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OFF DAY AT EMPIRE CITY. ALL PURSE PROGRAM SERVES TO ATTRACT A GOOD ATTENDANCE. Barry Shannon Defeats Gillies by a Narrow Margin in tho Feature Race of tho Afternoon Armament Falls Dead in tho First Race. New York, July 27. Despite the great heat and the off day program offered by the Empire City Itacing Association, a large crowd was on hand at the hilltop course this afternoon, to witness the victory of the Quincy Stables Harry Shannon in the Mahopac Handicap, a claiming race at about three-quarters, which was offered as the feature. The race was a two horse affair for practically the full distance and the winner barely got up in the final strides to nose out Gillies. The performance of Gillies was most surprising, in view of the fast that he has been in the rear division in his recent races. Today he had plenty of speed and quickly went to the front to set a fast pace. He raced Hwfa into defeat and retirement early, then drew into a good lead. Barry Shannon was the one to chase the pacemaker and, when swinging for home, he moved up with a rush. The pair sped down the straightaway head and head, but Gillies shortened his stride fifty yards from the finish and Barry Shannon came on resolutely. It was not until a stride from the finishing line that he managed to get his nose in front and at the end he was slowly drawing away. Jockoy Troxlor Suffers Sprained Ankle. The running of the first race brought about the death of J. A. Cobus plater Armament, when that gelding suffered a hemmorhage of the lungs while going to the first turn and dropped dead. Jockey Troxicr fortunately escaped with a sprained ankle, but tins injury caused the cancellation of his engagements for the remainder of the afternoon. Trainer Jim Fitzsimmons was fined 0 by the stewards for permitting Precise to run in the wrong colors in the fifth race yesterdav. Word reached the track during the afternoon that Tom Welsh, trainer for the J. E. Widener stable broke a rib on his right side when he fell down the stairs in his home at Saratoga yesterday. R. T. McKeever, who has been campaigning Bromley and Ting-a-LIng over the Canadian circuit, has returned from Kcnilwortli. Another arrival from Kcnilwortli during the afternoon was Frank L. Moore, of Newport, Ky. N. Byer will ship the seventeen racers under his care to Saratoga Springs on Monday. The Victory Stables Tranby was claimed out of the first race by Theo. Smith for ,141.
