view raw text
GALE HITS BELMONT PARK. RAIN AND WIND STORM DRIVES SPECTATORS TO SKELTER UNDER GRANDSTAND. Last Four Races Are Run in Sloppy Going Grandpa Falls at the First Jump and Mr. Hayes Is Knocked Out. Xew York. October 0. Up to 2 o clack today the most beautiful of autumn weather prevailed and an unusually large crowd journeyed to Belmont Park to see an interesting card of six races decided. A miniature cyclone struck the race course during the running of the third race and the juvenile racers were invisible to the spectators until nearing the finish. The force of the gale drove the rain into the furthermost corners of the large grandstand and nearly everyone sought refuge underneath. .V number of benches were blown down, creating a momentary panic. Altogether it was the most cheerless and actually disappointing day of the season. The last three races were run over a canal-like track. Society turned out in force to .see the rnnnlng of the Corinthian Steeplechase ITandlcap, over the full course, in which gentlemen jockeys disported themselves. Grandpa, ridden by his owner, W. C. Hayes, started an odds-on favorite and carried limit wagers of the clubhouse contingent. Mr. Hayes came to grief at the very first jump, being knocked out completely. It was generally remarked that the ambulance van arrived-on the scene in an incredibly short time. The injured rider when picked up was quite limp and seemingly dead and there was a great commotion in the clubhouse- enclosure: Mr. Hayes recovered shortly after, however, and was able to walk back to the scales room unassisted. After the accident the favorite, Yama Christy, .skillfully handled by Mr. Devereaux, went on and easily disposed of the others. The other stake fixture on the card was the Ialrvlew Selling, at a mile and a sixteenth. R. H. McC. Potter scored easily from four others with his homebred filly, Belle of Pequest, which was a hot favorite. Grapple won at the first asking in the colors of his new Owner, Frank J. Farrell. The Tammany crowd won a lot of money over the Drake cast-offs victory. The success of four favorites brought considerable relief to the speculatively-lnclined public and it was a cheery crowd that wended their way homeward at the close of the days racing. The experiment of running all races at six and ii half furlongs and under over the straightaway at Belmont Park, inaugurated yesterday, is an unpopular move. The third and fifth races today at live and a half and six and a half furlongs respcc-lively, were decided over that course and the rain .Did mist obscured the view of their early running entirely, so much so that in the case of the former no official time was taken.