AN EARLY TWO-YEAR-OLD STAKE.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 39

AN EARLY TWO-YEAR-OLD STAKE.

America's rich Stallion Stakes, for two year olds, worth over £3000 to the winner, was run at Morris Park, on May 19. The result proves conclusively, says a correspondent, that the sooner two-year-old racing is restricted, like it is in England, the better it will b« for all concerned. In the first place the big amount of added money is given more to attract the public tban for the bsiterment of racing;, siiad as a pelting rain s»fc in early and lasted all day, the race failed in this ob-

ject. There were originally 34-S nomf'ationt for the event, and out of that numbtr only nine went to 4fce post, so that the race nod! only failed as a race, but the few {hat started*, were the only one» that happened to be fit.Owners who atr, ..ucky enough to have good two-year-olds in their stables are reluctant to hurry them, even for so iion a stake aa, the National Stallion, for the ohances are it" unfits them for the stakes which are given 1 during the beat racing months in the -year, and even if any individual stake given late* on is not quite so valuable, the majority of them are well worth- winning, and then! there is always the Futurity, for which nearly every promising youngster is nominated, and it is worth about double the amount given in the National Stallion. Of course, races late* on are harder to win, hence a few men wili\ fit some of their youngsters for the early, events, but from past records it is a losing; game. Last year the race was won by Pupil, with His Royal Highness second, and Vulcain} third. Pupil only won one other race all the year — a small handicap. ' Vulcain worn one race, the Great American Stakes, in which, he beat a large field, though of very ordinary calibre, and His Royal Highness has been of hardly any account since. The race this year was won by Bonnibert, a chestnut colt by mv, ported Albert out of Bonnie Ola, belonging to . C. Fleischmann and Sons, with Bellario, by Belvidere out of Madge Stuart, second, and Golden Age, by Golden Garter out of Nonage, third. The track was fetlock deep in mud, and the winner was badly cut down, while Bellario wrenched his fetlock so badly that he " finished on three legs, and it is doubtful whether lie will ever go to the post agairui Verily a chapter of accidents. Bonnibert may be a good colt, for he won a race a few day's ago in commanding manner, which caused him. to be made favourite for this event, but I doubt his turning out anything like first-class. Bonnie Ola (Bonnibert's darn) is by Elkwood, son of Eolus, b}"- lieamington oiit of Leda, she by Kingfisher (son of Lexington) out of imported Lcightonia, by Favonius.