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i i i , OPENING DAY AT JAMAICA ♦ George Smith Wins Excelsior Handicap from Good Horses. • Greenfield Selling Stakes to Fleeing Sheik — Stirring Finish to Banker Hill Handicap. 4 Xew York. June 17. — John Sanfords George Smith, making his first start of the year and displaying a iM-rformance that will merit his attention in handicap events to come, won the Excelsior Handicap, the feature of. the opening day of the second Jamaica meeting. The son of Out of Reach equal lei 1 th - track rei-ord in scoring his victory oyer the cream of Americas top notchers. The time was 1:4.-|: the mark for the distance was set hy Roamer in winning this event last year. George Smith, which was well up during the early running, was raceel under restraint behind the fast •arly pace set hy Fairy Wand and Old Koeiiig. Kelsay moved up quickly when n was apparent that the pacemakers were through and assumed com inand turning into the stretch. Westy Hogan and Koatner then moved up rapidly and each in turn challenged the winner, but could not get within striking distance, for Kelsay kept George Smith moving and he crossed the line with plenty to spare. Roamer outlasted Westy Hogan in the final drive. J. K. L. Ross Cudgel was on the outside of his company all the way. hut was not equal to the task when called njx n. although he was within striking distance in tiie last quarter. Fairy Wand collapsed when challenged, but showed a good performance. The Excelsior Handicap dates hack to 1903 and its list of winners and other details are as follows: Year. Winner. A.Wt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1903 Blackstock 4 9* G. C. Fnller.730 1:4«% 1904 Rostand 4 105 II. Phillips. fi.OOO 1:4*.*-. 190. Santa Catalina.3 93 W. Miller. . 0.450 ltmand MM Merry Lark . .4 lot". W. Miller. . 7.330 1:47V-. 1907 Dr. Gardner. ...4 123 J. Martin.. 7.350 l:4Ki- 1905 McCarter 4 113 J. Xotter .. 0.S50 1:11! 1910 Guy Fisher ...4 100 E. Taplin.. 1.9J5 1:40 1913 Meridian 5 120 J. Glass ..2.573 1:44% 1915 Addie M 3 97 J. McCahey 1.925 1:43% 1910 Sand Marsh ...4 111 J. Bntwell. 2.425 1:40 1917 Roamer 0 123 A. Schngr 2.S25 l:45"i-. MM George Smith.. 5 117 W. Kelsay. 3.S50 1:45% Xot run in 1909. 1911. 1912 and 1914. Run at Belmont Park in 1913. Ed Arlingtons Koh-i-Xoor was the medium of a heavy plunge in the opening race, going to the inist an equal favorite with Pullux. However, neitiier Koh-i-Xoor nor Pullux had anything to do with the finish. Sands of Pleasure. Magnetite and Royce Rools finishing in the first three places in the order named. Koh-i-Xoor flattered her backers in the early running by opening up a big lead on her op-IMinents. but the effort told when she reached the stretch and. tiring badly, quickly dropped to the rear. Sands of Pleasure then moved to the front and. under Lykes energetic riding, held Magnetite safe at the end. LYKES RIDING A FEATURE. Lyke also rule Starfinch to victory in the secon 1 race, his strong finish enabling the Travers colt to outlast He Will, which, after setting the early p:n-c and being passed by Starfinch after going a mile, came again and was gaining at the end. G. W. Loft furnished the winner of the tenth running of the Greenfield Selling Stakes, the supplementary feature of the afternoon, in his promising Delhi colt Fleeing Sheik. Schuttinger took the Loft colt to the front with the rise of the barrier and Fleeing Sheik, displaying the most speed, easily held sway all the way. Osgood was second and ran a good race, but had no chance with the winner. The history of the Greenfield Stakes is here presented in condensed form: Year. Winner. Wt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1903 Ishlnna 99 Larson ,315 1:0S 1900 Sewell 110 Sewell 1.S00 1:01 1907 Woodlane 10S Xicol 1.955 1:01% 190S High Private 112 E. Dugan... 1.790 :53. 1910 Frank Mullens ..107 E. Taplin.. 1.050 :54-. 1913 Water Lilly 103 Kightmii- . RilM 1915 Regina 94 J. Morvs .. 075 1:07% 1910 Genesis 107 J. McCahey 1.000 1:07 -. 1917 Green Gold 107 R. Troise .. LOCO 1:O0% MM Fleeing Sheik 112 A. Schutger 2,025 1:07 Xo racing in 1911 and 1912. Distance 3-S mile in MM and 1907: 4 1-2 furlongs in 190S and 1910. Run at Aqueduct in 1910 and at Belmont Park in 1913. Xot run in 1904. 1905. 1909 and 1914. The Bunker Hill Handicap, the extra attraction provided by Racing Secretary W. C. Edwards, re suited in a sterling contest, in which Charlie Ley-decker and Woodtrap. the two outstanding choices, figured in a spirited stretch duel, the former getting the verdict by a small margin. Yolineed upset the calculations of the ex|terts by decisively benting J. E. Wideners Grimalkin iu tlie closing dash. A small crowd attended the opening days sport, which was witnessed under conditions ideal for the sport. The track was fast, as evidenced by George Smiths performance. Outside of John Sanford, the owner of Gi-orgc Smith. Eddie McBride was the most elated ix-rson who rooted for George Smith to win. It was he who sold George Smith to Mr. Sanford two years ago for 0,000. "Cudgel stumbled at the start, which caused him to lose his position or he would have won." said Mr. Bedwell. They were good grounds for the excuse, as Cudgel seemed hopelessly beaten in the early running of the race and was gaining fast at the finish. A. B. Hancock, the Virginia breeder, was in attendance attracted by the Excelsior Handicap and the Madden yearling sale. Johren.. with trainer Alls-rt Simons and jockey Frank Robinson, leave for Latoiiia tonight in a s|iecial car. Lick of Pullman accommodations com pel Ihe trainer and jockey to ride in the same car with Johren. which is being sent west to start iu the Litouia Derby. Exterminator left Sunday for La tenia in charge of W. McDaniel. J. M.Taggart returned to the saddle this after noon after a vacation at Atlantic City. Steeplechasers will be permitted to school at Aqueduct next Wednesday and thereafter. Eriekson aud McGraw were suspended for the remainder of the meeting. A. K. Macomher caused a sensation when he announced that jockey J. Loftus was sus|»-iided indefinitely. Loftus is rated as one of the best of the present day riders and many consider him superior to Itobinsou or Lyke.
