Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-27
PICKET THE VICTOR
Brooklyn Handicap Won by
 American Derby Winner.
IRISH LADS COLORS LOWERED.
One of the Greatest Races Ever Run. FavOrite and FTermis Dfngdonged Whole Distance--Winner Game
 With a Rush at the Wire

FavOrite and Hermis Din wdOmged
 Whole Distance--Winner Game
 With a Rush at the Wire
 NEW YORK, May 27.--Turfdom of the east bowed to the west at Graves end when The Picket lowered the col. ors of the popular Irish Lad in the Brooklyn handicap. While the latter colt was beaten by only the breadth of a hand, it Is due to the winner to say that if the race had been one. quarter of mile longer the western wonder probably would have finished several lengths in front
 He was perfectly ridden from begin ming to end and at the crucial moment moved up on the rail and seventy yards from the finishing line poked his nose in front of the tiring favorite Frantic cheers which had been ringing from the throats of nearly 10000 on lockers died away when it was re- alized that Irish Lad had gone down to defeat
 Hermis and the favorite, away from the barrier closely together, set ter rife pace to the head of the stretch. They had run for three-quarters of a mile like team,. and upon swinging into the homestretch Hernis died away. Proper, the California candi- date, rushing up from the rear under vigorous ride by Lucien Lyme, took third money by head. The handicap was worth S20,0OO, of which $2,500 went to the second horse and $1,5O0 to the third.
 A great outpouring of turf devotees witnessed the eighteenth running of the handicap. Hours before the time set for the first race the grand stand, clubhouse and the big field stand were pretty we'll filled. The ladies were out in unusually large numbers, gay in their summer toilets, and society was also well represented. Reports of sen sational time made by The Picket in his workouts brought him many sup porters, but the rank and file was ity under the conditions with which he was confronted.
 As the time for the handicap, which was the fourth event on the pro- gramme, drew near the name of Irish Lad, from the stable of Herman B. Duryea, could be heard on all sides. The winner of last years handicap and of the Metropolitan this year had grown into immense popularity, and bets continued to pour in upon the fla vorite until the horses appeared in front of the grand stand on their way to the post.
 Starter Fitzgerald lined them up back of the b. pier and sent them away in splendid order. Irish Lad, on the rail, led his field, with The Picket second and Hermis third. Helgesen, on The Picket, eased his mount .trifie. and when the racers passed the grand stand Hermis and Irish Lad had hooked up side by side for their heart breaking struggle whichswas to con- tinue nearly mile. The Picket, run ming easy in third place, made nice pace for the balance of the field. The Thomas colt and the favorite strug- gled in vain each to master the other. Across the circular track from the grand stand and quarters of mile from the starting point they were running like one horse.
 Tn tnls manner they swung round the far turn and made for the last one, which headed them into the stretch. Shaw, on the favorite, and Redfern, on Hermis, were bringing out every ounce of speed in their mounts, while Helea- sen was drawing The Picket together for the final rush to the goal. He closed a gap Of two or three lengths and before they had reached the last quarter pole was close upon the tiring leaders. Hermis had run his race and dropped back slowly. The Picket, close to the rail, worked his way alongside Irish Lad, who was tiring rapidly, and as the fiiers rushed past the pole sev- enty yards from he,finish he poked his nose in front of the Duryea colt. Lyme, on Proper, who had moved up from tenth place at the half mile to fifth position, urged the Jennings candidate alongside Hermfs, which fell back to fourth place.
 A scene of excitement which has sell dom been equaled on the race track prevailed during the brief space of time which elapsed after the strug-
 
 three-quarter mile post. Cries from thousands of throats urging on the fa- vorite and shrieking the name of his jockey rent the air.
 When Hermis fell back upon enter ing the stretch the cheers seemed to re- double in volume, and for few sec onds when it seemed almost certain that Irish Lad would repeat his vic- tory of last year 10000 people screamed his name, men threw their hats into the air and embraced one another out of sheer delight at being fortunate enough to have witnessed the grand struggle. They did not realize how closely Helgesen had brought the pet of tho Waldeck stables nor did they observe that Shaw, on Irish Lad, was not as close to the rail as he might have been..
 when the western horse was called