The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-10
TRUTH ABOUT THAT RACE.
Why 10 Patchen and John X. Gentry Acted
as They Did.

Chicago, Sep. 9.-R. J. Baylan writes
in the Inter Ocean as follows:
One of the most unfortunate events
of this or any other year for the trot-
ting horse business was the Joe Patcn-
en-John r. Gentry race at Belmont
Park, Philadelphia, last "Wednesday.
1t was argued that when pool selling
was abolished racing would be purlneo
and that the best horse would always
wiz. but there was an instance in which
a. disagreed BILE turf scandal grew out or
a contest upon which there was prac-
ticaIIy no money Wagered- The news
ma Ders have given various accounts OF
the race. and all sorts of rumors have
gained currency as to the clrcuSmstan-
ces under which the horses met. Inc
truth of the matter is that the ofhcials
at Belmont Park are much more 10 be
blamed for the "hippodrome" than the
drivers When a proposition was made
to the owners for a race between these
horses they were not anxious 10 accept
and gave as a reason that there was 10
be free-for-all at Louisville in which
each was 10 appear, and they did not
care TO 20 into hard race at Belmont
Park. To this objection the represent
alive of the association said: 1--WE will
not ask you to hurt your horses. Just
go out and race the first heat on the
level, then let the winner of that heat
go on and win the next two heats.
This was agreed to, and as Joe Patch
en- made a break in the first heat Cen
try won it easily.
Then according to arrangement, Mr..
Curry did not try to win the second nor
the third heats. He might and he might
not have been able to do so. After the
third had been declared to be mo heat
Curry drove for the fourth heat and
got it. He tried as hard as he could to
win the fifth heat, but Patchen made
a break and Gentry won on merits.
The Judges seemed determined that
Patchen should win the race, and de-
clared this to be mo heat"
After having won four heats without
satisfying the judges that he was en-
titled TO the money Mr.. McHenry got
little cranky himself, and in the sixth
heat he stopped Gentry perfectly still
half way through the stretch and walk
ed him to the wire In the seventh
heat he announced before starting that
he would drive a mile in about $50,
and he rated his horse very nicely 70
accomplish this. When Patchen finish
ed the mile in 2:32 Gentry had not yet
turned into the stretch. The judges did
not take any notice of Mr.. McHenry's
drive his horse to win, and gave Patch
en- the race. 1t was a bad mix up all
around, and race that is much TO be
regretted. 1t is generally considered
that an exhibition of this kind is pre-
arranged. but having seen all of the ra-
ces that the big PAGERS have gone this
year / am sure this is the only time
that there was any understanding as
to which should win, and this under
standing only went so far as to agree
that the horse that could win the first
heat was to go on and win the race.
The first heat was for blood. Jack
Curry will protest against paying the
$500 fine that he was assessed, and also
against the paying John Dickerson any
more than 10 per cent of the money that
Patchen won. The local papers estima-
ted the crowd ait 5000 and there seemed
to be not less than $500, but when the
returns from the ticket Office were ex-
hibited in settling for the pacing race
it was learned that there were but
1,60o people on the ground. These
Quakers are a guileless lot.