New-York tribune., 1904-08-21
BELDAME TAKES THE CUP.
WOODSAW IN FRONT.
Merton Bennington's FiLy Romps
Home-Steeplechase for st. Jude.
Iur rELroRAPH TO 1HE TRIBUNE.


Saratoga N Y. Aug 2O-FOr the second time a
flly has won the Saratoga Cup. which for almost
half a century has been looked on as the supreme
test OF the American thoroughbred's speed ara
courage and stamina. In 1882 Charles Reeds four
year-old LongfelloW hlly Thora won the cup with
liz pounds I'd in 4o5z. the distance then being two
miles and q quarter. To-day August Belmont.
nome-bred flIy. Bedame. by octagon-Bela Donna
carrying the colors Of Newton Bennington TO
whom her racing qualities had been leased at the
time OF Mr. Belmont's temporary retirement from
the turf last autumn. repeated the performance OF
the Longfellow FLY.
in spiendid fashion she answered all the ques-
tions that can be asked Of q racehorse. She met
the best mud horses the East and the West COM
bined could send out against her. and. craving no
quarter from any OF them, led them dance that
left them staggering and reeling. mud splashed
and bedraggled at the end CT the mile and three
quarters journey.
The rain that had fallen almost necessarily since
midnight had transformed the track into a brown,
sluggish lagoon. through which the performers
with aversion 10 such conditions doundered as
helplessly walruses. Singularly enough how
ever all save one of the candidates for the cup
who had been named the night before as starters
horses with pronounced liking for the mud
John a brakes three -year-old colt, Ort Wells,
winner Of the Realization. the only absentee
that was really missed. Grey Friar. who had been
sold early in the day John W. Schorr was also
withdrawn but useful he may be in over
night contests II was the general impression that
he had little business IN cup company
GOOD FIELD FOR THE CUP.
With John santord's Caughnawaga, S Deimels
Africander the Waldeck Stables The Picket. and
W B. Leeds's Major Daingerhed. Beldame had op-
ponents OF sufficient class and renown TO make her
triumph one Of the memorable turf incidents OF the
year. She the only three-year-old IN heF sex
AS dazzling as have been Beldame's flights OF speed
st Westchester and at the Long Island Enclosures.
the public was inclined to doubt her ability to
meet such sturdy campaigners as Caughnawasa'
Africander and The Picket on a weight lot age
basis and as a consequence she went to the post
with a more generous price quoted against her
chances than has been obtainable since MI Ben
,,ng+on leased her Even as IL she was a
pronounced favorite, the odds varying from 10 0
10 TO / the latter being quoted after the Farrell
Deinel commission had been sent in on Africanoer.
Caughuawaga was the only one that betrayed an
,,abilitv IN handle himself in mud in his warm
ing gallop and the price against him, which hao
een short at first SCARED steadily until some books
were Offering TO l against him in the last per-
tod of speculation. Faithful TO the last. the Ken
tuokians played The Picket almost TO a man. get
ting from fours to sevens for their money Tho
Star Ruby horse was backed down from hves TO
tbraes principany because of the evidence he mas
shown Of a return TO his old form.
BELDAME LEADS FROM THE START
The only semblance Of a struggle which the run
ming OF the cup evolved was that OF Africander
and Caughnawaga, which for the nrst mile and
Quarter strove desperately side by side get with
in hailing distance OF the flying hlly A jockey
might as well ATTEMPT to rate dynamite torpedo
to restrain Beldame, and O'Ncill. who. as usual
rode her, wisely refrained from fighting her IN
the early stages of the From the fall II the
timers flag she in front with the others
ioundering from six TO dozen lengths behind
field had divided itself into a procession, with Afr-
cander and Caugnnawaga running train. and
Major Daingerield and The Picket bringing up the
rear guard almost side by side At tho half pole
I'm IN the naGkstrfteh & oi.er on Afritander and
the distance that separated them f. ON the leader
Beldame hear them and spurnng their eonpany 10 nv
she shot away and was not disturbed again
nagwaga lasted 10 the head of the stretch. where
the latter retired in fgavoT Of The Picket which
SIGHT; he could not decrease Africanders lead
dame, who was almost buck jumping she passed
tne JUDGES stand Ihe mile and three-qusrters
the track and the fact that Beldarne was never
forced 10 really exert herself.
wOoDsAw WINS THE STAKE
The storm affected the attendance more seriously
than IT did the actual racing The running OF the
United States Hotel Stakes, for the youngsters
and the North American SteepIechase both brought
about good contests. The former which was worth
$1,000 was won in a salop by Sydney Paget's Oc-
tason colt Woodsawi from Wild Mint. siglight
JACK Lory and other good youngsters
Hoodsaw is the Haggtn hope for the Futur1ty
and her race to-day his final public preparation
lor IT, lie fa.rly reVelled in the mud and won all
= The way. Jack Lory. the favortte was cut off at
the start and Burns could not get him going again
MF- cotton St Jude, who beaten by rbomas
fltchcock. IFS. Foxhunter IN the shiilelalah last
hattToay turned the tables or the chestnut horse
III the Hortn American to-day. when he met him
III e2aa weights and showed 10 the satisfa ction OF
majority Of the cross country men that he Is the
Deter horse Of the two. lie outJumped him. outran ,
ana outlasted him, and by four or five lengths
Cai.er who fenced in his usual bold fashion
mace the pace TO tie last turn. where he tired and
oe!i oaeH Bonfire. added starter fell out Adii-
cnumo refused and Dromedary caught his bride
rem N MS leg at jump and broke IT, compelling
Feitch TO pull him up.
In the last race. an alage handicap. at one
mile Mike" Days Claude easily beat John
eehorrs Grey Friar. which he had bought in the
morning at sale. Little Johnny" Day however
aa hno roes AIM deliberately hit Gre Frfary on tho
,lned $50 ana set down the rest OF the meatin
bH the stewards. ~ S'-"s
SUMMARIES
fl4sI RAcE-seling; 3-yesT-ods over: furioags
npff