The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-28
a Brilliant Gathering of Specta-
tors at the Track.
GREAT EXCITEMENT AND SPLENDID SPORT.
Olitipa, Countess and Dia-
Volo the Winners.
A Pen Picture of the Races, Scenes
and Incidents.

the country. Grand hotels, medicinal waters
with thousands OF earnest patrons before break
fast even, beautiful scenery grand old lake, and
the sort OF visitors who seem determ ned to dress
well and live on the easiest plan. They do things
here In regular order. Drinking the waters play
ing croquet, rowing on the 'pond,n driving into
the delightful suburbs, dirting in the twilight and
dancing at the hotels In the eveniug-everything
comes In exact routine. To-day, however, the
programme had an addition, and an attract
I've addition, too. IL was the second day
OF the spring meeting OF the Saratoga
races. AS all the other amusements are entered
Into with genuine enthusiasm, so this morning
the fashionable world at Saratoga was ready to
pay court to the beauties OF the turf At half EAST
nine precisely the club house pool room was be-
sieged by about three hundred OF the sterner sex.
who were bent on speculating on the events Of
the day. Mr.. Cathcart was generously going
through the whole gamut OF the auctioneer, and
the words, "MadRe," "Brigand." "Spindrift,n "All
at" "Going, going" "Third and last time at,n
seemed to be repeated as rapidly as the tongue
could repeat them. But, though business was ex-
tremey lively, the pool room did not present the
exhnarating feature that IL does when there Is an
extraordinary event." and the auchoneer aus
pended the sale for an instant to announce, amid
ironlcal laughter, that ga friend Is dead"
The next step was 10 drive to the race track a
u
morning was delightful; light. shifting clouds
noated slowly across the sky and enectually less
ened the effects oil the SUMS rays. The road alter
leaving the club house, Is as straight as an air
line. On either side flourish young trees, rich In
foliage, and the newly mown hay and the perfume
OF summer MOWERS render the atmosphere agree
able and the trip extremely enjoyable. In q lew
minutes the visitor Is down in 'front.' OF the i'm
posing gateway, around which cluster n lout q
dozen special constables each holding locust as
silent threat to the would.be roWdy
that as order must be preserved, physical force
Is to be considered paramount Entering the
grand stand most beautiful scene meets the eye
Here is a track that may be fairly SAID to be sans
parcel In Its ensemble The ground is narrowed
to level that Is almost faul less, this being con-
sinued until the horses Start, and fenced in with
white painted palings the entire distance. Away
between the fences Is one pretty stretch OF evenly
mown turf, dotted here and there with red and
white nags, which form imaginary lanes leading
to the little walls over which the horses leaped
duringthe steeplechase. Beyond and skirting the
track on three sides are several handsome little
villas, neat compact copse OF frs and beech and
some little farms. Between the grand stand and
the track Is a long narrow slip OF closely clipped
lawn, which is occupied by several hundreds Of
the fashonables, awaiting anxously the days
-amusements. They comprise several well known
New York gentlemen, who may sometimes DO
met as actively engaged IN the purieus Of Wall
street
The end Of the lawn occupied by the pool stand
and the PARIS Mutuels WAS also packed with gen.
llemen anxious to SPECULATE on the races. while
the outside field, reaching down the quarter
stretcn nearly third OF a mile compactly
tined with handsome equipages, the occupants OF
which had chosen that place for seeing the races
fhar fIonf nHn III ali cha axvith
the grand stand. O this vast congregation Of
people not one poorly dressed or ill-behaved per-
son was discovered. AS a military gentleman re-
marked, '1t was dress parade"
Notwithstanding the heavy rains OF the pre-
vious day the track was not as bad as was
apprehended. IL was comparatively slow, but
probably much better than any other track in
America would have been alter being deluged as
this was yesterday. The track was extremely
suitable for all the candidates engaged In green
backs and glory. The working of The horses mas
all been done this morning on the old sand track,
among the pines, on the north side OF the turn
pike. At early morn the old course presented
lively appearance, and q great number OF horses
took their morning ''breezlngs."
But the grand stand Itself presented scene OF
striking beauty. The neatly cusn. oned. luxurious
seats were filed to the last number by several
thousands OF the hGat ton, gathered from all
parts OF the country. Here were ladies dressed
In all the elegance OF fashion and gentlemen
edoIned as faultlessy as though the scene were
the ball. The coup dCsH was attractive in the
extreme. From one end to the other was one i'm
mense sea OF waving ribbons, artificial flowers in
oil the brightest coors, pumes sug Eestive OF the
Elzabethan era and fans innumerable that waved
without ceasing. Neither Ascot, EPSON, nor
Longcnamps, could present hveler or more
Twelve O'clock and the hell calls up the four
horses that are 60 open the sport OF the day. Up
they come and the gayIy decorated jockeys la
placed in the saddle. T.o or three false
starts and they are on; the ladies' wave
panying VITA loud murmur Of applause, and
onward they dash to the goal the brown leading
perfect level. You can follow the horses at every
foot nom the start to the fnish. Those VINO de-
sire TO turn" their money while the race Is gong
was considerable time between the end Of the
nrst race and the commencement of the second,
in all--bue, black, red and DARK red. green and
cherry color Now stir occurs on the grand
stand and the hum OF a thousand voices is IN
stsntly nusned by the loud appeal OF man
clothed with the authority OF police" printed on
piece OF white SILK which he EXHIBITS from but
tOnhole In mis- coat. zone and all SIT down. Keep
down parasos and umbrellasW yells this iunc-
IionaTy. And they do keep them down. showing
great respect for authority. But the spirited
WIN not 1901 Tue Iny lh h,s 1rganu ene olue, as
track alone. Now they CO. and thousands or
heads and tongues follow them as they scamper
round, shaking up the little Gust that had been
created since the morning. AS they approach on
the quarterstretcn II is seen that the blue Is fifth
and that Countess the blue sash, s coming In
ahead, having a lead which she maintains TO the
end.
Now about 500 men gather around the time.
Keepers box on the lawn ana discuss warmly in
some cases. the failure OF the ''bue." This lasts
for five minutes, when they return TO their seats
and to the 'MuLuels,n at the enc ana await the
great event OF the day, the steepecnase. Ihe
weather is stl delightful but the gentlemen find
& necessary to spread their umbrellas, and CEN
sequently the lawn has the appearance, Tor
while, OF Broadway during rain storm. The
scene Is as pretty as bouquet From 5000 TO
10000 people are in attendance The settlements
over the last race are very numerous, ana on the
lawn there are evidences that good many
.'droppedn seriously; greenbacks are passing
freely from hand to hand
1t takes some time TO prepare for the steeple.
chasS. Carefully tue horses that are 10 take part
are cantered around the track to about one half
the Distance when the tockeva dtamaunt and