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NEAP GETS CLOSE DECISION i Camera Shows Brookmeade Colt the Victor Over Sunport. targe Belmont Crowd Witnesses Thrilling Stretch Battle Esposa in Third Place Early Autumn in First Win. . . NEW YORK, N. Y., May 22. In a day of close finishes, the camera was depended upon to decide the best race of the day, the Stromboli Handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth, when Neap, from the Brookmeade Stable, and A. D. B. Pratts Sunport crossed the line closely lapped before Mrs. William Ziegler, Jivs Esposa. Earlier in the day, the camera had been called upon to decide the finish between Early Autumn and Mae-cloud, and in both instances the mechanical placing agreed with that of the callers with both Neap and Early Autumn winners. The day was delightful for the sport and, though it was a card made up entirely of overnight races, excellent sport was enjoyed by the large crowd present. Just half a dozen went to the post in the Stromboli and it really was a two-horse race all the way. Corona at once stepped Neap to the command, and he was closely attended by Sunport, but both were under a slight restraint as they were showing the way well before the others. Esposa raced third, and right at her throat latch came Malbrouk and Gillie, which was slow to be under way. Rounding from the back stretch, the leading pair drew away to a lead of four lengths r and they were still closely lapped as they rounded into the long stretch. Sammy Ren-ick had the inside berth in the run through the straight, and when the real racing began in the final furlong, the son of Sun Briar hung on with excellent courage, but Neap still had a head lead over him as they swept by the judges. No excuse could be found for Esposa. She held to third place all through the running, and when put to a drive in the stretch, was utterly unable to run them down, while Gillie, after his sluggish beginning, closed ground to be at the heels of that filly. Chance Ray showed little, and when Malbrouk stopped badly, he was eased up in the stretch to finish ten lengths back of the field. Mrs. Parker Corings Merry Maker, a son of Cynic and Isabella, was easily best of the maiden juveniles that came together in the four and a half furlongs dash through the Widener course that was the first offering. Breaking well, he quickly assumed command and little Ira Hanford had only to sit still and have him gallop along to be the winner by half a dozen lengths. Selling platers had an opportunity in the; short course steeplechase with seven going to the post. This brought an excellent contest, with a fighting finish, in which Mrs. S. Bryce Wings Snake Charmer was just up to beat Benedictine, racing for the Old Mill Farm Stable, and ridden by the amateur, S. H. Hirst. Third went to Frank M. Goulds Postman Home, and Hoursend was fourth. The placing judges called for a photograph of the finish of the third race, a four and a half furlongs dash for juvenile fillies, and the print confirmed the call of the chartmakers when George D. Wideners Early Autumn was winner over Maecloud, from the Maemere Farm Stable, with Broad Ripple, Staraway and Warrior Queen following closely. Early Autumn broke well and forced all the pace without being headed, though at the end she was doing her best to score by half a length. Maecloud encountered interference at the start, but closed with determination when accorded clear sailing. I Broad Ripple was also in the contention all through the running, and she, too, met with interference, in the final drive. Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs useful plater, Microphone, which was returned to sprinting after losing two races at the meeting over the mile and a sixteenth distance, gave little Ira Hanford his second winning mount j of the day in the six-furlong fifth race, over the main course. George D. Wideners Chicstraw, appearing in a claiming race for the first time, took the place, and third went to Maxwell Howards faint-hearted Polycletus, when he just saved third from Brown Twig. There was still another call for a photo-, graph in the running of the sixth race when Mrs. N. E. Doyles Sang Froid and B. G. Guths Al Neiman came to the line locked well before Richard Pendings Distracting, while Free took fourth closely lapped on the Pending plater. As in the other cases, the camera agreed with the call when the decision went to Sang Froid.
