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TEA TRAYS MERITORIOUS CAREER. Among the lilgh-class racers of fifteen or twenty years ago was Tea Tray, by Rayon dOr Ella T. His first start in 1SS7, as a two-year-old, was in the Hudson Stakes at Gravesend, where he ran third to King Fish and Guarantee. On the next day of the taiue meeting he won a purse race ix i 1 , , , ! , . "" . -t- and ... .. ordinary field. In his next effort he finished fourth in the Bedford Stakes, and then won the Sequence Stakes at Jerome Park a few days later from King Fish, Now or Never and Prince Royal. He won his next two starts, the May" Stakes at Gravesend and a purse race at Sheepshead Bay. After ibis he failed to land a race that year, although he finished second in the Good Bye Stakes at Sheepshead Bay and third in the Autumn Stakes and the Reaper Stakes at the same course in the fall. Tea Tray took but one race as a three-year-old. After running second to Specialty in the First Special he won the Fort Hamilton Handicap at Gravesend. Although not winning again this sea son, he finished second or third in several slakes, notably among them the Withers at Jerome Park, running third to Sir Dixon and Prince Royal; third to Raceland in the Emporium Stakes at Sheepshead Bay; third in the Barnegat Stakes to Race-land and Fitz James at Monmouth; second to Prince Royal in the Jerome Stakes at Jerome. Park, and third in both the Breckenridge and Dixie Stakes at Baltimore. The four-year-old career of this gallant son of Rayon dOr was a- grand one, In which lie annexed eleven races, many of his achievements being good performances. His first attempt was a victory in a handicap at Gravesend, defeating good horses. Then came two defeats and two wins, the latter two purses at Brighton Beach. Tea Trays next successful effort was in the Stirrup Cup at Sheepshead Bay, -where he won pulling up by eight lengths from Barrister, his solitary opponent. Then came his victories in the Coney Island and Brighton Handicaps at Brighton Beach on successive day?. Following these wins came the Harvest Handicap at Monmouth, where he defeated the good horses Tristan, Badge and Hypocrite. September 10, 1SS9, Tea Tray was started in the fifth and sixth races at Sheepshead Bay, but failed to win either one, although he finished second in the first and ran fifth in the other. Tea Tray won the Mayflower Stakes easily by three lengths from Retrieve, and a handicap at two-mile heats, in which he vanquished his opponents by six lengths in the first heat and eight lengths in the second. His next two efforts were failures, where he finished unplaced in both, the last starts of the year. Tea Tiay started out in 1S90 with a defeat Iu the New York Jockey Clubs Handicap at Gravesend by Tenny, Tristan, Badge and others of high class. In the Algeria Handicap at the same track he suffered another setback a few days later. A purse race at Sheepshead Bay, in which he beat Sir Dixon by six lengths, was his next essay. He finished second in the Bay Ridge Handicap, third in the Coney Island Cup to Firenze and Cassius and was twice unplaced before he was victorious again. Four successes in a row wound up his five-year-old racing. One of these, the Monmouth Cup, he captured, beating a grand band of opponents, including Lavinia Belle, Tristan, Prince Royal, " Los Angeles and Firenze. Tea Tray, as a six-year-old, finished third to Tenny and Prince Royal in the New York Jockey Club Handicap, it being his first start, of the season. He was not raced again for a .month, when be ran in the Suburban, finishing last n a field of ten. Raceland and Masterlode botli took bis measure in two purse races at Sheepshead Bay, he finishing second on both occasions. At Brighton Beach, on July 7, Tea Tray, Lowlander and St. Luke were pitted against each other in a dash of a mile and an eighth. Tea Tray, with 131 pounds up, anil Lowlander carrying 105, ran a dead heat. It was decided to run the race off, the result being Tea Tray first by fifteen lengths. He started twice at Sheepshead Bay in the fall and failed to win, but ran a creditable race when he finished third to Pcssara and Now or Never. Tea Tray won three races at the Brighton Beach meeting and, in his next start, he was beaten a head by Willie L. At the Sheepshead Bay fall meeting Tea Tray was successful in a good field in the Average Stakes and defeated, among others. Reckon and Kingston. Running third to MonVma and Stratluucath in the Labor Day Handicap, unplaced to Sleipner, Lowlander and Rex in a purse race and second to De Muth in the "Old Time Race" of four miles at Sheepshead Bay wound up the career of this good old campaigner. Following is a record of performances and money won by Tea Tray: Tea Tray, ch. h, 1885, by Rayon dOr Ella T. Year. Age. Sts. 1st. 2d. 3d. Unp. Won. 1SS7 2 12 "I 1 2 5 ,005 1SSS 3 IS 1 3 i S 3,415 1SS9 4 22 11 -1 0 7 11,015 1890 5 11 5 1 1 4 S.015 1801 0 12 2 3 3 1 3,750 1802. ... 7 17 . 5 3 3 0 0,295 Totals ...0 92 2S 15 15 34 S,755
