New-York tribune., 1918-10-29


Of Navarro raced their classic dead
heat Of the halycon past were race
lovers treated to such q soul-stirring,
nerve-wracking contest as that which
featured o-day's well-balanccd card at
picturesque Laurel and attracted to the
course one Of the largest multitudcs
that have seen racing in Maryland, and
certainly the most enthusiastic.
The clean-limbed glossy-coated, dark
brown (almost black) Eternal raced to
the highest standard of approved thor
oughbred class to gain the highest hon
ors of this racing year. He ran like
a thoroughbred-a thoroughbred of the
richest blood strains-and finished his
six furlongs as resolutely as he be-
gan.
Some Mighty Leaps
This son of Sweep and Hazel Burke,
with machine-like precision, spurned
the ground in mighty leaps till he had
flashed past the judges in the wonder
full time Of :12 fiat, perhaps the great
est performance of brilliant career.
Commodore j. X. l.. Ross's Billy
Kelly, the Dick Welles gclding, was
beaten but not disgraced. This sensa-
tional racing machine of sineW and iron
muscle fought as courageously from
start to finish as his illustrlous con-
oueror. A short neck only separated
the hope of the hail Canadian sports
man from his most cherished guerdon
- q
And at that end Billy Kelly was draw
ing up on the colt that had shown him
his heels for most of the journey
There are those who thought Kelly
might have won in few strides more.
But there are always counter claims
and counter arguments to be lad
against the title Of every champion be
he man or beast. And on the race run
one would be brutal indeed to try to
take anything away from the gallant
Sweep colt. He did everything that
a thoroughbred could be asked, even
to winning, and apparently we'll within
himself in heartbreaking time.
And the time of this particular race,
it would appear, is rebuttal enough to
those who would belittle the perform
ance of Eternal. Here is the fractional
time by furloughs: ~ 3-5, % 40,
35 2-5 47 2-5; SO 2-5, 11a. You cannot
90 far behind such an even perform
ance as that.
Yet there are those who will tell you
Billy Kelly should have won and
among the number is II. G. Bedwell,
who trains Commander Ross's horses.
gentleman when it was all over, Tar
more chagrined than Commander Ross,
whose heart was so set upon winning
the guerdon.
Trainer Bedwell ascribed the defeat
of Billy Kelly to jocky Sande's failure
to follow instructions. He told the
bov that if Eternal drew away to the
lead, as was expected, Sande should
be sure to keep Billy Kelly to the
outside when he made his rum On
the turn Sande at first thought of
moving up on the inside then changed
his mind and thereby lost length or
more.
Eternal Appears Fresher
Now, length more rs the thorough
breds finished would have given Billy
Kelly the victory clearly enough. But
the question remains, could not Eternal
have finished more than that distance
ahead had he been really crowded at
the fresher. Billy Kelly had begun to
pant in his closing strides.
1t cannot be denied that Schuttinger
outrode Sande-outrode him and out
jockeyed him, too, all the way. He
even outjockeyed him at the barrier,
for though the pair broke off almost
as team, Billy Kelly was not quite on
his toes and set at the barrier rise.
But Sandc gave him freeh eadway, and
III few great strides he made up the
half lengths difference in the break.
md fn, f,1r( l,o of
them raced head to head and nose to
nose in as pretty struggle as has
been seen all season, and it must be
remembered this season has seen a
number of thrilling struggles through
the backstretch. Then gradually inch