The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-11
BUSY SCENES
GREET VISITOR
AT BENNING
Harry Payne Whitney Has.
String of Juveniles in Train
h1g-0ther Stables There.

i
side oh de ring
/ That's enough. The information
Is enlightening and at the same
time convincing. Those sky-blue
blankets tell a story I'm themselves.
You know that beneath those sky
blue blankets there is thorough
bred that is as clean strained as it
is possible for breeding to make
then--that the wearers of those
sky-blue blankets must measure up
to Whitney standards. or else
You watch the rhythnnical move
ment Of the half dozen around the
circling ring for matter Of five
minutes or 80 and then pass on
through other lanes formed by the
stables. Ahead you see trio
earnestly grouped. One of the three
Id none other than William p.
Burch, the veteran and dean OF
washington turfmen; the second
his son, Preston, and the third Will
liam III. Brooks, who trains the es.
Enlistment OF Admiral Cary T.
Grayaon.
-FOUR ON TRACK.
Their gaze is intently riveted up-
on the track. You, likewise, look
in that direction and at the quarter
pole you see four thoroughbreds
with long, frictionless strides COM
ing on. It is not so much the
quartet, that arrests your atten-
ton. Tapped on the rail Is q long
barreIed. laugh fibred grey. He il
under stout pull; champing at
the bit and fighting for his head.
You turn to Trainer Brooks with
the query as to the colts identity.
THAT is Mintstick, Admiral Gray
sons Broomstick. Tapped on his
right is Broonstick by Sand
Pocket. The next Is q Black Jester
and then comes the three-year-old,
Ny Own" Is
So that is Mintstick. This is
the grey colt which trainers flock
to the rail to watch perforn-the
two-year-oId of which 80 much has
been predicted and expected. Ex-
perts pronounce Mintstick to have
greater possibilities than any jul
venile Admiral Grayson has ever
had in his stable.
A wave of Brooks arm and the
four stable boys. aatride the quartet
OF onconing racers take UP as with
one accord. The four settle into a
canter; then trot: then O. walk and
finally come to a dead stop. The
greatest of care is always exercised
in pulling up a galloping thorough,
bred. Strong-arm and roughhouse
measures are taboo.
BROOKS TRAINED EYE.
The boys dismount. turn and lead
the four thoroughbreds OFF the track
In the direction of Admiral Gray
sons stables. Brooks is walking
- = - ~ -
eye il moving with lightning-Iike
rapidity and taking in the move
ment Of every working muscle Of
those four racers. It travels from
shoulder to fetlock and from coup
ling and hip to plate.
All apparently seems well But is
It? Hold up, Sandy!' The order
comes from Brooks and little Sandy
McLane stops with the Black Jester
Ieolt. Brooks advances. That search
ing eye has noted something. His
hand goes out and with gentle
pressure moves slowly, but surely,
down the colts shoulder. The young
thoroughbred winces.
Alright" McI4ane again starts
towards the stable with the colt.
You look inquiringly at Brooks.
Just trifle sore. Nothing serious.
He will be alright in a day or So"
The four are unsaddled and placed
in their roomy box stalls. Another
quartet is brought out, saddled and
the boys mount. A dozen or more
turns are taken around the en-
closed passage between the stable
proper and the outer wall. Brooks
decides that they are sufficiently
warmed up" Out on the track
H. So, ~ q
are brought back and stabbed.
MEET WASHINGTONIANS.
You talk horse" with Brooks for
few moments and then start
vending your way among the
stables to the gate. You pass the
stables OF Samuel Ross. Edward
Beale Mclean, William p. Burch,
James r. Skinker and other Wash
ingtonians.
A nod here and a nod there and
you have spoken to William p.
| Burch, is two sons, Preston and
Fred, Bernard Harding, John Schorr
and other local owners and trainers,
on your way out. They are there
for the same purpose as Brooks
to note and direct the training of
the thoroughbreds in their care.
Strange dS 1t may SccIu DcII-
ning's colony OF high class jockeys
is limited to Just one, and he is
none other than Sandy McLane, the
northeast boy, whose meteoric rise
of last fall was temporarily halted
when Samuel Ross Apex went down
on the backstretch at Bowie.
Had 1t not been, for the accident.
young McLane would right now be
riding at New Orleans and at a
figure which would favorably COM
pare with that paid other high class
performers in the saddle McLane
was under contract to ride for 0.
e. PonS.
It is just as well, perhaps that
the youngster did not go south.
With such a shrewd horseman as
Pons to look after his riding en-
gagements the probabilities are that
the youngster would have lost his
apprenticeship.
AS 1t is, he will enter the coming
campaign with his five pounds al
lowance and this will materially
help him to secure mounts of
much higher caliber than he could
hope for were he out OF the ap-
| premiership class.
MohaWks To Play
Mohawks, who have won their
last four starts, will battles the