The Washington herald., 1922-12-30

AS the Block colt was adding
victory upon victory to his un-
tarnished string Of conquests.
throughout the 1921 campaign,
there were then even some who
could not be convinced that the
great two-year-old would carry on.
Their argument was that his blood
strains Indicated that he could
never hope to race over a dis
tance Of ground under any and all
conditions.
His sire, Runnymede, was only
fair sprinter, while his dam,
Hymir. had never set any worlds
afire throughout her route perfor-
mances. Why then should the turf
Norwich when his very breeding
conclusively bespoke that he did
not come from a distance running
family. Yet. his complete failure
10 carry on over a distance Of
ground Is still the talk of turf
dom.
A close analysis of every race
in which the son of Runnymede
participated reveals some very in.
teresting facts and information
These are set forth in numerical
and chronological order as the
writer found them in the charts:
OUTBROKEN ONCE.
l. In his eleven starts, as a
juvenile. Norwich was called upon
but once to negotiate a route at a
distance greater than six furlongs.
2. Upon that one occasion - the
Pimlico Futurity-he reeled off the
mile in 1.42 over a fast track.
The time. while not 20 bad, was
not SO good.
8. In only one race of his first
eleven starts was he ever out
broken with the rise of the gate.
This is significant in itself.
4. Only once did he have to come
from behind to win. This was in
the Pimlico Futurity. He caught
the two leaders after they had all
but collapsed in the stretch run.
Did stamina. or speed, win that
race?
s. In the Kentucky Derby. his
first start as three-year-old. he
again outbroke his opposition and
led to the finish. His time for
the mile and quarter was
2:04 3-5. The record Is 200.
W AAiS hCAt was tne
ton Stakes. at Aqueduct. In that
race Norwich met a horse who
could outbreak him ana beat him
to the first quarter pole. whisk.
away was the one And when
Whiskaway failed to crack at his
challenge what was the result?
Norwich was beaten eight lengths
After The race James Rowe
the veteran trainer for Harry
Payne Whitney. is credited with
saying: Give me a thorouehbre,l
which can outbreak Norwich and
outrun him to the half and IN
beat him every time"
S-Then cam the Kentucky Spe
cial The tu.i world looked for
Norwich to regain part of his lost
laurels. Rowe again started Whisk
away against Norwich in the
Special. Norwich slightly outbroks
the Whitney standard bearer bu,
at the first quarter whiskaway
was but a half length behind. The
quarter had been run in 20 AS.
ON EVEN TERMS.
9-At the half Whiskaway had
pulled up on even terms with the
| Block colt and was looking him
In the eye. The first half mile had
been run in AS Is. equaling the
worlds record made by Donau, al
Santa Anita, in 1909. and Anon
at Juarez, in 1911. And there wa,
still three-quarters of a mile to go
1O-At the five-eighths whisk
away had dropped his nose dowr
in front of Morvich's and the Run
nymede colt was beaten. Rowe
was right. Whiskaway had outrur
the son Of Norwich In record tim.
for the first five-eighths. Agar
Norwich was through.
From this it does not take any
undue stretch Of the Imagination
| to picture Norwich as one OF the
greatest sprinters the sport has eve,
known. He conclusively proved
that in eleven of his thirteen starts
And he just as conclusively proved
in two of three starts that HI
does not relish racing over a dis
tance of ground.
Had Block kept the Runnymed,
colt in events which did not carry
him beyond six furlongs Morvicf
might still have been undefeated
but American turf followers ar,
ioathe to recognize an equin,
champion who can not 60 owe
any track at any distance. Therein
lies Man O. Wars great popularity
Six furlongs. a mile, a mile and
quarter or a mile and five-eighth
was not too far for him. And h.
made new records the farther h