The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-26
MURPHY CORNERS
THE FAST TROTTERS
Poughkeepsie Trainer Keeps
All Rivals Busy Chasing His
Horses i'm Grand Circuit.

OF late years the Grand Circuit has
become a parade of racing material man
aged by men who are busy from one end
of the season to the other chasing Muir
ply. Backed by a group of owners who
are willing to pay almost any price for
horses which Murphy thinks have a
chance 10 win. the Poughkeepsie reins-
man has reserve fund of racing ma
teria to take the place Of what goes
wrong or fails to race up TO expecta-
tions, sample of this was seen In
1918, when Ante Guy was moved up TO
the front line after Chilcoot went lame
and last year when Peter Manning was
started after Alta Donovan was In
jured AT Columbus.
During the last ten years the drivers
racing on the mile tracks have adopted
the methods of the big league operators
IN baseball by purchasing or securing
control of the leading prospects. This
state of affairs has also kept the mile
tracks from showing many new faces IN
the sulky, as the men who develop what
looks like mile track material are COM
PEELED to remain on the two lap courses
after the best performers are cut out
of their stables or comrelled to start
on a still hunt for an occupant OF the
vacant stall.
A sample of this was seen in 1919.
when Murphy selected Peter Manning,
Alta Donovan John Henry and symbol
S. Forrest for his 1920 stable. while for
1921 he has already purchased Bill
Sharon. Lady Grattar and Peter Daw.
The transfer of these horses to Pough-
keepsie keeps the men VINO drove them
off the mile rings. where II would have
been necessary for their former owners
to send them. as the chances of getting
classes in which IN race them on the two
lap courses were rather remote.
There is a good and a bad side to this
situation One is that II gives the for
mer owner money with which he can buy
again If he wishes to remain in the
business while at the same time 1t places
the bu'k of the mile track racing ma
terial in the hands of a few men who
can make or mar race meeting by
transferring their engagements
Twenty-Five years ago when trainer
found a good horse In his outfit he went
along with 1t from the two lap cour@es
to the larger ovals and frequently
trained and raced his star to the end Of
its career few OF them came on 3
owners as II. D Ky9er did with Kit
Curry and the Stewart family with
White Stockings. Grants Abdall' n,
Walter r. and Ry'and T. Others fiut-
tered on as trhiners. Ike Pickett with
Anderson's Nightingale. the best stake
horse in 1892; Blther with Jay E'e See,
Phallas, Kremlin and Lynn Bel, or
Proctor with Uhlan.
At present the majority OF the mile
track racing material Is located In the
stables controlled by Murphy, Cox,
Geers. Valentine. Snow or Mcdonald.
Some Of it was developed by them. but
practically all of their starters IN the
aged clio sses were develoneA by men Ike
Mart Wilson or Goddard who make a
speciality of DEALING in pr, sweets, or were
raced over TIE half mile tracts Such
horses as Charley Rex, DIR. Mex. e.
Colorado, June Red, Grevwor.hv and
Early Dreams are among the latter
while CALI Curc ard NfcGregor the
Great are samples of the former.
While there are a few owners who nre
Of the opinion that the average half
mile track drivers would be outclassed
by those who have been following the
big line for years. the returns show that
they are Just as easy to defeat as
ordinary reinsmen If the newcomer has
the goods. Shut showed this In 1909
when he dropped In from Iowa with
Penisa Maid, while Sutherland made al
SlHnQ AT attention NHtll ne AAfAh JNilils
w. and Angus Pointer. Cheney proved
profitable meal ticket for long John
Fleming. while Ben Whitehead did not
require any help to win with The Wood
man or Flower Direct after he sold
ctaWHh.
The drift OF the best racing material
into few stables has a tendency to
corner the market. II also makes man
with one or two clever performers hesi-
tate before making engagements all the
way down the line. as he knows In ad-
vance that there are several trainers
who will have three or four In each Of
the classes to which he is eligible. On
the other hand. 1t places the owner OF a
high class half-miler or one that has
shown record breaking form In a posi-
ton TO get a good price for his prospect
~ he does not want to go on with IL.
This Is what caused the transfer OF Bill
Sharon and Peter Daw to Poughkeepsie.
as we'll as Z Colorado and Greyworthy
toCox's stable at indianapolis Geers
may also have a few OF the same kind in
his stable at Memphis. where he is now
busy preparing June Red for another
trip to the races.
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