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GREAT MEETING LAUNCHED i Saratogas First Day Marked by Grand Racing Deeds. Yellow Hand Triumphs Over Mad Hatter Miss Joy Upholds Western Juvenile Form. SARATOGA. X. Y.. August -1. The Saratoga Handicap lias in the past produced thrills for the great concourse of spectators that have been here on opening days, but none in the last decade has compared with the spectacular struggle staged by Charles A. Stonehnms Yellow Hand and the Ran-eoens .Stables Mad Hatter. The pair terminated the mile and a quarter so closely aliened that it left a division of opinion as to the winner, even after the judges had given the award to Yellow Hand. There were five contestants in the race, each "with its host of supporters, the weight adjustment being -such as to cause belief that all 3iad an excellent chancre to garner the .S7,7."0 net that went, to the winner. Early opinion was sadly :intray, for after the field had traversed three-quarters of the mile and a quarter journey, there were only two contestants for the main prize, Yellow Hand and Mad Hatter. The Stonehani representative, under a poorly judged ride by C. II. Miller, was allowed to race into a good lead soon after the start, -whereas Mad Hatter was kept tinder mild restraint several Jengths in the rear of the others, but responsive to Snndes c:lll. as vUliiftl.i Ms iutlvint--WTm-1iri5th?Mfter lln-fully straightened on the backstretch and joining issue with Yellow Hand a half mile from the finish. Miller was not flustered when Sande brought Mad Hatter level with Yellow Hand and .intituled his hand riding, varying this with an occasional lash on Yellow Hands flanks. Mad JIatter, however, appeared the better when an eighth out and was expected to draw away when Sande called on him, but doubt was felt by his host of supporters when near the end he failed to respond in the style expected and Yellow Hand continued holding on resolutely. Twenty yards from the finish Mad Hatter had overtaken Yellow Hand, but right here he began swerving out slightly and this was primarily the cause of his failure, for I Yellow Hand, running straight and true next to the inner rail, showed his nose in advance when tht? finish came. Mad Hatter was a good way in front of Audacious, which headed the others in third place. The hitters runaway of three and a half miles Saturday might have had something to do with his ordinary showing in the race. Gnome displayed an early flight of speed, but fell back into retirement in the last half mile. MISS JOY IMPRESES FOLKS. While the Saratoga Handicap was the outstanding feature, as it should have been, the historic Flash Slakes over the five and a half furlongs course was only slightly behind it in interest for the big throng. As a matter of fact, it held first place in the estimation of many, particularly "the wise set." Likewise there was keen scrutiny by owners of the Kentucky campaigned Jliss .loy. owned by Montfort Jones and making lier eastern debut. She came here heralded a great two-year-old, one that perhaps would return to the blue grass with the juvenile crown of tin? country with her other well-merited trophies. Her pallery reminded one of the scenes when Man o "War was a starter. Her close critics could not find fault with her appearance while in the paddock and confirmation of her great prowess came with the running of the race, for she; displayed dazzling speed for the entire race. Garner having her well under restraint at the finish, and she won by as big a margin as her rider elected. She was a bit fretful at the barrier and broke out several times, causing one of the assistant starters to take hold of her. but when starter Cassidy dispatchd the band she clearly proved her ability to protect lier.-olf. and two strides from the. gate found her in the vnn by more than her length, and it was only a ease; of showing the way thereafter by as big a margin as her rider pleased. Lord Daltimore was here close attendant in the early running, but he gave way to Kai-Sang in the last sixteenth. The placed trio were always those most active in the race, the finish finding the entire field strung out, the laggards far back. There was a general voicing of unprejudiced opinion after Miss Joys showing that she is a good filly and that she fully justified the good opinion held by her admirers. Those who have noted all her races closely and are aware of her capabilities were not so enthused with her race. They believe she can do better. They also found fault with her changing stride in the last sixteenth. Hut this was attributed to darners tactics in taking an extra restraining hold of her and in spots releasing her again. Private timers had her first quarter, after traversing a sixteenth from the barrier in til".-., the three-eighths in 3U, her half-iuile in and last five-eighths in ."9";-,. She won her race in the first three-eighths, for she had her opponents driving hard to keep in striking distance. She earned ,!-. by her success today. The Shillelah Steeplechase Handicap, which has been an annual opening day event here since moil, excepting in 1111 and lJl-, brought to the barrier five highly regarded jumpers, with Hoyal Arch and The Trout, the latter top weight, favored, but only a bit. in excess of Miuata. As a spectacle the race was everything expected, the entire field fencing well for the first round of the course, three of the starters alternating in the lead and the winder fairly well in doubt until the third from the last hedge, when? The Trout parted with his rider and Minata. which had been content to follow the others, moved up with a rush and hoaded Royal Arch to the finish. Syrdarya, which hud ruude a bold effort during the middle stages of the rare, found the outstider Fiiar easy to hold Ujf.t in Ili4- final fcjirint. .IceLey Nielilaus on The Trout, beyond distrlbillliitf atimit .sixty feet of the pnrkllko ground, caused no other disturbance by his Mil. The mile seller, fifth on the card, brought to the barrier some of the best eastern platers, and als-j a western addition to the halter brigade in the person of Ed Trotter, supervisor of the Florisant Stable. lie centered his attack on Devastation, after that gelding had carried the S. Petit colors to the finish three parts of a length in front of S. C. Hildreths Valor. Devastation was in to be sold for SI, 000 and Trotter advanced him to ST.