Evening star., 1903-07-01
RACING AT SHEEPSHEAD.
Bookmakers Hard Hit as All the Win
ners Were Well Backed.

From the first race to the last at SheepS-
head Bay yesterday the bookmakers sur
fered heavy financial losses. Technically
the six winners were not all post favorites'
but they carried, nevertheless, many thou
sands of educated money. Wotan and
Floral King in the first race were partic-
ularly costly to the layers. as the former
was backed from 10 down to 31a to 1. while
Floral King was supported from 40 to
down. the entire theatrical colony seeming
to be On the colt, who might have won If
Wilkerson, his rider had begun whipping
a little earlier. AS it was, his being second
made a big difference against the layers:
1t was the Equality stakes. won by Gold
smith, which took lot Of money from the
bookmakers. The racer opened at between
3 and to l. and when the horses went 10
the post he was at 8 to 5. Africander died
on the hands of the layers. they say, as
many Of the handicappears argued that he
could not concede nineteen pounds to Gold
smith on a track other than slushy. The
race showed that the experts had 1t right.
for Africander was not even thlrd.
Tommy Burns had the mount on the
colt. and this caused no little gossip. as 1t
is known that Burns Is under contract to
Mr.. Whitney. Redfern rode Goldsmith, who
had worked a mile In I40h. according to
the best track watchers. John w. Rogers.
Goldsmith's trainer. would not give Red
fern a whip, and many feared that this
would make some difference, bearing In
mind that in his two-year-old form he al
most invariably won under the whip.
In the race yesterday, however, which
was run at a tremendous pace over dead.
cuppy track. Goldsmith, handled with ex-
quisite skill by Redfern. was in third posi-
ton, while Burns. on Africander. was rae
ing out in front with LUX Casta. this pair
opening up a gap of four lengths in the
fifth furlong. Such pace was bound to
tell on those who made 1t. Africander was
under the whip in the stretch. and Burns
seemed to punish him with unnecessary
yigor as II to convince the stewards that
he was doing all that could possibly be
come through the stretch without an effort
apparently and won by two lengths. while
Proper, who was lost for half a mile.
finished a good second. Lux Casta was
third. and on the outside of the track Afri-
cander and Igniter were fighting 1t out.
The time. lao. was regarded as a splen-
did race for the winner. The fractional
time was: Furlong. II seconds: quarter.
onds: half mile Al 2-5 seconds; five fur
longs. LOO: six furlongs. Lib: full mile.
lao: the last quarter in q seconds. The
stake was worth $4.325 to the winner. 1t
form. He was attacked with influenza in
the winter of 19O1-1902 and did not recover
in time to show his best form last year.
He was scratched on Suburban day be-
cause of the heavy track. He had been the
favorite for months.
With respect to the defeat of Africander,
his race yesterday was somewhat on a par
with his showing in the Standard stake at
Grayesend and 1t is said by keen observers
that he cannot stand frequent consecutive
races except when the track is slushy, be-
cause he has a bad foot. Goldsmith will
carry 116 pounds in the Suburban renewal
tomorrow.
Burns pulled the Highlander race out of
the fire when he took advantage of the
others going very wide on the stretch turn.
Up to that moment the horse seemed likely
to lose, but when he saved so much ground
by the short turn he had the race at his
mercy.
Shot Gun, one of the best-looking horses
In training, won the second race very
easily, although there were some who
fancied that he finched at times In the
going. Royal Summons was second. a
small margin in front of Duellist.
Jocund Montreson, Prince Salm Salm.
Pentaur and Cascine made the fifth race an
interesting one, but Burns energetic work
on Jocund landed that colt first home. E.
r. Thomas st. Valentine made his first ap-
pearance, and may improve with time.
Dousno, although apparently all out won
the last race, although Flying Jib. the
pacemaker for nine furlongs. came again
in the stretch, and made Odom do his best
to get Douro home. Surmise was third,
and many who backed him declared that
his rider showed poor judgment in not going
on after Douro when that horse went to
the front.
After Wotan had won the first race
Tommy Griffin. who trains Floral King.
the colt that was second, bid on the win
ner, but he was bought in for s., ,OO6 an ad-
vance Of 81, sos.