464 The American Tborougbbred 



had all sorts and kinds of two-year-olds, who beat 

 each other with consistency. The little Ben 

 Brush colt Broomstick was the first good one to 

 show. But after they had all been weeded out 

 and cut down, the palm of the year was given to 

 Highball, a son of Ben Strom. 



The interest of the year, however, centred in 

 the performances of the rival three-year-olds, 

 Africander and Irish Lad, and the rival four-year- 

 olds, Waterboy, Hermis, and McChesney. Any 

 one of these five entered in a race would draw an 

 enormous attendance to the course. Hermis in 

 the early part of the season was a dazzling disap- 

 pointment. McChesney came from the West 

 with a great reputation and practically challenged 

 the Easterners to meet him. Waterboy had 

 broken a hip when a two-year-old and was really 

 coming upon the turf for the first time. His 

 career was so magnificent that when the season 

 was over he was nominated the champion of the 

 year. The Westerners were quite firm in their 

 belief that, with both horses good, McChesney 

 could beat Waterboy. However, a contest be- 

 tween the two was never arranged, and Water- 

 boy, black son of imported Watercress, might be 

 called the champion of 1903. 



