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GREAT SEASON, SAYS TIMES CRITIC. New York Turf Writer Reviews Racing of Last Year Popular As of OJd. There was a return to old-time popularity in the racing season of 1910, says the New York Times, a series of spirited struggles on the turf being witnessed by larger crowds than had patronized the local nice tracks since 1910. Larger stakes were offered, and the thoroughbreds were keyed up to such a high pitch that, in most of the divisions, it took the full season of sport before the champions could be determined with any degree of certainty. The best attendance, and one that compares with the days when oien betting was permitted, saw the running of the historic Suburban on Memorial Day. On that occasion it was estimated that 40,000 persons passed through the turnstiles of beautiful Belmont Park to see the great three-year-old Friar Rock triumph in a high-class field of handicap horses. The opening day at Belmont attracted 25,0000 to see The Finn win the Metropolitan Handicap, and another crowd approximating the same size saw August Belmonts Hourless enpture the Juvenile on the following Saturday. Another immense gathering of racing folk was present at the opening of the Aqueduct track, when Friar Rock gave further evidence of his sterling racing qualities by adding the Brooklyn Handicap to his Suburban triumph. While Friar Rock, The Finn, Short Grass and other equine stars wen; impressing the race-goers with their quality and aiding to place Roamer, last seasons champion, in the background, the real leader of the year was matured for a series of brilliant races that entitled him to rank as the most remarkable performer of the season. This was R. T. Wilson, Jr.s, Campfire. His victories in the important two-year-old stakes at Saratoga and the Belmont Park Autumn meeting left no doubt that he stood head and shoulders over the others in the division and at the same time earned for his owner many thousands of dollars more than was won by any other thoroughbred. There were many other good two-year-olds which showed flashes of form at different stages of their careers, James Butlers Ivory Black and August Belmonts Hourless being the most prominent, but at the end of the year, when all the youngsters had been educated properly, there was not one of the juveniles that could come within pounds of the form shown by Campfire. Mr. Wilsons great youngster did not go through the season with sweeping successes like Colin, Regret, Pennant and other great two-year-olds, and even after he had attained a high rank he suffered occasional defeats, but these were wiped out and forgotten by his brilliant victories at the end of the season, when he carried heavy imposts in the Hopeful and Futurity and outclassed his company. Next to Campfire, August Belmonts three-year-old Friar Rock was tho most sensational performer of the year. Unquestionably the honors of his age belong to him, and he may be considered a disputant for the crown in the handicap division, although the balance apicars to swing slightly in favor of II. C. Hallenbecks four-year-old racer The Finn. Like all the other cracks, Friar Rock met with his reverses, but his victories were gained in such important fixtures and in such good company that they far out-weighted the defeats. In his first important contest, the Metropolitan Handicap, he failed signally to justify the high opinion of his abilities held by his owner and trainer and. carrying 100 pounds, finished only seventh to The Finn, Stromboli and others. The historic Suburban provided the first evidence of his real quality, and in that race, over the handicap route of a mile and a quarter, he turned the tables on all his conquerors in the Metropolitan, coming with a rush at the finish and galloping away from Short Grass, Stromboli, The Finn and others. One of Friar Rocks best races was in the Brooklyn Handicap, in which he had to meet many horses that had not been ready for the Suburban. It was Roamers first appearance in the east, and the field also included Harry Payne Whitneys Pennant, which made his reappearance after two years absence from the races. The latter made a bold bid for victory, but the seasoning Friar Rock had received in his previous races allowed him to come with a great burst of speed in the last 100 yards and win one of the best races of the year. If another is to be found as the king of the handicap division to take the place of Roamer. lie must be looked for in II. C. Hallenbecks brilliant son of Ogdeti, The Finn. A difficult horse to keep in condition, The Finn, when at the top of his form, showed that he was able to coucede weight and outrun any horse in training. He won the Metropolitan, the first of the big handicaps, and, although like the others he met with reverses, at the close of really big races at Havre de Grace lie was superior to all the cracks with the exception of Friar Rock, which had gone into retirement. With Friar Rock out of the way, that leaves The Finn the acknowledged leader for the 1917 season. The Finn won several good races at Saratoga and was rated highly when he returned to Belmont Park in the fall. There his best race was in the Manhattan Handicap at a mile, when he carried 130 pounds and conceded two pounds and a beating to Short Grass. Roamer and Stromboli had a race at a mile and a half at the same meeting, which was won by the latter, and another race was looked forward to between the pair. When they met at Havre de Grace, however, it was The Finn which garnered all the glory. In the Chesterbrook Handicap at the Maryland track The Finn and Roamer each carried 125 pounds and Stromboli 120, and they finished in the order named. The greatest triumph of tho black gelding came a week later, when he picked up 129 pounds in the Havre de Grace Handicap. He again finished first after a hard race with Spur. Among the beaten horses, all receiving weight, were Borrow, Roamer, Stromboli, Short Grass and Bayberry Candle. Although Harry Payne Whjtneys Pennant and Thunderer had short racing careers, they are entitled to praise. Thunderer showed startling speed at Aqueduct when he won a three-quarters race ill 1:11, a jrack record and only one-fifth of a second behind the American record. Pennant defeated Stromboli and Ed Crump in the Delaware Handicap at Saratoga. James Butlers Spur was a stout contender for the three-year-old honors, capturing the Withers Stakes at Belmont and the Travers at Saratoga. He also won the Jerome Handicap, carrying 130 pounds, and the Southampton Handicap w,lth 125 pounds. A. K. Macombers imported Star Hawk, although he scarcely realized the expectations of Ills owner, was the victor in the Lawrence Realization at a mile and a half, and also won the Louisville Cup. The western colt Dodge, since purchased by Mr. Macomber, ran Friar Rock a close race among the three-year-olds by winning both the Latonia and the American Derbys, and also the Latonia and Douglas Park Inaugural Handicaps. Another three-year-old that faded quickly was George Smith, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, in which he defeated Star Hawk. The only race of importance that fell to Roamer, champion of the past few seasons, was the Yonkers Handicap, in which Spur and Ed Crump finished behind him.
