Top Handicap Horse

Like Atlas, the Greentree Stable's Tom Fool is constantly being made to carry the weight of the world on his back. At least so it seems to Greentree's Trainer John Gaver, the man who sends the handsome bay colt to the races. As a three-year-old Tom Fool was ailing, and never got a chance to run in the Kentucky Derby or the other three-year-old classics. But this year, a filled out, mature four-year-old, Tom Fool is already being talked of as one of the top handicap horses of all time.

Carrying top weight in every start,* Tom Fool won his first five starts this year. In the Metropolitan Handicap, first race in New York's "Handicap Triple Crown," he carried a whopping 130 Ibs. --108 Ibs. of Jockey Ted Atkinson and 22 Ibs. of lead and equipment--and won. In the Suburban Handicap his burden was 128 Ibs., and he won again. Fortnight ago, in the Carter Handicap, the handicapper asked him to carry 135, and still he won.

Last week, in the Brooklyn Handicap, third race of the Handicap Triple Crown, they loaded 136 Ibs. on Tom Fool. It meant he was giving away weights ranging from 26 to 31 Ibs. to the other entries. Tom Fool broke fast from the starting gate, ran easily in second place until he hit the far turn. There, Jockey Atkinson loosened his tight hold on the reins, clucked once, and Tom Fool took off. Never under a whip, never under pressure, Tom Fool won easily, by a length and a half.

Pleased Trainer John Gaver, after being congratulated on the victory, produced a stock race-track reply: "Good horses make good trainers." Tom Fool's victory revived talk of a "dream race" between Alfred Vanderbilt's champion three-year-old Native Dancer and the champion four-year-old handicap horse. On a weight-for-age basis today, Tom Fool would carry 126 Ibs. in a mile race, the Dancer 116 Ibs.

*Handicapper's rule of thumb: three pounds of extra weight equal a length in a mile race.

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