The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-05
GREAT RAGE TRACK OPENED
FIFTY THOUSAND TURF FOLLOW
 FRS AT BELMONT PARK.


 the Grand stand Capable of Seating
 City Not n Single Seat is Empty--- BewiIdering SpectacIe-Thee Racing New York, May 1.-The greatest crowd that ever gathered to see a thor oughbred race in America was at Bel mont park to-day to witness the sensa- Itional running of the Metropolitan ham ldicap, in which James R. Keenes high lly-bred three -year-old Sysonby and o. L. Richards hardy four -year-old Race King finished so closely together that the judges were unable to separate them. Speculation was rife as to wheth- Ter the race would be run, but both own CTS soon announced their satisfaction with the result as it stood, and the rich purse, amounting to more than $14, 900, was divided.
 Sysonby, for whom MT. Keene last year refused an offer of $10O,000 was. l the favorite in the betting, his stable mate, Delhi, having been withdrawn. Race King was offered the public at long odds and there were few who thought highly of the Tenny colts chances. The time of the race was dis- l lappointing, showing that the Belmont tracks are still new and slow"
 Drawn by the dual attraction of the opening of the wonderful new racing plant on the Hampstead Plains of Long Island and the fourteenth renewal of the Metropolitan handicap, more than 50,000 people made the trip to Belmont park and were factors in the most nota- ble event in the history of the Ameri- Ican turf. The scene in the vast en- closure when the handicap horses pa |raded to the post was one not readily | to be forgotten
 Iii the grandstand, capable of seat ing a city, not a vacant chair was to be seen. On the broad lawn, skirting the homestretch for a distance of nearly an eighth of mile, people were packed in lone great black mass Further along the stretch came the s'field" enclosure, which held thousands, while to the left I of the grandstand was the beautiful new clubhouse of the Westchester Rac- ling association, it's broad Verandas and lawns filled with the more aristocratic l of the racing classes. Augmenting this assemblage was a throng of pushing and showing humanity in the betting" lring beneath the approach to the grandstand. As liberal as the archi- ltects had been in planning this feature of the track, the unprecedented crowd to-day found it all too small for com fort.
 l Rivalling in it's extent of patronage, I in the gayety of the costumes, in the Esetting of the scene and every detail of the surroundings a Derby day at fa- nous Epson Downs, the opening of Belmont park was a bewildering spec tacle. An unusual scene was anticipat- led, but few of the thousands who spent I a half holiday at the course could have realized what was in store. Racing tmen of prominence came from all parts Iof the United States to take part in the inauguration of the new headquarters lof the Jockey club, the governing body iof eastern racing. Ea
 i Added to the intense interest display ed in the new track case the unexpect- ed result in tn Metropolitan handicap which never before in a history extend ing back to 1891 has been marked by a dead heat. The enthusiasm of the great crowd as the two highly trained l tforoughbreds came tearing down the long stretch, nod for nod, was thrilling
 Beldama, the champion lilly of last
 year, who had been liperally applauded as she was led to the post in advance of the rest of the field, was forgotten
 and in the ruck ot the finish of the
 stirring contest. Half a score of othel l thoroughbreds were also lost sight oi
 completely as the two leaders rushed
 by the judges stand.
 Fifty thousand voices lifted in a tu. mutt of cheering created a volume oi l fEontinued on Second Page.l