The Washington times., 1924-01-30

the present winter.
In fact, it was heralded far
thoroughbred the American turf
Western coast for the express
Coffoth handicap, a $4,000 weil
Old Slim has now been sojourning
in Tia Juana for almost three
months and a has yet to face the
barrier. If he was being pointed
for the Coffroth he would at beast
need two or three races under his
belt to tune him up. So far he
has never started and the proba'
bilities are that he never will.
A year ago last November we
stood in the press coop at Pimlico
and watched the running Of the
fourth renewal of the Pimlico Cup
Americas most exacting and long
est Thoroughbred race over a dis.
tance of ground-two and one-quar'
ter miles.
For three Novembers prior to
that we stood in that same press
coop and watched Exterminator
take the measure of Royce Rools
in 1919, and Comdr. j. X. L. Rosa
excellent performer, Boniface, in
40GU anu again l..
Old Bones stretch dueIs with
BOniface i'm 1920 and then again i'm
1921 are two races which will live
long i'm the memories of those
who saw them. In each instance
the Kilmer color bearer was re-
turned the winner by the narrow
margin Of nose.
But to get back to the renewal
OF the fixture a year ago. Slim had
been training none too soundIX dur.
ing the early part of the campaign
He lacked but a few thousand dol
lars of passing the money winning
record of the Incompatible Man O.
War.
No Zevs with made-to order
match races carrying an added
value of 100000 were dreamed of
then. Gene Weyiand, Extermina-
tors trainer, was doubly anxious
for Old Bones to win the Pimlico
Cup. 1t meant more than passing
Man O. Wars record in winnings.
Had the courageous old gelding
won that race he would have per-
formed what no other thoroughbred
in the history Of the American turf
has been able to accomplish. He
would have been the only horse in
the game which had ever won ana
tionally recognized stake fixture for
the fourth consecutive time.
Gene Weyland fumed and
fretted for days with the old CAM
paigner. He knew that Bones
was not training sOundly. Yet
there was almost an insistent
public demand that the McGee
geIding be sent to the post, not
only to top Man o. Wars record,
but to win for the fourth time
the PinrlicO Cup.
For the first eight furlongs OF
that two and one-quarter mile route
Exterminator forced the fastest
mile he had ever Travelled. If mem.
ory serves us right, he carried
Captain Alcock the first mile in
1.37 is. No horse carrying the
crushing impost of 126 pounds
could hope to carry on at such a
pace for such a great distance.
Captain Alcock was toting but
feather. At the end of a mile
and one-half Bones was seen tC
falter in his stride. Before another
quarter had been traversed he was
staggering. Benny Marinelli, who
had the leg over his back, was
heroically attempting to take him up
But, not for Slim. The record
does not exist which says "Exter
minator quit" And he did not
quit that day. Ailing though he
was, Bones knew what he was out
there on that strip for. Struggling
for his head he all but unseateG
Marinelli in the stretch run. Under
the wire they passed, a badly
beaten third.
Gene Weyland led the gallant
old campaigner from the track
amid the deafening acclaim from
fifty thousand thrOats. He had
went down i'm defeat, but it was
the most gallant defeat any
thoroughbred had ever expert
enced. ExterminatOr had added
thousands to his legion of friends.
Old Bones had run his last race
He had given his all. Something
had given away under the terrific
strain of five hard campaigns. Gene
Weyland knew it. Tears were
streaming down the veteran train
er's cheeks. But there was still
hope.
WeyIand nursed the old geldine
along through the winter months
which followed. In the early spring
of last year he shipped Extermina
tor to Havre de Grace. WeylanC
brought all of his skill into play il
an effort to get Slim back to tn,
races. But all to no avail.
Gene Weyland brooded over Bones
condition He knew the son o
MCGEE was through, yet he woul,
not admit it. 1t was this broodinl
which probably fastened the end o
one of Americas greatest trainers
Then Willie Shields attempted wha
Weyland had failed to do.
Shields worked on Bones for
the better part of several months.
He could not get him into any
where near racing condition. And
then Shields passed on to the
Great Beyond. Henry Mcdaniel
thought lie. could do what Wey-
land and Shields were unable to
accomplish.
Mcdaniel took Exterminator t.
Tia Juana last fall, along with sew
eral stars from the establishment
of Comdr. j. X. l.. Ross. Wore
Union e!lluk SSiIgs: in y
IIss Ss u superior work. \
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