view raw text
SPECTACULAR FINISH Firethorn and Granville Separated by Inches in Suburban. Photograph Necessary to Decide the Winner Another Thriller in Juvenile Stakes Airflame Beaten. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 30 In one of the most thrilling finishes of its long and glorious history, Walter M. Jeffords Firethorn was winner of the old Suburban Handicap over William Woodwards three-year-old Granville at Belmont Park today. It was only in the last stride the four-year-old dropped his nose down before the son of Gallant Fox, and, two lengths back of the fighting pair, Hal P. Headleys Whopper beat the Brookmeade Stables Good Goods for third, while Good Harvest, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap, was fifth. The finish was so excitingly close that even after the photograph had been made there was considerable delay before it could be definitely declared that Firethorn had won the 2,125 that went to the winner. While there was an unnatural chill in the air for this time of the year, the largest crowd of the season was out, some 25,000 enjoying a remarkable day of sport. In the Suburban there was an even dozen went to the post and after some delay they left in good order, with Granville first from the stalls, though he was soon headed by Coldstream, which opened up a daylight lead to run a first quarter in a high wind in :24. Identify went after Coldstream, with Granville, Whopper and Mantagna following in close order, while Good Goods was badly shuffled back before he could take a position. Rounding from the back stretch, Stout moved up with Granville and the son of Gallant Fox went so smoothly that he was soon showing the way and under a restraint that madepiim appear a sure winner. Coldstream; was: weakening, but Whopper moved with the?three-year-old and Good Harvest still heldhis forward position. At this stage of the running Firethorn was far back of the pace he was beginning to overtake horseasithey went into the bend from the back tretchl Stout went right along with Granville and he increased his lead to two lengths before the stretch w"as reached, still being under a snug- restraint. Whopper was hanging on well in second place but as the long stretch wasreached.iFirethorn circled around and wascharging up gallantly. Stout realized ..fhdangertnd went to a drive on Gran- Continucd on thirty-eighth page. ! SPECTACULAR FINISH Continued from first page. ville but the son of Gallant Fox was plainly hanging while Firethorn was running straight and true. Right at the end to many it seemed that Granville had lasted to save the day but he was stopping and Firethorn was running, with the camera deciding the four-year-old the winner. Whopper ran his usual good game race to be third, two lengths back and only a length before Good Goods, which had run a remarkable race to overcome his early interference. Good Harvest had weakened right at the end while Coldstream came out of the running so badly lamed he was led back to the scales. The race would suggest that the mile and a half of the Belmont will possibly be a bit too far for Granville. On the scale he was giving away weight to every starter but the manner in which he was weakening at the end of the mile and a quarter suggests a grave doubt as to his staying a mile and a half. There was a big thrill came for the crowd in the running of the Juvenile when Alvin j Untermyers Scintillator, Hal P. Headleys good filly, Apogee, and E. R. Bradleys Billionaire crossed the line locked and the unbeaten sensation from California, A. G. Van-derbilts Airflame, close after these. So closely were these lapped that the placing judges called for a photograph to make the decision and when the numbers were j displayed, they came in order as named and as called by the chartmakers. The margin of victory was a short haed and Scintillator earned the decision by a great rush on the inside where he found ample room to come through. The race was run in the face of a strong wind that blew up the course offering an excuse for the 1:00 that was hung out. The prize was ,500 net to the winner with ten appearing under silks. There was some delay at the post, and as they left Black Look, the C. V. Whitney starter, was badly Humped and knocked out of the running while the others left in good style and Apogee was first to show the way. She was closely attended by Airflame and Billionaire, which had swerved slightly to the inside after leaving. As a result of this, Airflame was caught in rather close quarters and he did not have the speed to come clear in the early racing. Scintillator was well back of these and he soon found a position on the inner rail. A furlong out Apogee had Airflame and Billionaire beaten and she looked all over a winner until Scintillator came with his great rush on the rail. Stride-by-stride he wore the leaders down and it was his head that was in front at the line. Apogee had beaten Billionaire a scant length -and Airflame was closely lapped on the Bradley colt. Third in importance of the three holiday specials was the Corinthian Steeplechase Handicap, and it was pruned down to three starters at post time. It was won easily by Joseph E. Wideners Bushranger, top weight of the party, and it completed a double for the president of the Westchester Association when it was his filly," Magic Circle, that captured the opening dash. The Corinthian carried a net value of ,580 to the winner, and it was F. Ambrose Clarks Birmingham that finished second and Jungle King, from the Greeritree Stable, the only other starter, was only beaten a length and a half for the place. The holiday sport opened with a score for the Joseph E. Widener silks when Magic Circle, a chestnut daughter of Chance Shot and Circlet, beat a big band of juvenile maiden fillies over four and a half furlongs on the Widener course. Mrs. Silas B. Masons Richmond Rose raced to second place with K. E. Hitts Care For taking third from Devils Pace, which raced for the Wheatley Stable.
