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SORTIE FINISHES IN FRONT $ Defeats Royal Stranger and Al- gernon in Maturity Stakes. 9 Runs Mile and a Quarter in 2:03 to Take Belmont Parks Principal Attraction-Mad Hattie Disqualified. ♦ NEW YORK, N. Y., May 28.— At the Saratoga Special dinner two years ago, Marshall Field deplored the fact that in all the turt prizes there was not one that was exclusively for the four-year-olds. The Westchester Rac- ing Association, acting on a suggestion of his that such a prize be offered, inaugurated the Maturity Stakes, at a mile and a quarter, exclusively for the four-year-olds. That was the feature at Belmont Park this afternoon. The first running last year saw only three starters, with William Woodwards Filemaker the winner. For this renewal there were but four starters and A. C. Schwartz Sortie won from the Dorwood Stables Royal Stranger and W. R. Coes Algernon outfinished Mrs. K. E. Hitts Hot Toddy for third. With a day of summer warmth an exceedingly large crowd was out for the sport. The track was at its best, as was evidenced when Sortie finished the mile and quarter in 2 :03 to be the winner of the feature. In this race McAfee went out to set the pace with Royal Stranger and he permitted him to go along under a slight restraint Hot Toddy and Sortie followed, also under restraint, while Algernon brought up the rear, but all four were in such close order that actual position in the running was of small consequence. McAtee carefully nursed Royal Stranger along in the lead to see him into the stretch showing the way. By that time Sortie had headed Hot Toddy, while Algernon, on the outside, failed when called on by Inzelone and he began to drop back. Royal Stranger held resolutely to his lead till well inside the final eighth, but Sortie was wearing him down at every stride, and right at the end he was on by to win going away by a length and a half. Royal Stranger was four lengths before Algernon, which in turn just beat Hot Toddy, when the son of Ed Crump quit badly. MARINE TO THE FORE. A good band of three-year-olds started in the third race and Joseph E. Wideners Marine, one of his eligibles for the Withers Stakes, was winner, running an excellent race to lead home the Sagamore Stables Sun Broom, with James Butlers Stormy Dawn, another of the eligibles for the Withers. This race also marked the first start of the year for J. O. Keanes Jean Valjean, but after being away badly he ran a dull race and was never a contender. There was a disqualification in the fifth race, at four and a half furlongs, for juvenile fillies when Mad Hattie, from the Sage Stable, after being first home, was set back for interfering with Willis Sharpe Kilmers Sun Blow, which was awarded the purse. By the ruling Snooze, from the H. P. Whitney Stable, was moved into second place and third went to George D. Wideners St. Prisca. Gay Past, a son of Gay Ronald and Pattella, bred by William Woodward and racing for P. S. P. Randolph, was winner of the opening five-eighths race for maiden juveniles. He led home Benda, a starter for the Audley Farm Stable, with Wagtail, a Mend-ham Stable starter, beating Bud Fishers Bob Shannon for third. The winner was lucky at the start and when he left in full stride he quickly opened up a good lead and never was headed. Benda raced forwardly all the way and at the end shook off the others to take second place rather handily. The Weldship Steeplechase Handicap only brought out four of the second class and Marshall Fields Nomad, the topweight, proved easily best. Forcing the pace throughout he was still three lengths clear at the end, while H. S. Jobes Crenalan, an English juniper, just beat home Le Digard, a French gelding that races for the Eastland Farm Stable, to take second place. The only other starter was Mrs. F. Ambrose Clarks Astronomy, which was a distant last. i 1 j t i : I I
