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Half Hour Wins at Jamaica in Debut Widener Homebred Leads Throughout Outruns Stage Kid by Four Lengths; Afire Withdrawn After Bad Antics in Gate JAMAICA, L. I., N. Y., May 1.— George D. Wideners Half Hour, a first-time starter, by Eight Thirty, from the speedy Rose Bloom, captured the Rialto Purse, modest feature of the off-day program at Jamaica today. Conn McCreary steered the winner to the end of the six furlongs four lengths before Earl Sandes Stage Kid, the favorite. Mrs. Ada L. Rices Educator finished another four lengths back of the runner-up and a half dozen lengths before Mrs. R. E. Wingfields Around Town. That completed the small field. Dave Nosseks Afire turned a complete somersault in the gate and the stewards announced that he had fallen on jockey Hedley Woodhouse, who later said that he was unhurt and wanted to ride Middle Man in the last race, despite having some 900 pounds of horse on top of him. Dr. J. G. Catlett ordered Afire scratched. His withdrawal caused a refund of the entire show pool and that portion of the combination tickets sold on the race. The gate had to be moved to extricate Afire. Half Hour was a blazing paddock tip and returned .40 to his numerous backers in a crowd of 23,307 who turned out in mild but hazy weather. The brown gelding ran the six furlongs in the fair time of l:12y5 over a soupy track. Opens Up Wide Lead Half Hour appeared to stumble at the start of the Rialto, while Bobby Permane was caught napping with the favorite. McCreary quickly rushed Half Hour to the front on the outside and opened up a wide lead over Stage Kid, who was racing along the rail and was soon passed by Around Town. Half Hour continued to lead around the turn without much effort, while Permane finally sat down to ride on Stage Kid and drove up on the outside to dispose of Around Town, but never threatened the winner. Educator *ran past Around Town in the stretch. The race was a rather lamentable feature for a New York track, having been robbed of much of its interest before the episode in the gate, when Intrepid, Nathaniel, Good-Bye and Childeric were scratched this morning because of the sloppy track. There was a considerable delay before the second race, the horses only coming on the track when it was post time, giving the public no opportunity to see the horses in the post parade before the mutuel machines stopped operating. The delay was caused when apprentice George Sheroski informed the stewards that he had ridden more than 20 winners, including some victories in novice races at Detroit, which count as winners in New York. Sheroski was thus not entitled to the "triple bug" and was replaced on Cresson Farms Valcry by Louis Olah, who rode the horse into next to last place. Cain Hoy Stables Top Knot was the surprise winner, driving through the slop two lengths before Frank Frankels Flag OPeace, who led Jerome Fendricks Poppa George by a head. Top Knot returned 6.90 and was ridden by Joe Sneller.
