The sun., 1919-06-13
PURCHASE ATTAINS
NEW TURF HONORS
Victory in the Southampton
Places Him Second Only
to Sir Barton.
By HENRY ". KING.

Purchase raced himself to a place
second only to Sir Barton in the three
year-old championship company yester-
day afternoon at the Jamaica track.
while Billy Kelly came q cropper and
landed among a host Of three-year- olds
which are fighting to keep themselves
out of the third rate class. The turn
of affairs came in the southampton
Handicap at one mile and a sixteenth
Purchase won the stake easily ny three
lengths and accomplished his task like
a really great thoroughbred. while Billy
Kelly showed only ordinary speed and
less stamina and was beaten OF.
The race proved that Purchase car
handle championship weight and carry
his tremendous speed over a distance OF
ground and that Billy Kelly IL not al
his best at any distance over q mile.
Purchases race was truly remarkable
He carried 124 pounds, met with all sort,
Of bad racing luck, but still had suf-
ficient speed and courage to come on In
the home stretch and win easily from
Yurucari which ran a fine race and beat
Thunderclap n neck for second honors
Rodgers finished fourth and Billy Kelly
was fifth leading only QUESTIONABLE and
Sailor.
Billy Kelly gave away I'VE pounds by
the scale to Purchase but he was beaten
by three times that poundage Purchase
sped over the course in 1 :46 SIS. This
IL not a record but Il IL likely he could
have equalled the mark Of :45 3-5 made
by Hourless II he had had better luck
and been urged to do his best
Billy Kelly Favorite.
The race was the best for three-year.
olds since the Preakness The weights
were 30 nicely adjusted and all the con.
testants were considered to have more
than an outside chance to win. Because
of his wonderful past performance,
Billy KellS was made the favorite a
IS TO 10. Rut Purchase was heavil,
backed and Eent to the post stront
second choicA at to 2. Yurucari
Thunderclap, Rodgers, QUESTIONABLE ant
Sailor each had a most OF friends 8nt
with the result that the race was on,
OF the livliest betting affairs of tn,
season.
After a long delay at the post due tc
the fractiousness of QUESTIONABLE the
field went away to a good start. Rodg
ers had the most esrly speed and wa,
the first to round the turn. He wa.
followed by Billy Kelly and Yurucari
Purchase, too. had a great flight Of
speed. but he was pinched on Will,
PEELED to take him back to avoid beins
thrown.
Down the backstretch Rodgers fairly
few. Although. Kelsay had tight hold
Of the reins. he stepped along so fast
that when the turn into the home.
stretch was reached he was three length.
in front. with Yurucari still second anc
Purchase, which had been in tight quar-
ters to the half mile. running strong ant
in third place.
When the homestretch was reached
Rodgers was still in command, but he
was beginning to weaken. The task OF
setting such a fast pace was telling
Its deadly tale. In the homestretch Pur.
chase and Yurucari ser sail for the
leader, and when the final furlony pol,
was reached they were IN front OF him
From there to the end Purchase merel,
galloped. but Yurucari began to show
signs of fatigue and bore over ant
pinched of Rodgers This helped Thun
derclap, which came with a rush in tn,
last furiong. passed Rodgers and cam,
within a few inches of beating Yurucar
| for place honors.