New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-16
AUGUST BELMONTS OCTAGON
THE WINNER OF THE WRITER'S STAKES.
MARCUS DALys OGDEN BADLY BEATEN-MANY

II
have passed the gates The management did not
,xpect so copious attendance. and every pro-
yramme sold. After all had been taken, the
demand still sharp. This was uncommon Not
20 have programmes enough for the visitors 10
race.rack odd and strange. But how could
the racetrack chiefs look for the coming OF such
host while the service on the second-ave elevated
line was so penurious? on the opening day W. J.
Fransloi had set aside so few race trains that the
gecond-ave silt were crowded almost to the
point OF strangling the passengers Long ago the
elevated trains became notorious because they were
packed with people almost cruelty as the Black
Hole OF Calcutta packed on the night OF
June g. 1895 Colonel Hahn damned the trans
for many years. The strain was TOO severe even
for him. His mind failed. He went into the coun-
,-v for rest and a country train ran over him ana
killed him. Some people hoped that Mr. Fransioii
would take warning from Colonel Hams fate. ana
would try 10 give the public reasonable service
when he became the manager OF the elevated ROADS
Colonel HAHN acted as II he Were anxious to ruin
Morris Park But the racetrack trains which Mr.
Fransol! has put on are even Ie"er 'ha 'nose uoeu
out by Colonel Hahn.
II was astonishing that so many men and women
who wore wel-cut clothes and manners "hch were
not uncooith went 10 Morris Park after they had
been tormented without stint by the Second-ave.
line and the surface line between Wils-ave. and
tho racetrack on the previous Saturday 1he
United States Supreme Court has issued an eX-
haustive decision recently as TO combinations III le
straint Of trade. Does the United States Granu
Jury IN this city intend TO ndict the managers OF
tho Second-ave. elevated trains and the managers
., the surface trains from Willis-ave 10 Morris
Park who act as II they were in comoinauo" u
ruin racing? Isn't that combination IN rest, an
of trade? Racing Is chiefly trade in these ia!
Years ago some foolish fellow wrote OF inc 'uIi as
...he snort of kings" and many writers nave N
neated this absurd phrase until 1t has pecoNe NO"
coating II the turf were really the spur -
kings" what sensible American with SCUM, :.
a sound body and sound mind, wouiu eve -
q race Kings will soon be rushing Vo.en'S 80
O steep place into deep waters oo'ie - .I
cling 70 their crowns little longer III some 'a0N
$50 countries but what intelligent American 1T
1897 in his sober senses. believes th7' AiieS te ~
20 date? The people must rule ere loi,e, w.. 49,, 80
lands in which they don't rule now AL '
must fall sooner or later, and, II racing Is Hot
s,or, of the American people rather thah spoi'
20 ary L,nrs whatever II ought TO be stamped out
in America without deIay' ...,
A. N king Of the turf, that's another matter.
Ormonde was a genuine king OF the EnshsH 'ur,
q few wears ago, and he earned his utle U! iV'al
achievements OF the highest type He Wouio neveE
have been crowned II he had not fought resaIy ior
his kingship and gained It by dnt OF rea inel'''
Reouital was king Of the American turf Ias' year
and he earned his title by dazzling triumphs Oct"
con won the Wi,hers yesterday. but hes no KING
&c, Nor kinglet. not even princelet. But
princox. perhaps ,. s
Marcus Daly's Ogden was an odds-on favorite ana
O big troop Of and women and boys ana sii'
cav him beaten abjecty by Mr.. Belmonts octason.
II was rare May afternoon. James RusseA l'o"eN
never dreamed OF rarer day in June. Atnoush 'e
second Avenue Elevated service 20 WiIis-aVe- Is
agoniz!ng and the surface line from Wl4hs-aNe' u
little better II was a noble gathering OF spec'"oI
who saw the pulyerization or oSdeh' bedi IA 49,
mar ogden won the Futurity last year, ana won
o.be- races in which he proved that he had quahty'
class staying power and courage Bt' 'oih .
