New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-17
Aged Gelding
Wins Feature
At the Springs
McLean's Leochares Leads
Field in Watervlict Handi-
cap After Exciting Race
By w. !. Macbeth

Of the very prettiest and most exciting
races Of the year +. Is. McLean's aged
relding Leochares won the Watervliet
Handicap, at a mile, one of the twin
features Of the racing card. this after
noon. Leochares. J. E. Wideners Fair
GAIN. r. T. Wilson's Wyoming and
larry Waterbury's Sennings Park.
which flashed past the judges in the
order named, were so close at the end
that one blanket would practically have
covered The four.
Leochares, which ran the mile in
1883 Is over track that was a trifle
holding. not to mention slow, raced
back to his very best form. as old horses
are wont TO do now and then He ran
truly remarkable race. this old
geldng who could not beat plug like
Tailor Maid week ago on his first
much like athletes or any brand of
humans. When they get old they get
Eighty and cannot be depended upon
to act alike two days together
Leochares had to beat real stake
horses this afternoon to come back into
his OWL as he usually does once or
twice every season. yet ne did that very
thing, and did it like true thorough
bred. He drew an inside position in the
chute-an advantage only if the pos
SCISSOR gets off we'll, but a great dis
advantage on a bad break, and
Leochares broke badly. He was off
next TO last in a field of eleven.
Jockey Equal to Occasion
Jockey ". j. O'Brien. who had the
leg up on Leochares, made the best OF
propositions awaited him--of taking
the long route home around the field
or OF awaiting chance of getting
through the pack after saving as much
ground as possible. Larry Waterburv's
Sennings Park broke in front and soon
opened up gap Of length and a half
on Ballet Dancer II and Mr.. Wilson'S
Wyoming. Fair Gain, another dan
gerous contender. was lying close to
the pace. 1t required cool and CAL
cuating ride on the part OF OBren to
retrieve MS early disadvantage. He
was equal 10 the occasion.
The field swung into the stretch with
Sennings Park and Fair Gain noses
apart and Leochares back with the
pack. O'Brien saved ground at the
turn and then came with great rush
down the stretch. At the eighth pole
The four we're in 4 bunch, and there il
seemed as if Wyoming might get the
hons share Of the purse. The Wilson
morse, however. was hemmed in be
tween Leochares and Fair Gain Bes.
Pal the favorite. was practically left
&. the post.
The more important of the two ad-
vertised features was the Kentucky
Selling Stalks. for -year-old FLIES.
at five and 4 half furiongs. which was
won by H. N. Fletchcr's loneliness, in
money value only $500 The winner,
which was entered to be sold for 81 500
but which was bid in by the stable for
$500, was outrun to the stretch.
where Vida saved lot of ground and,
coming through on the rail. drew away
handily III the final furlong.
A Day of Upsets
It was a day Of upsets and long
shots though two odds-on favorites
delivered improssively. In the steeple-
chase i was question only OF Midas
Il standing up. He was much the best,
and rated behind the pace until almost
the last turn, when he came away at
will. Brand ran fine race behind the
winner Jay Bird also ran very coU-
rageous race. He attempted to spread
eagle the field, tired from the pace
eventually, but came on once more
and was ruHrr - strong at the finish.
ssyrdary- went down at the fourth
fence
The fifth race at mile and
quarter, was only gallop for lemons
Bon, the to 3 favorite King Agrippa
. Which beat out Great Gull, the second
cnoce. for the place, made g surpris-
lngiy game bid at the head OF the
stretch. but tired. The other two
Judge David and Wilfreda, were never
prominent.
real old-fash,oned coup was
turned by the Westcrners in the final
trial Of the afternoon, dash of five
and a half furlongs, for -year-old
maldens. This was won by E. r.
BFadley's Blowing Bubbles. Blowing
Bubbles was backed from 90 to l to
to =. J. +. Widener's Nchant and
J. X. L. Ross Bastilie were also very
heavily played. Whatever chance Bas-
tli.e may have had WAS ruined shortly
after the start, when the colt was
pumped back into the ruck.
Racegoers may confidently expect a
Iiepetition of the duel between Man O.
war and John P Grier which made
the Dwyer Stakes such a superb con-
test when the same three-year olds
meet here on Saturday next in the
lravers Stakes. 1t will be remembered
mat Man O. War, after a terrific
struggle, carrying 1926 pounds to John
+. Grier's los. won the Aqueduct
prize. On Saturday, the champion VII
nave to shoulder l29 pounds, as against
Grier's ll5.