-iOO, trainer Max Ilirsch retaining him with an advance of sr for his owners account. The introductory scramble, a three-quarters dash, with an original entry of fourteen, was reduced to nine starters by withdrawals and they proved a troublesome band at the post.- the send-off finding several laggards, the staunchly backed Gallivant in the Widener silks being practically left. W. M. Jeffords Reprisal was one of the lucky ones at the start ahd his early speed enabled him to race into -fcS"MWber1Stf" at. he--outsot, with Low-i-Tmti his nearest, attendant and KJrkliVlngtoii, Cimarron and Scotland Yet alternating in third place. Those holding holies that Reprisal would give way In the stretch were disappointed, for Ambrose merely had to sit tight on the leader to keep well in the van and he won as the jockey pleased. Love Tap having just as easy a time in retaining second place, with Kirklevington outstaying the others for the shorter portion of the purse. Some highly censored youngsters tried conclusions in the final race, among them the recently fast working Whiskaway, brother to the erratic Flags. His showing was below expectation, but he received none too vigorous a ride from Kuniiner. The race will also be an educator for the colt, for he will race better in his next essay. The winner turned up in Oceanic, which raced creditably and might have given Miss Joy an argument had he been allowed to do so in the Flash Stakes, from which he had been withdrawn. His great speed enabled him to keep in the lead for the entire race. Frank Furst, an outsider, followed him for the entire way, John Maddeus Deadlock taking third place. The opener here came up to every expectation of the management. The attendance was good, with many notables present. AVeather conditions were well nigh perfect, probably a bit uncomfortable for those thinly clad unless circulating freely. All the old-time opening day incidents were? present, an augury that the meeting will continue to improve as it progresses. The four E. R. Bradley horses, which raced at the Windsor meetings, including Rlack Servant and Rest Pal. arrived here this morning in charge of trainer II. J. Thompson. Jockey Iiwronce Lyke, the Rradley contract rider, also came in from the same place. Trench Mortar, a three-year-old in the John Lmnsden stable, is being schooled through the field and will make his debut as a jumper in the near future. Representative Harry Meyer of Covington, Ky., a member of the Kentucky legislature, was among the arrivals today. Arthur P.. Hancock came in from his home in Paris, Ky., and will remain until after the yearling sales. Commander J. K. L. Ross arrived from his home in Montreal and plans to remain lor the entire meeting. Iuehape. which has been showing high speed in his morning work recently, again pulled up lame after working three-quarters in 1:15 yesterday morning. He walked out of it while being cooled out. however, and trainer Samuel C. Hildreth is of the opinion that he is none the worse for it. Miss Minnie, dam of Grey Lag. purchased by Sam Hildreth some time ago for the account of the Rancocas breeding establishment, will shortly be transferred to the Rancocas Farm in New Jersey from J. E. AVideners farm near Lexington. Dave J. Leary returned this morning from Devonshire Park, near Windsor, where Grey Lag won the Devonshire International Saturday from Rlack Servant. Grey Lag and Thunderclap reached the track this morning. In discussing Grey Lags narrow escape from defeat by the Eradley colt, Iyjary said: "Grey Ijig came out of the race badly lame and it was with difficulty that he was cooled out. The mishap is not regarded seriously, for the lameness was steadily disappearing this morning, according to lA-ary. The sale of Firm Friend was concluded Saturday night and the colt is now quartered in the Foreign Stable in charge of trainer Sandy MeNaughton. There was up to the last minute a prospect of the sale missing fire, for, in addition to the 10.000 consideration, there is a clause in the sale which provides that. 10 per cent of the colts stake earnings for this year goes to J. H. Rossetcr. It was this clause that almost caused the failure of negotiations, but trainer MeNaughton finally consented to the terms. lieginulug tonoirow there will be a change ii; the scratch time, owners being permitted to withdraw their charges up to 1:!!U p. tn. instead of I p. m., as is now the rule. A force of 110 men in direct charge of Captain Duhnine will police the track and supervision of track matters while the meeting Is in progress here. Jockey Earl Sande. under contract to the Rnn-coci.s Stable, will ride the horses of J. K. L. Ross, whenever engagements from this establishment do not conflict with those of his contract employer. Jockey O. Turner, who met with an injury by beir.; Ktruik in the eye while riding at Empire, resumed riding this afternoon For a whil it was I thought that the Injury might result gravely, but proniyt attention saved, tlie siLit of his eye,