Camnbeu trained him then. Matthew byIHeS ua''''
him now Mr.. Byrnes is a trainer OF long anu ueeP
ar5 wide experience. He trained several steeds OF
high renown for Pierre Lorillard he mas 'a''iou
-ror,a,v Montana and other swift runners 4oi
Marcus Daily He has handled sun o,ner 49, s
sc,oters and scorchers for other owners. but !" 10
man who delves deeply into AL the tones VINO" Co.
tain the annals OF the American turf IL Is pan,
~, pvrnes (abla trainer and admired and nonored
ta,ovc,t,zen and patriotic American as ne Isl mas
moi ALWAYS succeeded in getting horseS nv -,
q. for their first races in any particular year 's
49, -ooords sleeDlessly. Dig into them DAY anu
,,cb, and Won will see that Wyndham Walden Joi'
TJ,land and John J. McCafferty. as a RUE 10,
-,anv years have got their horses thorough! III anu
zine earlier than Byrnes has got his Foss'OS
CON is better racer than ogden Is thls Eedi' DN'
II he is he does not look So 60, .o, ,as
When Octagon and ogden came on 'ne "a0N -!
.r5.v ogden in appearance surpassed Oc'aso"
end looked the better racer IN every line Anu -,
snnearances are often deceitfuL No one ou'9'1
of a lunatic asylum would deny that Osueh o
,ublic form was at least seven POUNDS p goren
yscer than Octagon was in 1896, and propaDt5 -.
rounds better OF course II Is posslD.e ia. Ia.
gn has 5d g1 that 6e aen RSs gone back
less. men who have seen inams mo- tSis minute
,be, n John J. Hyland had charge both Of Octa-
eon and Ogden and did his best with both. in two
SSyceks from now Ogden could outrun Octagon in any
distance from zen yards to ten mis- MS ana 90
that ogden Is q better racehorse than Octagon, II
both Were 'H0T0Dsh ripe and it, may be en-
tireIv wrong Many mistakes have been made on
ir ne eaf' wifi outrun octagon hereafter may be
fantastic deluson But Ornament deaeaeG
Pounds to MIN. Nothing can be more certain dl tnan
a. least the equal of Ornament last year lie Wa
probably better. Has ogden SUNK away anu SUNK
Many turf sages held that Octagon. Ogden Orn ma
yPh0Qn and safes a 5h are Inferior in class and
quality to Kequita me sTPep2 Of 1896 We
MAJ know more that point later 49, v,.,.,o-s
The start prompt and FAR IN the Wl,,, , - =,
make the pace. 1t slow and easy. There was was
no fast running in any part of the mile AT the on
and was leading by two lengths, Octagon MOVING Nn
smoothly and without eort IN sec Pee,ppaior never
had kodack film OF chance with Oc 6go Hna
iessdIne sill. and 1t seemed then unlikely
hat would , catch co1 a al Gqt of og
dens speed was gGne when mof horse stops
at the furlong post in the omesretch IL is almost
certain that he is short OF work Neltner I1dn NJ
Wthers OF 1906 and they fought it out TO the bit
rev end 10 the final stride But Ogden could 40
nothing with Octagon in the last furlong. ana Octa-
eon won at his ease just as he liked, IN the $40"
time Of 43. ...
The first furlong was craw ed over IN l3i2 SECONDS
the quarter IN 2ja. seconds. the three-egnihs lt
37s. the half in Ola the five furongs IN I;o41s ana
the mile in l:B. - 90. 1,,sc
The experts who mad plunged on ogden because
of his last years form were bitterly DISAPPOINTED
over the condition in which Byrnes had sent the
Futurity winner 10 the post II i true that il'
track was sticky and heavy under the surface De
cause OF the hoods which fell on Ihursday ahO
the time made in all races was Sow. But UNI
Ogden who was beaten badly by OctaSOn was
by no means the ogden who won The futurly OF
1886 Not the Not the same;
Yet IL was magnificent assemblage or people
which gazed upon the woful collapse OF ogden
They saw not only this sad catastrophe, TINS diS