The Portland daily press., 1895-09-05
ROTTEN TACTICS.
The Match Between Patehen and
Gentry a Pulling" Race.
THE DRIVER OF THE FORMER
FINED 5000.

The Race Was Won by Joe Patchen-The
Race Was witnessed by Disguised
Crowd of Five. Thousand,
Philadelphia, September 4.-The special
race between the crack PAGERS John r.
Gentry and Joe Patchen at Belmont park
this afternoon was a lamentable failure,
and b1t for the fact that Pennsylvania
law against the selling of pools was rigid
ly enforced scene would doubtless have
been precip1tated. Nearly 5000 people were
in attendance, but over one-half of them
went before the race was concluded. In
the first heat Gentry took the lead, and
though never headed was closely attended
all the way round to the distance flag By
Patchen, where the latter broke, Gentry
coming home well within himself in
2.O6A, the fastest mile ever made by
harness performer on this track. In the
second heat Gentry again went out In
front and was neveri headed, although
there was no evidence that Patchen, who
was driven by Curry, was doing anything
to push out the stallion. In fact Gentry
seemed to be pretty we'll used up, while
Patchen showed no signs Of being in
trouble. In the third heat there was a
fragrant exhibition of not trying to win
on the part Of Curry. The pair went to
the quarter in BIZ, and travelled as q
double team through the back stretch. In
negotiating the hill Pate hen went to the
front, but in rounding the turn be was
brought back by Curry, but notwith-
standing all of the latter's efforts Patchen
was full of go, and in the journey down
the stretch to this wire he made mp the
lost daylight and fifty yards from home
he looked sure winner, but to the sur
prise and disgust of the spectators Curry
a winner. This was such palpable ex-
hibition Of pulling that the judges de-
sent away for the fourth heat Curry was
admonished by the judges to go out and
win Curry protested that he always
tried to win. He said that the Gentry
horse was "done," and that he would
start and Patchen held Gentry safe all
the way round winning in q II. In the
fifth heat both horses acted tired going to
the quarter in ,3214. Gentry led into the
scratch where he was collared by
Patchen. The latter apparently had the the
Patohen off his feet. The judges again
decided "no heat and called Curry into
the stand The judges intimated that
Curry was not trying to win. Curry
vigorously dissented and suggested that
the Judges put up another driver. When
the horses we're called out for the sixth
heat the Judge selected Dickerson to drive
the stallion. The advantage OF the change
was made manifest at the first quarter,
which Patchen reached in 81 1-2 The
half was reached in 101 "a, an improve
ment of 5 IA seconds over the preceding
heat. Then McHenry pulled up for the
apparent purpose of being distanced and
Patchen walked home in 2. I6. The
p Patchen, first, John r. Gentry, second. -
There was no semblanoe of q horse race
in the seventh heat, McHenry pulling up
Gentry, after passing the hah, and
Patchen coming home by himself In z. 80.
After the race the judges held meeting.
the result of which was that Curry was
fined $500, and another $100 was taken
out of his share of the purse to pay
Dickerson for driving the last two heats.
What little betting there was was on
Gentry four to five. Summaryi
Special race purse $1,000, Joe Petchen
won, John R. Gentry, second; time,
O6 IA, 207 IA, 2.0s, 2.11, 216 2.1S and
232