view raw text
NEW YORK RACING CLOSES. CHILLY WEATHER AND GOOD RACING FEATURES OF JAMAICA MEETINGS LAST DAY. Crcssina Defeated by Royal Onyx in a Rousing Finish Bad News Adds to His Score Racing Sure Next Year. New York, November 4. Racing had ii dismal close at Jamaica this afternoon, lint at the end of the day the bugler refused to sound "taps," the usual call at the end of the season, choosing "assembly" for his final call. Wintry weather, a high wind and the natural depression that followed the defeat of Chanler for governor yesterday, all resulted in only a handful of the faithful being in at the death. The program offered was a fairly good one and interesting for the reason that it brought about some close finishes, though there was a lack of good class horses in each field that went to the post. An unfortunate accident came out of the fifth race when Spellbound while in a contending position was knocked down. J. Ural. J. L. McGinnis apprentice rider had the mount and fortunately escaped with a shaking up. The fall in no way made him timid, for in the race that followed, the last of the day and season, he rode Sententious to victory. The best, race of the afternoon was a six-furlongs handicap for all ages, and it went to Royal Onyx, which repeated his recent good performance bv catchinw the leaders tiring in the stretch and out-gaming them to the finish. It was a particularly close tiling between him and Crcssina right at the finish, and only his superior gauieness resulted in his scoring in the last stride. Black .Mary beat a lot of three-year-old selling platers in the opening six-furlongs dash, and lier victory was largely due to Herbert, who had the mount, outfiiiishlng little Ural, who rode Queen Marguerite. Bad News easily won the mile and sixteenth race for mares and geidings. and lie -was a legitimate choice over the ones he was meetini. Florence II. beat Queen Lead in the maiden race because the Madden filly met with a great deal or interference, and because Rossi, who rode her. hindered rather than helped in the stretch drive. Jcan-otte M. showed a decided improvement when she won at the mile and a sixteenth distance, and in her race it is entirely possible that the result would have been different if Spellbound, which was knocked down, had been more fortunate. Philip J. Dwyer. of the Brooklyn Jockey Club, in speaking of the possibilities for next season, said that doubtless some scheme could be devised over winter whereby it would be possible for some of the nssoeiatons to continue to give race meetings. Ever since the passage of the Hart-Agnew law. and. iiv the way. Hart was beaten for re-election, the various tracks have sustained a heavy loss and it is not expected that they would continue in operation when facing the same loss. One change that was suggested by Mr. Dwyer was that the list of free badges be cut off entirely. That would help nniw in meeting expenses, but- it is generally agreed that it would absolutely be necessary to have some decision on the law that would make wagers possible before racing could hope for a future. The constitutionality of the Hart-Agnew bill lias never been tested in court and several eminent lawyers have expressed the opinion that it is unconstitutional. It is practically certain that at least three, the Brooklyn Jockey Club. Coney Island .lockev Club, and the Westchester Racing Association will have racing in any event next season, while James Butler is improving his track at Yonkers with a view of another season of racing. Some of the other tracks will undoubtedly drop out. Their property has a value for building purposes that is far in excess of any revenue that could be had from race meetings under the present laws.