New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Seasons Idol 4
Beats Eternal |
By 2 Lengths
Great Ride by LOTUS Brings
Ross Colt Home First
in Sensational Time
BY W. ]. Macbeth

tion OF the current racing year, added
when he beat off Eternal and four other
good ones of his class in the historic
Withers, at a mile. at Belmont Park
yesterday afternoon. The chestnut
son Of Star Shoot-Lady Sterling, clev-
erly ridden by Johnny Lotus, Amer
ica's premier jockey, negotiated the
distance in the sensational time Of
1888 As.
The grand colt of Commander ]. X.
L. Ross, eased up to a canter through
the final sixteenth, was more than two
lengths ahead of J. w. McClelland's
Eternal at the finish. Eternal, in turn,
was ten lengths in front of Pastoral
Swain, the Beach Stables added starter,
which won the consolation prize money
from William Jeffords Star Hampton
by half a length. Sweepment and
Grimalkin, also added starters, trailed
in anywhere from a dozen to fifteen
lengths apart in order.
The Withers, during the twenty
eight times it has been run, has un-
doubtedly witnessed more thrilling
races than that of yesterday. Seldom,
if ever, however, has it seen a better
one in which all that is good in
thoroughbred was called upon to show.
Race Not Truly Run
1t was a case of class Sir Barton
proved the class all over None of
the $4,000 on hand-or That part
which could gain a point of vantage
for an uninterrupted view-but had
10 admit when the race was over that
the best horse won.
Yet the race was not truly run,
Lotus displayed as great superiority
IN horsemanship over Andy Schuttinger
as Sir Barton laid it over Eternal in
thoroughbred efficiency and gameness.
w. R. Goes Terentia, originally named
to go with the more illustrious
pair, was scratched, but the four added
starters provided a field of half a
dozen. Schuttinger, with Eternal, drew
the rail; LOTUS and Sir Barton were
next to the inside, with Star Hampton,
Grimalkin, Pastoral Swain and Sweep
ment in order toward the outside.
Mars Cassidy broke them in fine
alignment, but Schuttinger evidently
was not wide awake. Eternal was fiat
footed, and was the last to get in mo-
tion. Sir Barton, on his toes, quickly
pulled away from the others 1t was .
case of life or death with Schuttinger.
He had to crowd through on the rail
before the field could shut him off.
and SO crowded Eternal to his best
known sprinting pace.
Eternal ate up the ground at an
amazing rate. Within $50 yards he had
made up half a dozen lengths and was
racing head to head with the odds-on
favorite.
Eternal Gains Rapidly
In spite of his bad start Eternal had
collared Sir Barton before the first
quarter, which was reeled off at the
dizzy pace of twenty-four seconds fat
on track at least two second slow.
Lotus took up as Eternal thundered up
from the rear and allowed tie Nc
Clelland colt to go on and set the pace.
Johnny, meanwhile, kept his place out
from the heavier going of the rail. It
was seen Sir Barton was under wraps
as the first turn was neared
AS they swept around the long bend
daylight was showing between the fy-
ing McClelland colt and Sir Barton.
Eternal flashed past the half in 48 fat,
length and half to the good
Lotus began his ride then. He went
to Sir Barton with the whip He held
the Ross colt straight and true as an
arrow while he piled the lash, and re-
lieved Sir Barton of every possible
ounce. Still Eternal drew away by
inches. The McClelland colt had plenty
yet in reserve.
Coming into the stretch turn Eternal
carried wide. Lotus took the shorter
route and thereby almost cut down his
handicap. Once up to the fleet Eter-
nal, Johnny laid up his whip. Eternal
hung on gamely for furlong, but
STRIDE by stride the chestnut drew away
from the black. The early pace (Eter-
nal travelled the three quarters in
1919 had left McClelland's colt leg
weary. while Sir Barton appeared to
have just become interested.
Beaten Of in Drive
At the seven-eighths Eternal was
badly beaten. At the final sixteenth
Lotus, half-dozen lengths in front.
took strangle hold of Sir Barton and
Just eased him the rest of the way He
cantered home to brilliant victory,
worth $8,075 to Commodore ]. K. [.
Ross, in the fine time of 138 4-5-track
conditions considered, as good mile
as ever had been shown at Belmont
Park. Hard driven, Sir Barton could
have clipped several more fractions of
this.
The Fashion Stakes, of $4,000, for
two-year-old fillies, at five furlongs
straight, was won by P. A. Clark's
Bonnie Mary. an untried miss that
proved herself fancy thing. W. R.
Goes sensational Cinderella, the odds
on favorite, was nosed out Of the place
by Kallipolis, a sensation of the Mary
land season.
Old Syosset won the steeplechase in
commanding fashion, though until he
fell in landing after the last Jump
Crest Hill gave the Greentree Stables
gelding a real battle.
Willie Martins ,Valor, backed from
10 to 6 to /, won the mile Mineola
from Corn Tassel, the favorite. valor
rushed quickly to the front and opened
up such a gap as to stand off Corn
Tassel's fine run through the stretch.
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