New-York tribune., 1920-08-10
Best Pal Wins
From FavOrites
By Big ig Margin
Loft Entry Runs Like Cab
Horse and Brings Sorrow
TO Layers and Players
By w. ]. Macbeth

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Aug. o.-The
second week of the Saratoga meeting
developed enough startling surprises
to make the cosmopolitan crowd feel
right back at home, and no greater
surprise was presented than in the fea-
ture race, the North Creek, at a mile,
when Donnacona, George W. Lofts
three-year-old, the favorite, was beaten
away off by about as cheap field as
he has ever faced.
Donnacona certainly has been an in
and outer, but nobody could believe.
who didn't see to-day's performance,
that stake horse could run so woe
1ully weak in such poor company
Donnacona was absolutely dead at
every stage of the journey. He had
the advantage of Sande, the best jockey
now appearing in silks, and Sande tried
all the way to make his stced run.
Donnacona raced as if he had couple
OF pounds Of lead tied to each foot.
He was anchored; he couldn't get ND
decent gallop.
1T was limited that Man o. War had
proken Donnacona's heart last Satur-
day, which might have been taken seri-
ously had Donnacona on Saturday actu
ally tried to beat Man O. War But he
dldn't. He was content to gallon along
behind the superhorse
However that may be. the fact re-
mains that Donnacona, with the best
rider in this country on his back.
looked more like a cab horse than a. a
stake horse in to-day's feature race
Wins by Eight Lengths
Chasseur and Courtship, which set the
pace early, raced themselves out in
a hurry. E. R. Bradley's Best Pal
which eventually Won in commandinr NINA no.
fashion, was off slowly, but worked his
way up gradually on the outside to
assume the lead in the middle of the
far turn. Best Pal won eased up by
about eight lengths.
Either Under Fire or Bridesman,
which finished second and third respec-
lively. might have given Best Pal a
real argument had they got off clear.
Away back IN the ruck of struggling
start, both suffered interference. Under
Fire was the first to GET free sailing
and much of his disadvantage he made
up IN the run through the back stretch,
but Bridesman was in close quarters to
the stretch turn
He came with a great rush and was
running over the others at the end.
Donnacona finished fourth
Astonishing almost as the defeat of
Donnacona was the upset experienced by
Guv'nor, one of Lofts -year-olds, IN
the secondary feature, the TROY Selling
Stakes, at five and one-half furlongs,
of guaranteed cash value of $4,000
Not only was Guv'nor beaten soundly
and forced to take the consolation end
of the purse, but he was licked after
he appeared to be about to spread
eagle his field This warm choice I'm
ished a bad third to two long shots.
W. P. Burch's Tody, which opened at
80 to /, scared to 90 to 1, and vas
then backed to 20 to /, made Guv'nor
seem the veriest platter
In several Of his previous races
Guvnor had shown indications of the
hound, but nobody expected him to
stop as if shot at the end of five fur
longs, as ne did this afternoon. Turn
ing into the stretch, Guv'nor had five
lengths lead, and appeared to have
the race sewed up, but at the sixteenth
pole he quit cold and stopped to moth
ing. Tody. which was outrun for three
ful1ongs, saved ground at the home
turn, came like a bullet down the
stretch, and won by four lengths.
Dough Girl Wins
The closing race, five furlong dash.
looked more like cavalry charge
than a horse race. First Ycomanctte
broke through the barrier, threw little
Ephraim Josiah, and, darting back
through the crowd of horses, raced to
the end of the chute. The start was
delayed five minutes till the runaway
was captured and Josiah put back in
the saddle. When the field finally was
sent away Dough Girl, which sprang a
sensation at Aqueduct by beating
Sporting Blood and Our Boots, was off
wWinging, opened up big gap and just
lasted to stave off Rockland's chal-
lenge. The favorite, w. J. Salmon's
Step Lightly, was carried wide all
around the turn and she dropped out of
the money at the end.
A ten to one shot won the opening
dash Of six furlongs from the heavily
played favorite, outgaming him in a
duel through the last sixteenth
Frankie Keogh brought home Sam
Ross's Gnome a winner in the second
race at a mile.
The fifth race at mile brought
out four very cheap ones ridden by
jockeys who had never before ridden
winner. S. Bullman was very alert
with Belgian Queen, the favorite and
beat the gate by several lengths. He
had but to sit still to win as he
pleased. r. Lancaster on the other
hand was left at the post with Lola
but he managed to take the place after
spirited ride.