The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-31
THE PICKET WINS.
Exciting Finish of the Brooklyn
Handicap, When the Favorite,
Irish Lad, Was Beat Out.

New York. May Becoming down
along the rail in the last few strides
of the run to the wire. The Picket,
the VESTS champion in the Brooklyn
handicap. snatched victory away
from the ever popular Irish Lad. the
Brooklyn winner of last year n the
metropolitan winner of this year.
1t was scarcely more than the nod
of a head. but the hardy westerner
finished stronger thar the Duryea
colt. whose terrific pace with Her
mis- up to the very home stretch,
would have tried to the utmost the
stoutest of heart and the sturdiest OF
limb. Fralnti cheers which had
been ringing from the throats of
nearly 10000 on-lookers died away
when it was realized hat Irish Lad
had gone down to defeat.
The handicap was worth 10000,
of which $2,500 went to the second
horse and $500 to the third.
Although the weather was ideal
and the track good. the betting ring
was a sweltering mass of struggling
humanity. No sooner had the ODD
been posted thar there was a rush to
back Irish Lad. Three and three
and a half to one were the prevail
ing quotations for a time, but money
poured steadily into the ring, and
when the bugle sounded, calling the
field to the post, no better price than
IL to 5 could be had against the
lfavorite. Hermis opened and closed
at 4 to 1. The Picket was well
played but his price receded only
two points. From tens he was back
ed to s to L Much of the specula-
conducted through the winter books.
and large sums were won here and
in h west on his victory.
Starter Fitzgerald lined them up
back of the barrier, and after ten
minutes delay, sent them away in
splendid order. Irish Lad, on the
rail, led his field, with The Picket
second and Hermis third. Helgerson
on The Picket eased a mount a tri1e,
and when the racers passed the grand
stand. Hermis and Irish Lao had
hooked UP side by side for heir
he~art-breaking struggle, which was
to continue nearly a mile. The
Picket, running easy in third place,
made q nice pace for the balance of
the field. The Thomas colt and the
favorite struggled in vain, each to
master. Across the circular track
from the gr~and-stand and three
quarters of a mile from the starting
point, they were running like one
horse. In this manner, they swung
around the far turn and made for the
last one. which headed them into the
stretch. Shaw, on h favorite, n
Redeem, on Hermis, were bringing
out every ounce of speed in their
mounts, while H~elgensen was draw
ing The Picket together for the final
rush to the goal. He closed a a
of two or three lengths. and before
they had coached the last quarter.
Cole was close pom the firing lead
|ers. Hermis had run his race, and
was dropping back, and Shaw swung
the favorite a trife wide. AS he did
so, Helgesen shot in IN the rail, and
in a driving finish, seventy yards
from the wire, The Pisket's nose
in front of the Duryea colt
Lynne, on Proper, in a vigorous ride.
alongside of Hermis, who fell back
to fourth place.
There was a scene of excitement
which has seldom been equalled, dur-
ing the brief space of time which
elapsed after the struggling thor
.oughbreds had passed the three
post. For a few seconds.
when it seemed almost certain that
Irish Lad would repeat his victory of
last year, forty thousand persons
screamed his name, men threw their
hats into the air and embraced one
another.
When The Picket Won, the shouts
of joy did away in the threats of the
vast assemblage, as thought the on
lockers had been suddenly paralyzed.