view raw text
GREAT SPORT AT THE SPA. MCARTER BEATS RUNNING WATER A HEAD FOR SARATOGA HANDICAP. Dandelion a Tirinn Third Fair Play Wins Flash Stakes El Cuchillo Takes the Steeplechase from Thistledalc. Saratoga, N. V August The racing season at Saratoga was inaugurated today under the most 1 1 r i 1 1 i : 1 1 1 1 :unl favorable auspices. All other opening ila.vs of racing at the Spa were eclipsed ly this one ami everything augurs well for a raee meeting that will surp.iss any of its predecessors. All that was best In the way of wealth and fashion and thoroughbred sport found representation within the Saratoga" Racing Associations magnificent enclosure. The weather conditions were perfect, the track fast and the attendance approximately 15,000. At the present writing accurate figures as to the attendance are not available, hut basing on an estimate of the number of programmes sold, there were many more racegoers present than on any previous first day. The splendid card witli its array of rich stakes and attractive overnight races was enhanced in interest by the presence of a new and formidable racing element from the west and Canada on at least two occasions Tom McGrath in the first and Tom Dolan in the fifth these newcomers displayed convincing superiority. The Saratoga Handicap of 0,000 was the principal fixture. The withdrawal of Tangle, Killaloe and Tar "West left seven high class racers Dandelion. McCarter. Dunning Water, Ironsides, Gallavant and I!od Leaf to battle for the rich prize. Notwithstanding that the elimination of Tangle reduced the strength of the Hitchcock entry by nearly, if not quite, one half in speculative circles, ! to was the generally quoted price about the stables lone representative. Dandelion. That the public and layers were all awry in their judgment, the subsequent running disclosed, as after going the lirst seven furlongs the favorite dropped back soundly beaten. The Newcastle Stables entry, Met artcr and Kiiiiuing Water, were persistently supported on an average of 2 to 1, although at post time there was none of that to be obtained. Any wagering on the others was confined to chance bets to show. Tiie actual running justified all the complimentary r ports regarding the private work of Andrew Millers brilliant pair. To begin with, Radtke rode Dandelion badly, virtually inviting ultimate defeat by his premature paceniaking tactics. Gallavant showed tiie way around the lirst turn. Then the favorite took lip the running. Miller, who held McCarter under a choking pull, allowed him to do so on sufferance. In the ineatinie Kunniiig Water was rapidly improving her position and when Hearing the far turn ranged alongside the leader. She carried him along so fast that he cracked, leaving the Newcastle Stalde mare to come home seemingly alone, when suddenly her stable companion loomed up with a menacing challenge and the spectators were treated to the unique spectacle of two horses running in the same interest, driven out to the last ounce to beat each other. McCarter. under Millers ruperior finishing powers, just got up to win in the last stride. The demonstration of applause was very remarkable, coming from a class of onlookers much less demonstatlve than the throngs at the New York city tracks. The big steeplechase fixture had previously developed equally as interesting a contest and. if anything, a more close ami thrilling finish than the handicap. It attracted one of the best lields of crosscountry performers in training. Kl Cuchillo, unbeaten tills season, was made the opening favorite at 2 to 1, but owing to the big backing for Thistle-dale, receded to ."! to 1. Colts horse was the best tip and backed from as good as -1 to 1 to 2J to 1. A Hurry of betting on St. Volma had quickly subsided in the meantime. For a race of this character tiie Saratoga Steeplechase was marked by a tremendously fast pace throughout. At the end of six furlongs the horses were running in Indian lilt. nearly a sixteenth of a mile apart. It did not then seem possible that Thistledalc could he overtaken, but several costly blunders enabled Kl Cuchillo and St. Volma o catch him at the second from the last jump, all three taking it together. Thistledalc, slightly jostled, fell back and was never able to quite get up after one of the gamest up hill struggles ever witnessed. The track record was reduced by three seconds. This was the second running of the Saratoga Steeplechase. Last year it was won by C. Pfi.ers Ilerculoid, then four years old, carrying jockey Finncgan at 1-1 5 pounds in l:i!. It was worth .$"..".00 to the winner. Only one unsatisfactory incident that proved very costly to the public developed during the afternoon anil that was in connect ion with the start of the flash Stakes In which the favorite. Adriana, was virtually left at the iost. Of the seven youngsters that took part in this historic juvenile stake, the Whitney pair. Adriana and Koyal Tourist, were preferred. The odds against them were quickly hammered down from S to 5 to even and for a long time that was the prevailing price. August Del-lnont.s Pair Ilay, which proved the ultimate victor, receded from . to 1 opening to 5 to 1 closing without any takers to speak of. Smoker just about held Ills own in the market at an average of u shade over :: to 1. The start eliminated Adriana as a contender. .Mm Gnlfncy developed brilliant speed, hut succumbed finally to Pair Ilay. which was always well up. Sir leges, the added starter, liuished witli his usual belated end sprint. The favorites fared badly. Jacobite was one of the defeated ones and started the procession in the opening race. Thistledalc failed in the second. Adriana in the third. Dandelion in the fourth and Itellwcther in the last. All were supported enthusiastically and without stint. Tom Dolan slightly relieved the situation in the fifth race. Only the best informed benefited by his winning exploit. On the whole it was one of the most, disastrous days that the speculatively inclined public lias experienced in Saratoga, but as to the racing itself, it was grrat sport. William Dubois Is on the warpath. He Is anxious to have every good horses scalp dangling at Charles IMwards belt, lie will race him against Richard Crokers Orby or anything on four legs. Ills horse is good now and he wants to keep him busy. There was much competition for John A. Drakes box in the grandstand. It is the most advantageously situated and brought a big price. Mr. Drake fs expected here before the close, and only leased it for two weeks. Colin had an attack of coughing just before lie left Sheepshead Hay. but has completely recovered and worked an easy trial this morning, live furlongs in 1:03. Chapultepec is coughing slightly. He may not start in the special. In that event Rurlew will point his good colt for the Futurity. Prank Gill is here and will be rested up for fall engagements.
