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OPENING DAT AT JAMAICA. NO INTERFERENCE WITH BETTING AT THE TRACK. BUT PATRONAGE IS LIGHT. Fountainblue Wins the Feature Race, but Fulls Up Lame Strike Out in Front Sententious Placed in Two Races. New York. October 27. Fountainblue won the all-aged handicap, the feature of the card at Jamaica today, from Cressina. Question Mark. Notasulga. Queen Marguerite and Arondack, after one of the, most exciting and uncertain stretch drives witnessed this season. Excepting Arondack. which was second choice and seemed unable to raise a respectable gallop in the early running, the field covered the entire journey in close order, with Cressina showing the way to the last couple of strides where Bradys 25.000 purchase dashed past the leader in a swift final sprint. As in all his previous losing races this season, Fountainblue was well backed and his backers, as well as the general public, were surprised to see him win. particularly after the costly defeat of the stables supposed good thing. Otogo. in the previous race. Both horses had worked exceedingly well for their respective races this afternoon and "Diamond Jim" Bradys small army of pensioners present were in a state of pleasureable anticipation before the downfall of the latter. Hud Otogo succeeded and the winnings been parlayed on Fountainblue. in accordance with plans mapped out during the forenoon, the small remnant of layers now operating in New York would have been put out of business. Fountainblue pulled ud very lame and will probably not be seen here again this season. He underwent a thorough inspection in the paddock subsequently, F. D. AVeir. among others, looking him over with a view of acquiring such a serviceable horse for California racing. Mr. Weir said during the afternoon that he would ship to the coast the morning following election day. "The stalls already engaged at Oakland." he added, "will shelter a number of good horses next winter, including Roseben. Strike Out. Cressina and last, but not least, Jim Gaffney. The latter lias been in retirement for over a year but Is goiug sound now and we expect him to show to advantage in the stakes he is extensively engaged In out there." Messrs. AVeir and Johnson made thirty or forty nominations to the New California Jockey Clubs magnificent list of stakes. The com bined voting strength of this stable in the coming election is seventeen. They remain over until after election in order to deposit their ballots for Chanler for governor. There are many other racing establishments. J. A. Bennets, Andy Blakeleys and others, which have delayed their departure until after election in order to give their votes for Chanler. Local horsemen, including intending shippers to New Orleans, are very much discouraged over the prospects for racing with betting there, and it is expected that the coming .exodus of owners to California will be materially augmented by men like J. H. McCormick. Albert Simons, F. E. Gardner. R. T. Wilson. Jr.. T. F. Healey. R. A. Smith. E. R. Bradley, the Oneck Stable. AA IT. Karrick. Archie Zimmer. B. C. Murray. R. II. McC. Potter. F. B. Le-maire. the Newcastle Stahle. J. II. McLaughlin. C. It. Fleischinann. P. S. P. Randolph and many others who had declared their intentions to campaign their strings at the proposed Crescent City meeting. Strike Out. the amazingly fast Duryea cast-off. dashed out into such a long lead over his seven opponents in the opening race, at live furlongs, that the spectators withdrew their gaze after the first quarter and centered their attention on the coming struggle for second and third places between the others. It seemed incredible that Strike Out would ever be seriously menaced at any stage of the journey after the rocket-like fashion in which he left the others, but such was actually the case when nearing the finish, where both Erbet and Sententious were fast overhauling him. The last-named lilly was required to appear under the colors a second time during the afternoon. It was in the last race that she more than duplicated her feat in the earlier race by finishing second. It was Creevy vs. Notter in the second race, and the obscure apprentice rider won out on Sanguine. Animus defeat spelled heavy financial disaster for the plunging contingent. A. Simons won out Merry Gift, his recent Belmont purchase at the first asking, but she scored a tluke win over May River, which should have come home alone. The race for non-winners in 1908 -produced a contest equally as exciting as the more pretentious ban dicap. Ardri. Ranuel and Norbitt finished noses apart after a rattling battle through the last sixteenth of the stretch. AVaponoea divided public favoritism in the last race with Uncle Jim. They figured an the two end horses, the former at the front end and the latter at the rear end at the finish. The wet weather of the past two days had drenched the track, the going being sloppv and yet susceptible of fast galloping. The intermittent showers forced the three or four hundred race-goers to seek shelter in the grandstand or on the stone walk beneath. Betting on the races was indulged In freelv and without any interference. The sleuths, plain clothes men and uniformed police were conspicuous by their absence. They were not there to rough house and embarrass inoffensive race track patrons as was e case at the recent two meetings of the Empire City Association. The blighting effect of the summers anti-racing crusade was painfully apparent at Jamaica today, where anybody and everybody could bet and go as far as he liked. The fact is the formor great metropolitan racing public has been scared away and even the knowledge that it could enjoy the grandest of all sports in its own way as of old. failed to tempt any but a very few of the faithful to journey to Jamaica today. District Attorney Darrin came late and left early. While there he was as indifferent to what was going on in a betting way as the starter is supposed to be. George Rose and his clerks, fifteen in all, are delaying their departure for California until after election dav in order to vote for Chanler. It is said that the full yearling brother to Maskette will head the formidable band of juveniles belonging to James R. Keene intended for racing in England next season.
