New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Halcyon Days
Once More for
Horseracing
Sport of Kings More Pop
ular, Particularly in the
Metropolitan D istrict
By ". |. Macbeth


denced on the metropolitan tracks
since the halcyon days Of open betting.
From the first buglc call at Jamaica
early in May until taps" were sounded
at Empire City late in October the
metropolitan public, day BY day, bore
testimony in countless. enthusiastic
thousands to Americas ingrown love of
horsehesh bred in the purple
Nor is it astonishing that such was
the case. Thoroughbred racing suf-
ferred less in the United States from
the effects of the great World War
than any other major sport. Even in
the drear, drab season Of 1913, when
baseball was SO hard nit and champion
ship play was suspended in golf and
tennis and the great amateur sports.
the running turf maintained its popu-
larity and patronage.
Even those most prejudiced against
the game condoned it's operation be-
cause of the close association Of spir-
tied h0rsehesh to the needs of the
war. The magnates Of the turf did not
neglect TO shoulder every patriotic re-
sponsbility, both as TO time and money,
and the race-tracks showed the way in
the various war loans and war char
tiles drives.
General conditions could not have
been better arranged in advance for
the promoters. In a word. the United
States had the field all 70 itself Rae
ing in Canada was passe; it did not
recover sufficiently in Europe to attract
any Of the American horsemen.
Gf,Lo, Aro To,roo-o.l
To the credit of the solons of the
turf it must be stated that due cogni-
zance was taken of this public interest
and in a manner that should go far to-
ward stabiiizing the sport Not only
we're stakes increased in value, but also
the overnight events for the cheap
platers. Every one of the metropoii
tan courses-and Saratoga as well-de
voted special attention to improvement
of tracks, buildings and appurtenances.
There we're many outstanding fea-
lures IN the turf season of 1919. Per-
haps the most sensational of the many
was the wonderful cons istency shown
by the juvenile champion. the great
two year old colt. Man O. War, of the
Glen Riddle Farm. Not since the time
of the unbeaten Colin had any two
year old shown anything approximating
the class Of Man O. War when he
closed his racing season with a prac-
teal walkcver from a wonderful field
in the rich and historic Futurity. Man
o War, always ridden by Johnny Lof-
tus, went to the post ten times during
the season and suffered but one defeat.
This was in the rich Sanford Memo
rial at Saratoga and the fault was with
| Lotus. {. H. Pettingill acted as
starter that day because of the illness
of Mars Cassidy, and Man o War was
left at the post in heavy and frac-
tious field. Three dtferent times the
great colt was racing up to his COM
pany, only to be carelessly allowed to
run into bad pockets. He was in close
quarters to the final eighth, but get
ting through there he simply raced
over his field and finished a godo sec
ond to Harry Pavne Whitney's Upset.
Horsemen of the shrewdest judg-
ment are Of the opinion that this son
of Fair Play and Mehubah, N view OF
this eXcusable defeat. is As great as
even the unbeaten Colin. Barring the
one race Man o. War was never fully
extended at any time.
Earnings More Than $4,000
Man O. Wars net earnings for the
this winning, it ranked second TO the
this winning it ranked second to the
earnings 0 Commander J. x L. Ross's
three-year- colt Sir Barton. Sir
Parton broke his maiden by winning
the rich Kentucky Derby. and within a
few weeks added the Preakness, the
Withers and the Belmont. Sam Hill
dreth's Purchase took the measure Of
Sir Barton in the Dwyer
After the Dwyer Sir Barton wGs re-
tired until September. In Maryland.
after one defeat. he started new sue
cession OF victories, eliminating in
two fine wins in the Pimlico serial
races. which brought his total winnings
for the season to $Ss ,250.
Sir Bartons wonderful season was
largely instrumental in placing the
stable of Commander J. K L. Ross at
the top of the list in earnings Billy
Kelly. three-year- old gelding that
shared with Eternal the two year old
honors of 1918, and which ran second
TO Sir Barton. his stablemate. in both
the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
was also consistent winner for Ross.
But he, like Sir Barton, went wrong for
a while in the summer, though ne
closed out successful engagement in
Marvard in the fall.
The threevear championship, un-
fortunately. was never satisfactorily de-
termined, owing 10 the fact that Sam
Hi dreth's great Purchase went lame
just about the time he was to have
met Sir Barton in Maryland TO decide
the honor. Hildreth during the season
assembled most form idable stable. of
which Purchase and Mad Halter we're
the leading three year olds. Purchase
defeated Sir Barton in the Dwyer, it
is true, but the Ross colt was not at
his best at the time. Purchase, on the
other hand, was twice defeated in
eleven starts. He lost TO Eternal in
the Brook lyn Handicap. and SIR Barton
previously had twice made Eternal look
like a selling p'ater.
knapp's Lapse Cost Race.
Willis Sharpe Kimer's great mud
horse, determination, beat Purchase in
the Saratoga Cup, at a mile and three
quarters. The track was hook deep in
mud that day and Exterminator had
to race to record to do the trick.
Even then Purchase might have given
weight and a trimming to his older
rival had Willie Knapp not lost his
whip at the head of the stretch.
Mad Halter was not sent to the races
until September. but in q brief
campaign he proved sensational colt
and an especially great one over a dis
tance Of ground. He was beaten by
Sir Barton at Laurel, but, after win
ning the $4,000 Latonia Cham pionshi IN
inc sdentally the richest prize OF the
year-he returned 20 Laurel and ad-
mlnistered sound thrashing 20 Com
mander Ross great breadwinner
Mad Halter, in the Pimlico Autumn