SPORTING Stymied Million-dollar Objective In Sight

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 June 1948, Page 7

SPORTING Stymied Million-dollar Objective In Sight

The American horse Stymie if unheard-of fortune of a million doll; dollars, lie’s earned more mone t y tl cf the Turf. 'Advice last week in' winner had added another 2.1.000 d his total 844,760 dollars (£256,047) Even if he had not been glamourised because of his emergence from a 1500-dollar plater, Stymie still would have reached his> present status as one of America’s favourite horses. For durability, courage, and showmanship he has no superior on the contemporary turf. His record of 116 races without sign of any lameness indicates his sound physical structure and is a tribute to excellent handling by his trainer. Consistency and honesty are underlined by his 31 victories, 29 seconds, and 24 thirds. ‘■Stymie will run till he has whiskers down to here,” trainer Jacobs gesticulated, adding that there were no plans to retire the great horse to the stud for some time yet, which makes his objective of . a round million—or better, look well within his grasp. When he opened his career as a two-year-old Stymie was just another horse, and an unattractive one at that. After failing to show anything cf note in his first three starts, he was later claimed after a selling race, in which he finished seventh, for 1500 dollars by his present owner, Mrs E. D. Jacobs, whose husband trains her horses. Soon Paid For The colt, a chestnut son of Equestrian—Stop Watch, by On Watch, soon paid for himself by winning three minor races, but his road to fame and fortune was riot paved with gold bricks until he became a four-year-old. That was the first season in which he won an important race. The sturdy son of Equestrian was campaigned as if he were an iron horse during that term, starting in 28 races for four wins, and earning 15,935 dollars. As a three-year-old he was kept busy and competed 29

is well oh his way to reaching the lars Avon in stakes. Bought for 1.500 han any other horse in the history idicatecl that the champion moneylollars to his bank-roll, thus making ). times for three wins and 36,325 dollars in stake money. The “up-from-the-ranks horse,” as he became known, captured his first big race in 1945, exactly two years after he was claimed, beating a good field at Jamaica track. Then followed several important successes, including the famous Saratoga Cup. He started 19 times that season, a mere “holiday” for him, and was credited with earning 225,375 dollars. Racing experts voted him •’best handicap horse of the year,” in their annual poll. Stymie had definitely “arrived” after a long and tedious journey. Last year Stymie started 20 times won eight races and 238,650 dollars, bringing his total earnings to an astounding 516,285 dollars. This left him only 44.876 away from Whirlaway’s world record. IJe worked hard during his 1947 campaign and he had his troubles before he finally made the grade. The brilliant Assault was Stymie’s nemesis in race after race, and in beating his older rival in the 50,000-dollar Brooklyn Handicap Assault actually was the first to top Whirlaway’s record with 576,670 dollars Great Duel The pair then had a great duel for the money crown. Each had a short reign, but Stymie finally came out the undisputed champion when he triumphed in the Gold Cup, international classic, with a 73,000-dollar purse to the winner. Then followed his win in the Massachusetts Handicap which netted him 41,500 dollars and took his total earnings to over 730,000 dollars —within striking distance of his first million. Now in his fifth year of racing, Stymie, the current rags-to-riches hero of the sentimentalists, still shows no signs of lack of determination and I ability to hurry after a dollar in a highly competitive business wherein haste makes wealth.