The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-07-14
SIR BARTON VS..
PURCHASE next
Turfmen Believe that Hi
dreth' S Horse Can Beat
The Ross Star.

New York. July 13.-The leaders
in the 3-year-old division are once
more providing the high lights OF a
racing season and holding the cen
ter of the stage in turfdom. The
defeat Of Commander J. K L. Ross
Sir Barton by Sam Hildreth's Pur-
chase in the Dwyer Stakes served to
complicate rather than to settle the
question of superiority between
these two great racers and has GER
tainly intensified the interest among
horsemen in the contention for the
crown.
Not since Hourless and Omar
Khayyam measured strides has
there been SO keen a turf rivalry as
now exists between Sir Barton and
Purchase 1t eclipses that of
Eternal and Billy Kelly last year.
which ended rather unsatisfactorily
anyway, and, however, the present
ontenders loom up as two truly
great horses such as are not de-
veloped every season.
Had Sir Barton won the Dwyer
Stakes he would have been awarded
the crown for horses of his age.
In his unbroken string Of triumphs
he had disposed of such fleet fliers
as Eternal, his stable mates, Billy
Kelly, Sweep On. and King Plaudit.
and had accomplished their down
fall so handily and seemingly with
SO little effort that he was being
favorably compared with the great
racers that stand out in turf his
tory.
There are many smart horsemen
! who believe now and believed even
before the race was run that Pur-
! chase is the better horse. The vic
! tory Of the son OF Ormyndale-Cher-
ryola was certainly decisive under
the conditions Purchase ran a true
race like a great horse, but his
claim to the title is clouded because
he had a concession of nine pounds
/ in the weights.
1t will require another meeting be-
tween these two to prove their respec-
l tive merits and this is already being
| arranged for. Sir Barton and Purchase
4 VIII meet again. probably in some
stake event during the latter part of
] the meeting at Saratoga. and this time
( II VIII be at even weights with time
! enough intervening for each horse to
| be at his best II should be a real
test and undoubtedly will be a race
I worth going TO see.
Many horsenen seem to agree with
trainer Guy Bedwell that Sir Barton
I had gone slightly stale through the
( training for successive stake events.
: He began his campaign early in the
spring and had already become the
sensation OF the season when Pur-
chase was only being prepared for his
first start While Trainer BedweI did
not wish to detract from the victory OF
Purchase. there was much evidence OF
support of his argument that Purchase
was much fresher horse when they
net at Aqueduct
. To those who had seen Sir Barton
! capture the Kentucky Derby. The
4 Preakness. Belmont. and W1thers
Stakes. il did not seem that the same
3 horse was running in the Dwyer He
. seemed plainly TO lack his usual feet
ness and easy grace OF stride. In his
/ other races the son OF Star Shoot had
! seemed to fly, as IL possessed Of
wings, rather than to run. In com
/ parison with his contenders he seemed
: TO move without an effort while they
strained to keep near him. In the Bel
mont he went TO tho front AT the start
and just seemed 10 glide through
. space, increasing his lead until LOTUS
, eGsed him up as II not completely 10
shame tho balance OF the field.