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Twenty Years Ago Today Chief Turf Events of June 21, 1904 Racing at Washington Park, Coney Island, Buffalo and Union Park and Fair Grounds at St. Louis. The Swift Stakes was the outstanding feature of todays card at Coney Island and resulted in a grand contest when the suddenly improved Stalwart managed to outstay the highly weighted Bryn Mawr and the favorite, Broomstick. The distance was at seven-eighths of a mile over the Futurity course and was run in 1:26%. The victory added ,420 to Stalwarts coffers. S. C. Hildreth, who is training McChesney for E. E. Smathers, said today at Washington Park that the big son of Macduff and Manola Mason will not be a starter in the Worlds Fair Handicap at St. Louis next Saturday. McChesney is coming into form slowly and when fit will be sent East to fill such of his engagements as Mr. Smathers shall elect. Hildreth has not determined the day on which he will take Witfull to the Mound City. "It has been raining hard over there," he said, "and Ill stay here as long as possible to get a good track for the fillys work." "The directors of the Washington Park Club, at a meeting held today, decided to discontinue the present race meeting at the cbse of todays racing and have declared off all stakes and purses." This announcement was made by secretary James Howard to representatives of the press who had assembled on request in the paddock office at Washington Park after the closing race this afternoon. The secretary, when questioned further, declined to be interviewed, saying he had nothing to add to the brief and positive statement he had made. Entries for another day had not been published, notwithstanding the fact that it was the impression of the reporters that they had been called to hear news of a different character. There had been current among the horsemen during the afternoon a rumor to the effect that the meeting would be continued to July 16, the allotted date fot closing, and that betting would be permitted. While there was no reasonable foundation for such a rumor, it was apparently accepted as a substantiated fact by the majority of the 2.000 in attendance and they hurried away from the course, believing that the accustomed and more natural conditions would prevail. Less than a dozen horsemen were in the vicinity when the announcement was made, though the news spread rapidly enough and was the general topic at th? yearling sales at the stock yards last night. This step, while not altogether unexpected by conservative turfmen, has left the horsemen somewhat in a state of unpreparedness and for the greater part they are inclined to await developments before announcing intentions to ship elsewhere or to remain in Chicago. It is within the province of the Western Jockey Club stewards to hold a meeting and reallot such of the twenty two discarded dates to some other track or tracks as might desire them, but it is not known that anything will or will not be done in this direction.
