame reserved for mighty
thoroughbreds, but should he again
top the list of handicap winners, such
as he did in 1917. he will go down in
turf history as the most remarkable
horse that was ever foaled in America.
Old Rosebud has been no favorite of
fortune. The ills and ailments of
racehorses have rested heavily on him
from his two-year-old year-l9l3-to
the present time. when his years num-
ber seven. He has been a cripple for
four years. And yet. in spite of his
physical handicap. he has beaten the
best raCehorses in the United States
and Canada, established records for
Classic events, and in one season,
that of 1917. won more handicap3 than
any other horse.
Three things. assets OF great impor-
tance to a racehorse, were conduc-
tive to his success-extTeme speed,
great courage and fine action. These
essentials he possessed to a great de-
gree. Whether they would have been
-. oS
an ordinary trainer is a matter of
conjecture. But fate placed him in
charge of Frank D. Weir, a top-notch
trainer of thoroughbreds.
1t was Weir's skill that brought Old
Rosebud's speed to the front, and his
skill. plus patience. that has enabled
Old Buddy to come back to the turf
twice after he had broken down badly
and was regarded as a hopeless Grip
pie by many trainers.
Old Rosebud raced in 1913-14-17 when
he was two. three and six years old,
respectively. Each year his winning
career was cut short by his tendons
giving way. When a race horse
breaks down." as horsemen say. he
does not literally break a leg.
The sheath which holds his tendons
tears, and the tendons stretch and be-
come loose and flabby, like an elastic
in a worn-out garter. The leg bows
or curves. and let's down. and only he
roic treatment. the use of red-hot
irons, can straighten the legs again
Old Rosebud began his 2-year-old ca
reer in Mexico at the Juarez track.
He came up the line of tine circuit.
winning race after race. took the
Canadians into camp. and then at
Saratoga made the Eastern cham
pions eat his dust.
As a 3-year-Old he won the Ken
tucky Derby of 1914 and hung up
a race record of 2.O3 3-5. That was
not approached by the great horses
that won this event in the three
following years-Regret, George Smith
and Omar khayyam. Regret won
in 2:05 2-5. George Smith in 2:0i and
Omar Khayyam in 2:N 3-5. Old Rose
bud won with his head in his chest.
never being fully extended during
any stage of the miIe-and-a quarter
route.
1t was during his race for the
Withers Stakes at Belmont Park that
he broke down" He was making
his run and just about drawing into
a winning lead when the sheath rup-
tured on his near fore leg and he
hobbies nome a cripple. He was
turned out in a paddock for three
years and then came back in 1917.