view raw text
REGAINING ITS PRESTIGE RACING ATTRACTS HOLIDAY CROWD OF 20.000 PEOPLE TO BELMONT PARK. James R. Kccnes Unbeaten Colt. Sweep. Wing the Valuable National Stallion Race with Ease — Harrigan Takes Van Cortlandt Handicap. J Mew York, May tl IVapHi the nanperwas coaster attractions of Memorial day. racing at Belmont Park today received a i.iji share of patronage. The attend aaac approximated "o.ooo. As nearly as could b* learned. Ike exact figures in paid admissions were *s follows: ll.ooo nun at .00; ti.-.oo women at .5.1. while l.ooo male clubhouse members wore taxed $: each. The women visitor- to the exclusive enclosure are not included in the foregoing estimate As usual, the Long Island Railroads transportation facilitl.s proved Inadequate to handle the crowd, ■very train that lulled out from beta Long island nity and Browhlya was packed to tiic guards. Tie politest ion became .so acute Dually that a number o; extra trails were idaced in service. At the reaaef! •of the railroad company the hist race was postponed until 1:43 in ordrr to enable some thousands of be lated race goers to arrive in time to witness it-running. Among the notables in tile clubhouse was Lieutenant-Governor Horace White, who seemed to be much impressed with what be saw. After being shown over the ground- by August Belmont. Mr. White said: "This is my first visit to a race Hack since I was a 1" V. when during my vacation trow sefcooL l visited the old Saratoga tomtit in 1875. I came to Belmont Bark today simply for pleasiir. ami retreatlou. My arcatPCC has no official signiti csnec. 1 have beaa much harnessed by the distiucth high tone and class of the people who are here this afterl n. Belmont Bark is a wonderful piece with out doubt. I had no idea there was anything hall as bid "r yraud as this in America." Lieutenant-Governor White was anions the senators who vol. si for the Mart Agiuw bill a year ago. Tin imnicnse concourse at turf beadqaartera wai certainly a great tribute to the sport. The pro gram was not only numerically weak criminally, but was further depleted awj almost ruined by Herat li lugs, so that it fell far short of the standard of tin bin day attractions of preceding; years. The first five race: on the card, including the National Stallion Race, the Van Cortlandt Handicap and the Cram National Steeplechase, had only eighteen stands :ill told. However, what was lacking in quantity. «as made up in duality. .lames R. . Keenes unheal en crack two year old. SweML w»* the cards neatest stags* I of attraction. Tin; bloekv Ben Brush youngster was favorite In the National Stallion Bace.oae of the rlclie: t hrve nile ■stores of the turf. Though opposed by tin- pick of the great Madden ami Belmo.it establishment-Sweep*! Jockey was unable to keep him back within reasonable distance of Ills opponent-, and the colt fairly ran away with the boy. In his retMin to the *dcv irds stand, a great ovation was accorded the Kcene crack. Lieutenant Governor White was visibly impressed and insisted on follow ing the victor inl" tli- paddock in order to have a better l.» k at him. He was introduced to James Howe, the trainer, and talked with the latter about his charges like an ex ! rrt horseman. After Sweeps amazingly easy victory over Newmarket. Big Stick. Uoekv HBricn and Dial buttle, many horsemen straightaway pronounced the defeated carts nothing but selling platers. The racing began with a brilliant display pi bared and taniina bv Lady Bedford. Aside from Ma: k. tie the Madden tillv holds all otbera of her age and m -ate at a mile. Beyond lli.it Mataacr Ladv Bedford may lie able to hold her own even with .lames It. Keenes Ullv. The Van Cortlandt Handicap was robbed of con sidcrable interest bv the withdrawal of Kitz lb r bcrl. Tie public backed Jack Atkin to a man and Barney Hehreibera horse went to the post an odd.--011 favorite, but lie again went down to defeat. Close observers charged his defeat to bjekev S -ovill. . who guided him the longest way home. It was the worst beating Jack Atkin lias sustained since lie became a racing star of the first magnitude. The winner turned up in Ilarrigau. which im -Men tall • is owned bv II. it. Brandt, the trainer of Jack Atkin. In the west the two horses would have beaa coupled in Hie lietling. ami very properly, too. Tin-well played Ilarrigau led all the way. was never fully extended and won with great ease. Tile cross country feature, a one-side. 1 affair, was won bv Sir WS Qatar. There was a aiiss aided nl.iv on Kentucky Beaa. This fast horse, which on the Hat could hardly have been pulled back to the others, held forth in the rear from first to last under a hard pull. R. Lucas iinhiue exhibition ot cross country riding evoked derisive laughter. A was due to inexperience and extreme timidity. The tabulated history of the Grand National Steeplechase is given below: Year. Winner. A. Wt. Jockey. Val. Time me Trillion S 1*3 Mr.W.HayesSo 190 4:-!7i 1!MH Bhilae 5 168 Donohue ... 6.523 4:S2| BHil Backet 0 1ST Carson 6.100 6:13 1903 G. W. Jenkins I L" :: Kay 5JSZ5 4:33 1908 Plohn li 141 Kay 0.050 4:"S5 BiOl St. fade 4 142 Rav 5.450 4:30 1905 Mack. Pwyer..5 14!» Holinan ... 5.210 5:031 1906 G. and Plenty. « 170 Kay 5.073 5:25 1907 A If at ." 14S Owens 5.500 5:58 1908 Kara 5 138 McAfee ■.775 6:13 IMS Sir TTmalir I ir 5 DptHsup .. 740 3:31 Celt worked a final ami impressive mile and a Milliter for the Brooklyn Handicap at Sheepsheail Bay during the morning. The fractional time was as follows: 121. 241. 37. 48?. 1:01*. 1:131, LLUS. l:52f. 2:H7ii. aslng up. Jockey Glass was set down for two days by the starter on Saturday. Jdines Bowe and A. 6. Blake 1. v scratched Affliction and Perry Johnson today on that account. Bliss Veitch announced that lie would ship his strinc of jumpers to Brookllne for the coming meeting there.
