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EMPIRE CITY OPENING Great Sport Marks Inaugural Day Racing at Yonkers Course. Scarsdale Handicap to Lucky Play Stimulus Proves Best in the Juvenile Feature. YONKERS, N. Y., Oct 16. It was a great day of racing that marked the opening of the Empire City Racing Association meeting at the Yonkers track Thursday, and with bright, warm weather an immense throng was in attendance. August Belmonts Lucky Play, under an excellent ride by Clarence Kummer, was the bright and particular star, when he was winner of the mile of the Scarsdale Handicap and in a companion feature, the Killarney Purse for two-year-old3, Marshall Fields Stimulus again proved his worth when he took the measure of W. R. Coes Zuker. Both of the features brought about stirring finishes. With a short delay at the post the start for the Scarsdale was a good one, but there came a bit of bumping on the first turn in which Rialto was knocked back badly. Lucky Play had the inside position at the post and Kummer rushed him along to escape the threatened crowding, coming clear before the turn was reached. Laurano was outrunning the others and he was well lapped on the Belmont three-year-old and racing under slight restraint Kummer was content to hold Laurano, and when the Metropolitan winner made the pace a bit hot after passing the half mile ground, he eased Lucky Play slightly for a few paces. It was Rinkey that was racing in third place, but she was four lengths back of the first two and showing the way to James Butlers Sleepy Head, one that was racing along the inner rail strongly and the two-year-old Tick Tock followed him closely with Rialto last BREATHING SFELL HELPS. After his breathing spell Kummer permitted Lucky Play to run along again after rounding cut of the back stretch, and- he quickly passed Laurano to go into the command. Laurano was all through from his early effort and swinging into the stretch Lucky Play was clear of his company. He had made a good turn for home and Kummer was master of the situation. The Killarney Purse over, the short three-quarters distance brought about a good contest when Marshall Fields Stimulus, the top weight, led home W. R. Coes Zuker, with James Butlers Pique beating H. P. Whitneys Noah for third. From a good start it was Pique that went out in the lead, but Stimulus was right after him and Noah was a strong-going third. Zuker was a bit slow to find his racing legs and Callahan was permitting him to settle into his stride, with the result that he was badly outrun. Pique held to his lead through the backstretch and cut out a fast pace, but Stimulus, racing along inside of him, was going well, with plenty in reserve, and it was evident that he could go into command at the first asking. Noah was also racing well back of the pair of them, but Zuker had dropped back until he was a full five lengths further away and the others followed along back of him with little chance to be any closer. Before tho stretch was reached Stimulus had shaken off Pique and swinging for homo he was a length to the good, while Noah was tiring arid unable to improve his position. Stimulus seemed to have the race put away when suddenly Zuker loomed up on the outside. He had closed a big gap and was charging along on the outside at a terrific pace. Thurber sensed the danger and drove Stimulus, and none too soon for the son of Ultimus was doing his best at the end to beat the grandson of Ultimus by a neck. The running suggested that Callahan had waited too long with Zuker and that an earlier move would have seen the Coe colt winner. But it must be remembered that while he was avoiding the early pace Stimulus, under the top weight, was forcing that same pace to put away Pique and Noah. OPENER TO BLUE HILL. Jack Richardsons Blue Hill was winner of the opening race of the day and meeting. This was a mile race for cheap platers and at the end lie was showing the way to W. Kearns Bear Grass, while J. O. Burtschells Wrackhorn saved third from Honfleur. Bear Grass was the one to cut out the running and Honfleur chased along after him and in close attendance, while Delysia also raced forwardly through the early stages. Then, leaving tho backstretch, Blue Hill moved up on the outside until at the head of the stretch he was almost on even terms with Bear Grass and Honfleur. Bear Grass saved ground on the stretch turn, while Blue Hill was forced to go wide, but the latter was good enough to put the Kearns plater away readily in the last eighth. Wrackhorn finished resolutely to take third place from the tiring Honfleur. The race run by Blue Hill was a decided improvement over his last Continued on ninth page. EMPIRE CITY OPENING Continued from first page. previous start when he was well beaten by Bear Grass and Briggs Buchanan. Ira Pennocks Pathan showed a return to something like his New Orleans form when he was winner of the mile and sixteenth of the second race from P. S. P. Randolphs High Prince and Silas Goochs Good Night, with -James Butlers Tickler following him home, to say nothing of Crack o Dawn and Scare Crow. It was High Prince and Crack o Dawn that cut out all the pace. Pathan had begun well but he was utterly unable to keep pace with the early leaders and they opened up quite a gap. Not until swinging out of the backstretch did Crack o Dawn begin to tire arid at the same time Pathan began to draw up on High Prince, though the Randolph plater still seemed to be going easily. Three-eighths from home Pathan began to race in earnest and at the head of the stretch he was so close that Harvey went -to the whip on the leader. But Pathan continued to gain and Callahan brought him to the outside of the pacemaker to come away and win with something to spare. Good Night and Tickler were both going well at the end while Crack o Dawn tired badly. The real disappointment was W. V. Caseys Scare Crow, which in his last previous start had no end of speed. On this occasion, however, his Avas a disgraceful showing and" there was no time that he cut any figure. Sleepy Head was closing with a great rush on the inside and Marinelli found room for him inside of Lucky Play. On the outside Rinkey was coming along gallantly and an eighth out Kummer saw the danger and he called on Lucky Play, watching his pursuers closely. Lucky Play answered the call, but right to the end the other two continued to gain until at the end Lucky Play was only winner by a neck and Sleepy Head had only beaten. Rinkey by a nose. Rialto, the one to be fourth, closed a big gap, but he was six lengths back of the first three. After the finish the jockeys were interrogated by the stewards on the interference that came rounding the first turn, in which Rialto was knocked back, but the order of the finish was not disturbed. The race was worth ,655 to the winner. There was another good field that went to the post for the short three-quarters of the fifth race and it resulted in another stirring finish when Anna Marrone II. just lasted to beat W. R. Coes Elvina, with Swingalong saving third from Rigel. Anna Marrone II. cut out all the pace and Variation followed her, with IL T. Waters third. At the stretch turn H. T. Waters mada a great challenge, circling around on the outside, while Variation tired. But the H. T. Waters bid was only a bluff and Anna Marrone II. held to her lead rounding the turn for home. Then along came Elvina with a rush that was just a few strides short of victory. Denizen, racing for H. P. Whitney, was winner of the final race of the afternoon, a dash of five and a half furlongs for two-year-olds. Peter Paul, from the Triple Springs Farm, raced to second place, while Lawless was third. The winner was ridden by Burke and at the end it was his masterly horsemanship over Weiner that decided the battle.
