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SGT. BYRNE BY A HEAD Defeats Miss Merriment in Close Finish in Empire Opener. Race Marred by Sation Breaking Leg and Being Destroyed Trainer Jacobs Ties Irwin Record. YONKERS, N, Y., Oct. 19 Sgt Byrne, five-year-old son of Stimulus and Heloise, which is the pride of Jamaica thoroughbred enthusiasts, furnished a mild surprise at the opening of the Empire City meeting today as he came from behind a swift early pace to drive to a head victory over Miss Merriment in the New Rochelle Handicap, feature of the inaugural program. The triumph marked the initial 1936 stake for John Si-monettis colorbearer, his second straight and his fifth of the year, netting his owner ,175 in prize money. Four lengths behind the runner-up Exhibit managed to wrest third money from the weary Stubbs. The race was a fatal one for George Widener"s Sation. eastern sprint champion last season, as he broke his right front leg midway between the sixteenth and eighth posts. It appeared that he stepped in a very soft spot on a track that otherwise was fast At the time he was beaten. He had to be taken from the track in the horse ambulance and later destroyed. Sation was not the only participant in the New Rochelle that said farewell to the turf with this race.. It was announced before the running that it was the last appearance of Miss Merriment, the High Hime mare being slated to go to the stud in the spring. 147 WINNERS. Incidentally, trainer Hirsch Jacobs equalled C. B. Irwins record of 147 winners saddled in 1923 when he sent Tellwhy to the post in the sixth race to win that event in the colors of his wife. The performance of Sgt. Byrne was witnessed by an excellent crowd, one that comfortably filled the grandstand and clubhouse, weather conditions being ideal. His race was a brisk one, as the Stimulus horse was only two-fifth3 of a second off the track record when he finished the distance in l:08Vi. He was second choice in the speculation, going to the post at 7 to 2, j while the runner-up closed at 4 to 5. I I Miss Merriment would have been the winner with Stubbs out of the race. That speedy gelding carried her along at a dizzy . , clip during the back stretch run and then Arcaro wisely eased off the pace.. He brought the daughter of High Time around ithe Sir Gallahad III. gelding at the top I of the stretch and was away to a short lead. In the final fifty yards the Emanuel mare tired under her top impost of 124 pounds. On the scale she was conceding eleven pounds to the winner. Exhibit went steadily all the way and in the final drive proved gamer than the faint-hearted Stubbs. LUCKY PLEDGE SCORES. , William Woodwards Lucky Pledge, sister to Gallant Fox, escaped from the maiden ranks when she was winner of the opening five and a half furlongs dash for maiden I juvenile fillies. She raced as though much I the best, while a photograph was required to I decide the place between Marshall Fields proximity and Thomas Calcinas Ritorno, I with Kitty Reigh finishing well back of i these. Celtic Legend was the one to go out I with Lucky Pledge, but the daughter of Sir i Gallahad IIL was able to keep step with her and still race under a slight restraint Then, in the final furlong the Woodward filly drew jaway readily, to be winner by a length and with something to spare. Idle Midget, the faint-hearted son of Infinite, which races for Comer Covington, wa3 winner of the third. He found the five and three-quarter furlongs much better suited to his speed than the full six furlongs, and. though stopping badly at the end, he lasted long enough to beat Mrs. Ethel D. Jacobs Handle Cross by a length and a half, a dozen lengths back of the son of Haste. George McMitchells His Nibs took third from High-most Trainer Earl Sande decided to abandon his winter quarters at Belmont Park and will race the Maxwell Howard horses at Hialeah Park.
