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THROUGH AT HARLEM. The Illinois racing season of 1899 came to a close at Harlem Saturday, and despite the fact that it was a raw, cold tfternoon and there was a. snroty that the track would be a sea of mud and slash, a big crowd was on hand to bid the coarse goodbye. As is always the case when the going is extremely muddy, the sport was somewhat tame, bat nevertheless oat of the last race came a rousing finish that will loDg be remembered. It was between Tappan and David, and the former won the deoision. That Tappan is as honest and as game as any horse that has performed on local tracks this season must be conceded. He has startod of tener perhaps than any other horse and as a rule has always been inside the money. The .scrubby looking gelding has changed hands numerous times, bat this seemed to make no difference to him and he haB continned to plod along and always did the bast he could. Tappans win was sensational in more than oneway. Besides standing a drive for three-eighths of a mile and winning the applause of those that like to see races for the sport thete is in it he also carried th9 bunch of regulars over the bridge who bet on him to secure their getaway money. Conley was up on the gelding and rode a good race. Old David got a flying start and cat out the running with Tappan laying in a good position all the way. Bounding into the stretch David had a commanding lead and seemed to be going well in hand. About the eighth post, however, he began to wobble, and slowly bat surely Tappan began to overhaul him. At about the sixtesnth post Bigby, on David, drew his whip and under it the old horse swerved. This gave Conley and Tappan encouragement, and the pair, doing their best, struggled along gamely together and in the last s tride got to and passed David, winning by a narrow margin. Tappan was always about 3 to 1 and was heavily backed. Senator OBrien had a winning streak, and daring the day took a fortune out of the ring He backed the mounts of his jockey, Vititoe, and the boy won four consecutive races. On Fred Fosters handsome filly, Peace, Vititoe landed his first race. Peace was always .about 2 to 1, and Mr. OBrien won a swell bet on iier. Vititoe got away in front, and there waB never a stage of the journey when she did not hold the favorite, Harry Thoburn, and all the others safe. After Peaces easy win came the Great Bend race, and at 2 to I Mr. OBrien bit ,000, and he never had an uneasy moment during the race, as Vititoe took the "Bend boss" to the iront early and made a runaway race of it, -winning pulled up by a half dozen lengths. After winning two bets the Senator felt confident and he went to George Lee, with Vititoe xip, hook, line and Binker. The race was at a mile and a quarter and George Lee was at the juicy price of 41 to 1. George Lee is a slow beginner but he is a strong finisher and after laying back in the ruck for about .three-quarters of a mile he began to work his way to the front and when hoaded for home he waa.in the lead and stayed there to the end, winning with great ease. It was on Pay the Fiddler in the fifth event that Vititoe and OBrien quit for the day. This gelding was backed from 3 to 1 down to 21 to 1, and after a fierce drive through the Btretch beat Isabey. Volandies, long overdue and at the liberal price of 5 to 1, made a ehow of his field in the flist race. He got off in front and the farther jhe went the greater he made his lead. Monday the racing scene shifts to Lakeside where everything is in first-class condition for the final fifteen days of racing around Chicago, Every stall at the track is filled and all available stables on the outside have been engaged. The parses offered at Lakeside are 00 and better, and should there bs a spell of good weather the racing at the Indiana track will be of the same high class that prevailed at Harlem and Hawthorne.
