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DISASTROUS FOR BACKERS. FIRST CHOICES AT AQUEDUCT FAIL ALL ALONG THE LINE. Purslane First in the Roslyn Handicap in a Close Finish Hessian Wins Aqain Oraculum a Surprise. New York, November 12. Favorite backers are bavins a tough row to hoe in the closing days of the season about New York. There was not one of 1 1n choices first home at Aqueduct this afternoon anil some of the winners came as a decided surprise. -The notable surprises were when Oraculum won the first, Whiildcn the third, Purslane the Roslyn Handicap and Quinn Brady the mile and a sixteenth race, which was liftli. Altogether it was a very disastrous day for the backers of first choices. After the withdrawal of P.aby AVolf and McCartcr in the Uoslyn Handicap it was considered a very open affair and at post time Tileing and Lad of Langilon were about equal choices. As a matter of fact, it was Tileing that was carrying the bulk of Hie money. He was an added starter and was backed from 12 down to his closing price of 4 to 1. Don Enrique was .another that was added and he attracted some following at S to 1 and later at 7 to 1. Kentucky Beau, in his usual fashion, went to the front at the rise of the barrier and attempted to make a runaway race of the stake. He cut out the pace until the stretch was reached, where he faltered badly and Don Enrique and Purslane drew away from him. In a rattling .finish, all through the final sixteenth Purslane came home winner by a scant half length, while Don Enrique easily beat Killaloc for second place. Tileing was at no time a eoiitenilerand was beaten off. The condensed history of the Roslyn Handicap is as follows: Year. Winner. Vt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1902 Rossignol 103 J. Martin. .,010 1:273 1903 Wild Thyme ICS Redfern ... 995 l:4Si 1904 Orthodox 115 J. Martin.. 1.KS5 1:40? P.Mir, Santa Catalina. . .110 W. Miller. . 1,5.-0 1:47 lime. Athlete 15 McDanicl .. 1,475 1:42? 1907 Purslane 93 G. Swain .. 1,500 1:30b linn at 7-S mile in 1002 and 1 1-10 miles in 1903 and 1005. One of the real good things of the day came out of the steeplechase, when Alaniansor, after having been backed, won in a- drive from Kara, the 0 to 5 favorite. In this race Bannell and Dulcian fell and Agio, the only other starter, was a distant third. Oraculum, which has been consistently disappointing in all of his recent races, was a good horse today and, setting the pace all the way, won from the selling plater sprinters in the first race. He was held at 10 to 1 in the betting and in view of what he had been showing, it did not seem an extravagant price about his chances. Robin Hood and Quadrille, the betting choices, finished head and head with him. Whidden. with Miller up, was neglected in the . six and a half furlongs race for sulling plater maiden two-year-olds. Alex Grant, Trash, Duke of Bridge-water and Orfano were the ones most fancied. Duke of Itridgewater appeared the winner when a furlong from the finish, but near the end Whiildcn closed up witli a rush on the inside and won going away many lengths before the Aste hope, Duke of Itridgewater. Orfano raced third, while fifth was the best Alex Grant could do. tjuinn Itrady had to be hard driven all the way through the stretch to win the fifth race by a short margin from St. Valentine and Kilter, while Adoration, the favorite, after racing last to the stretch, made up some ground, but only reached sixth place. At the end of the program Hessian, which has come to be a very smart colt, won going away by a length from Dorante, with Carrollton, the pacemaker, third. Jockey Knapp left for San Francisco last Saturday and probably it Is just as well for him that he left, when he did. George Boles was not at the track this afternoon, and while there was no otliclal announcement, there was a well defined rumor that he has been ordered away. This ruling, it is said, will apply to all the tracks east and west.
