The sun., 1901-06-16

Minute Delay At the Post-He IL Cut Down
Near the Upper Turn. Compelling His Rider
to Pull Him Up-watercure and Toddy
Kamara Are Disappointments -Nssturtiun
Wins First Part Of the $4,000 Double
Event and Makes New Record d-Hataso
Also Estahlishes New Figares Twenty
Thousand Persons at sheepshead BAY.
The uncertainty Of horse racing never
was more vividly illustrated than In the
running Of the Suburban Handicap at Sleeps
head Bay track yesterday afternoon. The
public long ago had selected Perry Belmont's
noted horse Ethelbert. by Eothen-Maori. as an
almost certain winner. For the past two
weeks he had been a favorite with nearly
everybody in lose touch with turf Affairs
aud in yesterdays betting he was so popu.
larly supported that he went to the post at
the short price OF to 5. No matter how
the race was figured IL looked as II Ethelbert
had 1t at his mercy. Yet 1t turned out that
the horse. though he undoubtedly ran up
to his best form, was outclassed and out
footed by another thoroughbred that up
to a day or two ago was considered an I'M
possible chance.
Alcedo, the four -year-old son OF Esher-
Elopement, running in the name and colors
of J. II. Mccormick. the well-known trainer.
but really the property OF Louis V. Bell. was
the winner of the big event. And IL was not
by any sort Of a nuke. either. for the colt.
carrying y pounds. with Spencer in the sad
die, covered one mile and quarter in 05 3-5.
the fastest time on record for the Suburban.
and incidentally only three-ffths OF second
slower than the best time on record for the
course, made by Salvador. with 1872 pounds.
on June 20, 1890.
Alcedo's remarkable change Of form came
as a thunderbolt upon the crowd. But there
we're many, In fact, there were hundreds in
the great crowd OF 20 900 that went TO the
the race who had heard by means OF quiet
tipping and reliable information that Alcedo
was really the fastest horse In the field and.
barring accidents. could not be defeated.
To show how Il horse can run a phenomenal
race one day and then be beaten by inferior
competitors on another occasion 1t might
be well to refer TO Alcedo's race at Gravesend
on last Monday In that affair he carried
the same weight that he shouldered yester-
day. and though a favorite in the betting. he
was easily beaten by Ten Candles All Gold.
Bonnibert and Kamara. Previous to that
June 3 at Gravesend. when he was beaten of
quite handily by Dr Barlow and First Whip.
Because Of these inferior performances Aloe
dos real form was naturally underestlmated
by the public Yet when it became known
that on Thursday ut Sheepshead Bay while
the Brooklyn Derby was being run at Graves
end Alcsdo worked q mile aud a quarter In
2o4If. the fastest time ever made for the
distance, 1t WAS apparent that when he went
TO tho post for yesterdays contest the Esher
colt would prove dangerous factor. In
truth, Trainer Mccormick early in the day
frankly admitted TO many friends that Alcedo
had worked faster than any other Suburban
contender and could not lose 30 1t was that
when the layers got wind Of these facts In
stead OF offering the expected long ODDS
they were decidedly wary in making their
quotations Though the rank and file Of
bettors clung to Ethelbert. the smart men.
those who generally get the inside OF things
and who believe In backing sure winners.
pouncsd upon whatever prices were offered.
some Of them securing as much as 10 Ia !.
The betting was so brisk that Alcedo was
pounded gradually down to fours. which
made him second choice to Ethelbert and his
victory was what is commonly termed at ths
racetraok a frst-class killing.
That Alcedo was far and away the best
horse In the race there can be no dispute
He set a heart-breaking pace after the first
quarter and put Ethelbert to a severe test.
Mr. Belmont's horse gamely responded
and was running In splendid form at the
upper turn when he was suddenly cut down
from behind, presumably by Toddy. II
was an accident similar to that which be-
fell Banastar in the Brooklyn Handicap
and virtually ended all chance for Ethelbert
to be Ia tho money. Al that, Ethelbert
struggled gamely on until well into tho
stretch. where OConnor saw that II was all
over with him and humanely pulled him
UP. Aloedo won by two lengths Charles
Littlefeld. Jr's. watercress. by watercrsst--
Lena First. with an impost OF 100 pounds
and Shaw in tho saddle, took the place by
half length with 10 70 about him. James
r. Keene's To-day. by Hanover>-Hotsootoh.
q 80 20 chance. was third. three lengths
before W. l.. divers AL Gold. c. .Fleisch-
mann's Sons Blues. by Sir Dixon Bonnie
Blue H.. was fifth. a length back. and lsd
william c. Whitney s2Star Bright. by Ain
tree -spaldiemore. by six lengths. The lat
ter was a n eek in front Of Clarence II. MackayS
Ksmara, by Candlemas-Balaklava. Kamaa
being eight lengths before Richard
Croker's Beau Gallant. by Jim Gore-Bonita
Belle ]. +. Seagrsm's Procession. by Order
Triumphant. was ninth. Ethelbert finish
ing tenth, six lengths In front OF Sidney
Lucas.
There was a delay OF thirty-hve minutes
at the post caused by the unwillingness Of
Alcedo and Sidney Lucas 10 break together
and the unruly behavior OF Watercure. Blues
and All Gold This delay undoubtedly acted
as a disadvantage for Ethelbert. because
he carried the top weight. i?a pounds so
that In view Of this fact and the accident
that happened to the horse. IL must be con-
cedsd that fortune did not smile upon Ethel
bert at any stage OF thsrace Mr.. whitney's
Star Bright, third choice in the betting, was
a disappointment all tM way. His brilliant
running on last dnesday, when he covered
the handicap distance at Gravcsend in 200 As.
had convinced a great many persons that
he would have fine chance to be somewhere
near the head OF the procession at the finish.
But after the hrst dash down past the stand.
Star Bright fell back the pace proving TOO
much for him. and hs never showed In promi-
nsnt position aftorward
Another Disappointing contender was KAN
ara Late Oh Friday night Mr. Mackay
bought the mare from = Martin for $1,000.
u Il said kamara's previous races war
ranted the purchase and Mr. Msckay felt
convinced that his colors would be carried
very near the front, but Kamara was In ths