view raw text
HAKLEM ItACIXG. Harlem seems to have most of the bad luck in "the way of weather. Yesterday was the begin-ing of their fifth two weeks meeting and the afternoon was cold, wet and raw. Still, the regulare turned oat in fall force and the attendance was all that conld be expected on such a day. The card originally offered was an extra good one, bat owing to the condition of the track it was hurt by extensive gcratching. As a rule the races were run to form and the sport was rather tame; bnt the spectators were treated to one seneation and also one very close finish. The sensation was the defeat of Montgomery in the fourth race, and with bim fell a bunch of hig bettors as well as a majoriy of the sure thing players. Track and everything considered Montgomery did certainly look like a sure winner. Burns was up and tlut made it all the stronger. Three to ten was the first and best price offered againBt Msgranes sprinter. ""Jack the Bookie" pnt thi3 price up and he got a 51,000 b3t at that price, then Montgomerys price settled to 1 to 4. This looked like royal interest on ones money, and the way in which the tight speculators opened up was a caution. At the first break the field was off with Mont- j -gomery flying a half length in front. The horee was at his best and Barns went right on with Mm hoping to stop the others off in the first half. Harry Thobnrn, however, refuspd to be stopped, and right at Montgomerys throat Jatcb, went the first half in 49 seconds. ThiB was phenomenal time considering the condition of the track. At the head of the stretch Montgomery and Harry Thobnrn were racing like a team and then it was only a question as to which would be the first one to show the white feather. Montgomery never was very stouthearted, and he was the first one to succumb "under pieseure, and when he did go he col-lapsod all in a heap. This took place about the eighth post when he swerved badly and came near falling over the inside fence. After that Harry Thobnrn had everything his own way and wotf rather easily by about a half length. In the last race, a three-qoarter selling affair, was where the close finish took place, It stirred the crowd up to its highest pitch of excitement. The Harlem stand is built on such an angle that from where the most of the spectators see the races it is almost impossible for them to havo any idea what the the winner is when it is at all close, consequently this makes it embarrassing for the judges. They, and they only are in a position to see and rarely make a mistake as to placing the horsee, and when a crowd gathers and makes a lot of noise after a decision has been made it makes a mistaken and uncalled-for waste of wind and temper. There was considerable noise and bad talk after Little Jack Horner had been decided the winner over Jim Gore II., but anyone in a position to sea knew that the judges were right. Tho finish was one of those peculiar ones with one horse on the extreme inside and the other beyond the center of the track on the outride. Little Jack Horner happened to have the rail and he got the decision which waB perfectly correct. Hermoso, who finished third in this race, was much the best and bat for being repeatedly bnmped by Little Jack Horner when coming through the stretch he could not have lost. What er Lou won from a bunch of other good old "has beens" very easily in the first rece. Behind him were such once good ones as Goodrich, Macy and Hagh Peany. All are stake winners and at some time or other were record-holders. "Bud" May knew he had a cinch on the second race with Avenstoke and told all of his friends so. The colt opened at 3 to 1. was backed down to 11 to 5, and lees, and won as he pleased from Gussie Fay. The third race was a gift to Sam Lazarus Esq., who is a mudlark of high degree. This colt galloped Sea Lion to exhaustion in the first half mile and then won running away. The fourth was the Montgomery race and the fifth was nothing but a Cakewalk for Annowan, On the latter Abe Jacobs, of the 01mpio Theater, made a "killing." He had several commissioners out to play it and averaged 4 to 1 for his money. Some time ago Daily Racing Foeji charged Florizar with bsing a sulker. Mr. Scoggan, who owns the colt, says this is incorrect. He states that florizar is a slow beginner and as he is a big over-grown youngster, he never, has a chance to really get to going in sprinting distance races. Mr. Scoggan has bad many good racehorses in his time, but predicts that Florizar will be one of the beat, if not the best, three-year old he ever owned.
