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PROMISING PROGRAM RUINED Crowd of 25,000 Criticize Wholesale Withdrawals at Belmont. Crocus Runs Away with Fall High-; weight Handicap Harridan a Speedy Miss. NEW YORK, X. T., Sept. 5. H. P. Whitneys Crocus, daughter of Broomstick, ran a way witli tlie Fall Highweight Handicap at Helmont Park this afternoon and collected ,725 for her owner; Krewer in the Raneocas green and white finished two lengths and a half behind the winner, with Step Lightly, the only other starter, trailing by three lengths. The feature, which had promised to be a really good race with its ten good entries, was totally ruined by the too active blue pencils of the owners. The crowd of 25,000 that turned out for in attractive Labor Day card had much to say about the wholesale scratching, not only in the main event, but in all but two or the races of the day. In the Highweight the Redstone stables Gladiator, which has shown some fast trials recently and should be in first-class condition to race, was among the missing. C. A. Ktonehnrns Dry Moon, the Greentree stables Idle Dell and the Raneocas stables Dominiiiue and Knobbie all declined the issue. Frigate and Serapis might be excused for not appearing with their small chances against the field, although their weight allowances were generous. For . the rest there was no excuse. They should have" "been at the barrier when the starter sent them on their way, but they were not, and the second largest crowd of the year at Helmont Part was justified in criticising the sportsmanship of the owners. CROCUS IN SPLENDID FORM. Perhaps, however, the judgment of the defaulting owners was better than they knew. Certainly, it would have taken a fine performance from any of the stayaways to beat Crocus this afternoon. She went to the front at once under steady restraint and never a threat of serious opposition-did slie receive from Krewer and Step Lightly. Krewer, hustled unmercifully by Sande in the stretch fun, arter slipping through oil the inside rail at the turn, was unable to get near the leaders. Step Lightly was well cut of contention at tlie finish. The time for the three-quarters of a mile was 1:11. Geo. D. Wideners fast Ultimus Broomflower filly Last Straw scored a decisive victory in the opening dash, a three-quarter mile affair for three -years-olds. Tody, the favorite, was second and Curfew third. The race gave jockey Earl Sande an opportunity to avenge some of the defeats Inflicted upon him at Saratoga by his Raneocas companion, L. Fator, who rode Tody. Holding Last Straw in reserve behind the early leaders until well straightened out in the stretch. Sande called upon her "and taking the outside course, she moved quickly into the lead to .win going- away. Valley of tlie Moon showed fine speed for five-eighths, but she broke down badly in her left foreleg in tlie stretch. Carroll was forced to dismount and lead her back to the judges stand for weighing out. BR0ADHQLL0W EASY FOR I.YTLE. J. F. Flanagans good juniper. Lytic, scored an easy triumph in tlie Broadhollow Steeplechase, at about two miles, worth ,770 to the winner. Frank H. followed four lengths in the rear, ridden out, and Joyful, the only other starter, was a bad third. Joyful and Frank B. were coupled in the betting as the J. E. Widener entry and were made odds-ou favorites. Joyful had defeated Lytle easily on the opening day of the meeting and the public gave the Flanagan starter little support. In the first round of the course Frank B., jumping cleanly, set a fast pace, while Lytle and Joyful kept close together fifteen or twenty lengths in tlie rear. As the fencers rounded the course for the second time, Lytle gradually gained on the leader and, coming with a great burst of speed on the flat after the last jump, easily passed Joyful in the last eighth, to win by four good lengths. The stands gave Lytle a good band as he pranced to the judges stand for weighing out. Xine non-winning two-year-old fillies paraded for the third race, a claiming .dash, at five eighths, over the straight course. George B. Wideners Bel-latrix, backed into favoritism by the talent, came up with a rush in the stretch under a good ride by Fator and drew away easily, to win by a length and a half from Rayonne and Lucky Girl, completing a double for her owner. Bayonne raced -Culistoga into defeat, but tired and was only a head in front of the fast coming Lucky Girl at the finish. Four ordinary old selling platers, from the carded entry list of fourteen, turned out for the fifth race, at one mile. The ever busy blue pencil had eliminated all of the horses which might have made the dash interesting and the finish brought a colorless victory for J. A. Coburns Sunny land by "a long length and a half. Rep finished second and Tufter third. Super was outrun for most of the distance and could not take third from Tufter, which quit after the first half mile. By his victory on Sunnyland, Coltiletti completed a double, as he also rode Crocus in the main race. In the final race another public choice, Yankee Star, tasted defeat when J. E. Maddens Friar Rock filly Harridan, racing to her best form, scored a hollow victory. The winner was saved from the fast pace until the last eighth, but drew away with little effort when Fator" called upon her in the stretch. She was under restraint at the finish. Cherry Tree was third. Harridans victory completed a double for jockey Fator, who had ridden Bellatrix to triumph in the third race. Walter House has engaged Jockey J. Rodriguez 1 to ride Sweep By in the Futurity next Saturday E. R. Bradley, who has been a visitor at Helmont Park since the opening, left yesterday for Penhsyl- Continued on second page. PROMISING PROGRAM RUINED Continued from first page. -rania. He will arrive at Latonia for the racing on Saturday of this week. Sunnyland was bid up to ,000 from his entered price of ,300 after the fifth race and sold to J. S. Cosdcn. Lawrence Waterburys good plater Servitor, which was entered in the fifth race today, was .scratched after he had spread his hoof in a morning workout. He will be out of training for some time. R. F. Carman and his sou have twelve yearlings from their Maryland stud quartered at Belmont Park. All are by the stallion Meridian. Negotiations for the .sale of the entire band are under way, Mr. Carman said yesterday. If the sale is not consummated the youngsters will be put in training and raced under the Carman colors.
