New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-15
ELKWmD THE WINNER.
A GREArsURpRrsE IN THE SUBURBAN.
THE OTHER RACES MUCH INTEREsT-A RE-
sA MARKABLY BRILLIANT DAY.


The Oldest lovers Of the turf admit that the Sub
rrh.n Day Of 1888 was the most successful racing
dsy ever known in America The great matches of
former times drew enormous crowds and excited tho
eccnest interest but one of thom was accom-
uanicd with so many elements of interest, with so
Great variety of sport, with many attractive feat
urcs as the opening of the spring meeting of the
conev Island Jockey Club The interest in the Sub
urban has increased year by year. and 1t before
reached so high point as on this occasion An ex-
ccl,cnt field of hghclass horses competed in II. The
,relehts were adjusted with conspicuous skin and
,,drment and the contest was Of the most exciting
cor, For once the club favored with the finest
NJ Junc weather, and from early hour in the fore
noon every line Of transportation TO shcepshead Bay
carrying down load after load of passeng until
bc club grounds contained the largest multitude yet
Gathered on an Eastern race track The number Of
nectators on race is Invariably exaggerated;
hut II may safely be said that at least $4,000 people
sn,ered the gates to see the Suburban of 1888.
They filed the grand stand and all the smaller
Glands to their utmost capacity. They crowded into
,n. inner field by thousands They thronged the
,rn along the quarter stretch, that standing room
vac hardly TO be obtained The betting ring was
yresscd full and running over with people 1t was
desperate struggle to get in or out of It, Although
The club had enlarged the spaces devoted to betting,
sin the limits might have been extended four times
over and yet have proved insufficient for the furious
,,,sb Of cager spectators before each race. The
beautiful grounds in perfect condition, the man.
.gement was extremely efficient and the only draw
t.cks TO the pleasures of the afternoon those
ubieI must inevitably attend the assembling Of an
enormous host, all eager TO great race. The
stating was good, and there ground for
criticism or complaint, the excessive crowding was
unavoidable Even the railroads and steamboats,
struggled with a fair measure of success with the
,ecions OF people they were called upon TO carry.
SOME FEATURES OF THE GREAT RACE.
The Suburban indeed a nsatona affair. The
oowerfu Haggin stable represented by three candi-
dates Firenzl Hdago and Aurelia ridden by Garrison,
Hamilton and Baylock. This constellation of race
horses and jockeys attracted the betting men, and the
HaggIn stable a great favonte in every form of
speculation Linden found troops Of friends but their
number was far exceeded by that Of the army which
followed the Haggn banner. Terra Gotta was sup
ported by the Western men, who believed him irwin
chile. Few paid any attention to the Gratz stable,
which started both Ekwood and Fenelon, to Ban
burg and Connemara, while such trash Ordway and
Grover Cleveland was severely ignored Trboulet
however the unknown quantity from California had
many supporters, and Isaac Murphy, his rider felt
highly confident and told his friends that he was sure
10 win Eurus and Joe Cotton we're compare
lively neglected. Tho Dwyer Brothers
pursued peculiar policy. Although they
made no secret Of the fact to all their friends that
Joe Cotton had not the slightest chance IN the race,
they decided to start him although they had pre-
yiousy shown a willingness 10 lend their jockey, Nc
Iaughln to another stable Their object in running
horse which they did not back and which had no
earthly chance is left open to conjecture.
II certainly great pity that such miserable
creatures Royal Arch, Ordway, Grover Cleveland,
strdeaway and Eurus permitted to start at all
They were of TO their stables or to anybody
else but simply served tn pile up the profits Of the
bookmakers by attracting few smpletons to bet
money on them, and also to get in the way OF and
interfere with far superior animals. Royal Arch
and Connemdra, by bad temper, caused a
ung delay at the post. 1t is to be
hoped that the Suburban hereafter, a race Of such
value and interest, shall be restricted In starters to
those paying $3.50 each. This will keep out the rub
blsh, leave In only the good horses, and make far
fairer, closer and better II certain however,
that In the future the fee for starters will be largely
increased, the Coney Island Jockey Club, encour-
aged by the great of this. race and the public
interest in II, has determined to add $4,000 to 1t
next year instead Of S., O00 This will insure the en-
try of all the best horses in America, while high
fee for starters will make it certain that no animals
Of inferior quality Will and make nuisances OF
themselves.
CHANCES AT THE BETTING.
The betting on the Suburban was extremely heavy
In every form of speculation. but the crowd was
80 great that many hundreds people who desired to
make wager could get opportunity TO do So either
with the books or in the French pools. The very
proper and Just rule was adopted by the executive
committee Of the club yesterday and will be enforced
hereafter both at this course and at Monmouth faK'
recurring the bookmakers bet against stables only,
both to win and for place. and not against single
entries This is indispensable to protect the public
and is a welcome change for the better. But our
friends the bookmakers had no reason TO complain
OF their fortunes yesterday The winner OF the Subur
ban, Walter GRATIS Elkwood, carried very little
money either bet at the track or put on the horse in
the books in various parts of the country In
the months that have elapsed since the
weights were first announced. The Hagen stable
has backed since last February TO win large
sums both in straight and place betting, although the
owner himself has not INDUCED In any wild or reck-
less speculation. The Dwyer entries were supported
freely in the betting of the last few months Linden
carried handsome amounts, both straight ana place
The Bard and the Cassatt stable were also heavily
backed during the spring. Now the bookmakers won
every dolr put straight place the Haggn stable,
On the Cassatt stable the Dwyer stable, on Jen-
nIngs's Dunboyne, Connemara, and on every horse
ever entered for this race except Ekwood straight
and place, and Terra Gotta for place. Hence their
profits must have been tremendous. They OF course
took advantage of the immense crowd and the extreme
pressure to bet, and gave very short
odds. For instance, against tho winner
Of the Suburban they offered only IL to
At most straight, and to for place. But Elk
wood paid in the French pools 1920 straight for %,
and sl01 for a place. The place betting against
Terra Gotta In the books only to 8; In the
French pools $50 for IS paid for a place. And
yet these graspng bookmakers have the mpudence 10
pretend that their system Of betting is as fair 10 the
public as French pools. Look at the first race also
In that the betting against Britannia to win In the
books ranged from - to 25 to straight Britannia
IN Tie French pools paid 1887 for 80.
HOW THE RACE WAS RUN
But enough Of the betting AS to the race itseli IL
was contest full Of exciting incidents, of swift changes
and unexpected transformations. Mr.. Caldwell got them
al OIL to an excellent start, although Banburg and
Hdago moved of slowly and clumsily Perhaps Hdalgo
really got his Suburban race in his fast trial Tues
day, when he covered the distance in O9 Certainly
be moved stiniy in HIS preliminary gallop and never
at any time in the race really dangerous, although
Hamilton did everything with him that jockey could