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ONE OF TOD SLOANS MOST EFFECTIVE TRICKS There was a horse race at Shocpsueail Bay that almost caused an upheaval in American turf circles on Sept 2 1000 It was one of the years In which there was great rivalry between two notable horse owners the late William C Whitney and the late James R Keene The race was the Flatbush Stakes at seven furlongs for a purse of 5000 5000In In that year Mr Keene owned Tommy Atkins probably the best colt of the your He had been beaten by Ballyhoo Bey In the Futurity and had shown an Inclination to stay hence the Flatbusli seven furlongs saw him an oddstin choice at 15 to 20 Ballyhoo Bey went to the post at 7 to r The other two starters Alard Schcck belonging to J W Schorr and Smile the property of Morris Bros were hardly considered factors by the public and were quoted at long odds oddsMr Mr Whitney was so anxious to win the Futurity and Flatbush that he sent to England and engaged Tod Sloan to ride Ballyhoo Bey paying him a faicy retainer Tommy Atkins was ridden by Spencer who was then engaged to ride for Mr Keenes stable Tommy Burns had the mount on Alail Schcck and McIoynt on Smile It was one of the biggest speculative events of tho year as Mr Whitneys commissioners were busy during the moments permitted for betting How much he and the followers of his stable wagered un Ballyhoo Bey will never lie known Mr Keene as customary did not bet on Tommy Atkins but the public did Close observers and shrewd handlcappers conceded that had the Futurity been seven furlongs instead of six Tommy Atkins would have beaten Bal ¬ lyhoo Bey Hence it was Mr Whitneys bankroll against that of the public It was this preponder ¬ ance of wealth that caused the backers of Tommy Atkins to get 7 to 10 against their money otherwise lie would have gone to the post at possibly 2 to 5 5There There was nothing to Indicate In tho betting that the race would noli be truly run but it was not in fact it resulted in one of tlio worst jumbles thai ever occurred ill a four horse race Every entry met with Interference of some kind and both Ballyhoo Bey injuredNothing and Tommy Atkins were injured Nothing out of the ordinary took place in tin first live furlongs of the race Smile and Alard Scheck were In the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish with Smile on the inside both running in the center of the track Right behind them came Tommy At ¬ kins and Ballyhoo Bey The latter was on the out ¬ side of Tommy Atkins and possibly a neck behind him himAt At this point then was some space between Smile and Alard Scheck It may have been four or live feet though they were racing head and head It was sullieient for a horse to go through easily and Spencer seizing the opportunity made a ttasli for it with Tommy Atkins At the same moment Sloan rushed his horse up on the outside of Alard Scheck The result was that Tommy Atkins was half way through the space between Smile and Alard Scheck when Smile swerved to the inside packing Tommy Atkins into a pocket with Alard Schcck crowded against BeyWhether him from the off side by Ballyhoo Bey Whether Sloan was responsible for Alard Scheck being crowded in was a matter of opinion though Burns declared that he was as did Spencer and McIoyut at the investigation of the stewards Anyhow Spencer had to pull Tommy Atkins to his haunches to keep from falling while Sloan rushed off from the mixup as fast as lie could and gained two or three lengths As soon as Spencer could get Tommy Atkins going again be went after Ballyhoo Bey but lie had lost too much ground and failed to win by the scant margin of a head headThe The race was hardly over before a crowd of thou ¬ sands surged around the judges stand Sotun wagered as high as 3 to 1 that Ballyhoo Bey would be disqualified for to all appearances he was r siMjnsIble for some of the crowding though it was plainly seen that Smile bore toward Tommy Atkins as Siencer was making his run to go by him This was unquestionably the first Interference in the racv but it is a question whether this would have biva sullieient to cause Tommy Atkins to lose bad he not been packed In by Alard Scheck and Ballyhoo By which was on the outside of Alard Scheck ScheckThe The stewards called all the jockeys to the stand Burns being the tirst to talk He said Sloan bumped him and threw him against Spencer The latter corroborated Burns MeJoynt asserted that Smile swerved under punishment and interfered with Tommy Atkins but that it was not intentional The stewards deliberated for some time and finally lt cided that McToynt was most responsible for Hit interference and as Smile finished last of the fOiir horses allowed the race to stand as finished finishedThe The decision was anything but popular It was decidedly distressing to Mr Keene for Tommy Atkins showed conclusively that he was tho best horse In the race and with clear sailing might have won by two lengths or more moreSo So perturbed was the veteran turfman that lie ordered Voter scratched In tho following stake but It was too late for Jiim to do so aecording to tb rules It was a downright robberv was Mr Keene remark a statement that ho was never before knoivu to make when questioning a decision of the stewards I dont think I will ever run another horse ovr the Coney Island track Every jockey in the race blamed Sloan for the Interference yet with iil this evidence and what the stewards must have seen themselves Ballyhoo Boy was not disqualified Long disqualifiedLong after the race Sloan was reciting tho inci ¬ dents to a friend I only bad one chance to win said Sloan as Tommy Atkins was just cantering beside Ballyhoo Bey I saw the ojiening betwen Smile and Alard Schcck and I thought Spencer would take it It was a dangerous move but ho would have made it all right had nut Smile swerved against him When Spencer made his move to go between Smile and Alard Scheck I made mine going up on the outside of Alard Scheck The result was thit four of us bunched up and as I saw Smile swerving I rushed Ballyhoo Bey up and with a quick mov I caused tho hip of Ballyhoo Bey to hit the hind quarters of Alard Scheck This threw the latter en to Tommy Atkins and jammed the three horses to ¬ gether getherIt It was a bit of jockeying that I had learne1 from more exjicrienccd riders continued Slons and the action had to be simultaneous with the thought I also had to rush Ballyhoo Boy awiv from the others in an instant or Alard Scheck would have bounced back again against me But I got away clear after taking one of the greatest chances I ever took in my life It was successful and I earned the big fee Mr Whitney paid me for riding Ballyhoo Bey in tho Flatbush
