Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-05-05
A DEAD HEAT
In Metropolitan Handicap
at Belmont Park,
Sysonby and Race King Nose
and Nose Under Wire.
Fifty Thousand People at Track. The Purse
Of Over $4,000 Divided.

New York, May 4.-The greatest
crowd that ever gathered to see a
thoroughbred race in America was at
Belmont park, today. tc witness Il SEN
s'ational running of the Metropolitan
Handicap. in which James z. KeeGe'S
highly bred 3-Year-Old, Sysonby, and
o. l.. Richards hardy 4-year-Old Race
King. finished so closely together tho
Judges We're unable to separate them.
speculation was rife as to how the race
would be run off. but both owners soon
announced their satisfaction with the
result as it stood and the rich purse
amounting to more than $4,000. was
divided. SysOnby, for whom Mr.. Keene
last year refused an offer of $iG0 0Ur.
was the faVOritn in the betting. his
:tablamatc, Delphi, having been with
;rawn. Race King was offered the
public at long odds.
Tha time Of TIL race YVES diSappoint :
ing. showing that the .:r!mont tracks
c,re still new ana slow"
Drawn by the dual attraction Of the
opening of the wonderful new racing
plant on the Hampstead Plains of Long
Island and tie 14:h renewal Of the Met
ropOlitan Handicap more than $4,000
people made the trip to Belmont park
and We're factors; in the most notable
event in the history Of the American
turf.
An ul,leual Scnro was anticipated.
nut faW Of the thousands who spnnt &,
half holiday Il. the coilrs, could have
realized what was il store. Racing
men of pronir cnCc came from al parts
Of the United States 10 take part in
the Inauguration Of the new heldouar-
tcrs of the Jockey Club. the gover,iin:,
body of Eastern racing.
Added 10 the int. nSe interest dis
played in the new track came the un-
expected resul: in the metropolitan
Handicap. which never before in a his
tory extending back to 1891 has been
marked by 4 dead heat. The nnthusi-
GSm of the great crowd as tie two
highly trained fltnroushbr,.,is came
tearing down the 'on:; stretch nol ror
nod. was thrilling. bcllamo. the cham
pon filly Of last year Who had been
literally applauGed as she Vas led 70
the post. was forgotten and in the ruCk
at the finish of the stirring contest.
Half score of other thoroughhrcGs
We're also lost sight of completely as
the two leaders rushed by the judges
stand
The novelty Of seeing races run the
wrong" way Of the track. or finished
from the right. was by no means an
embarrassing feature of the days
SPORT. Some anticipated accidents be-
cause Of the unusual condition. but
,side from the natural tendency of the
horses to hear out" at the turns and
finish close to the outside rail. there
seemed to De no appreciable difference
in their running.
The winner of the first race quite un-
eNpectedly came from the stable of Mr..
August Belmont. chairman Of the
Jockey Club. To Mr.. Belmont. to his
jockey, w. Davis. ard his trainer. A. J.
Joyn"r. the West Chester Association
presented three large silver cups as
souvenirs of the inaugural contest
over the Belmont course.
Not often has the spectacle fur
nished by the struggle i'm the MetropO-
Titan Handicar been equalled on the
New York race course. An even dOZ-
en- thorOughbreds went to the post.
The scratching Of Delhi convinced the
IA "esoers that Sysonby had outwork-
ed the son Of Ben Brush. and they
made the Keene 2-year-old favorite at
odd. of 2 to l. Bcldame was heavily
played by the general public at to 1.
These two carried the bulk of the
wagcrs.
The start for the race. which was at
one mile, was directly across the track
from the grand stand. and the great
crowd enjoyed the spectacle to the full.
Santa Catalina had the rail and showed
for an instant in front, but Sysonby
was at her side and before the first
quarter pole had been reached, the
keen colors flashed to the fore. Bel
danes friends had ray of hope for
n moment. as the mare drew out of
the struggling mass and shot into the
third place. SysOnhy seemed TO have
a clear lead of two or three lengths
on the far turn, but Shaw eased up
his mount as a stiff wind struct him
in the face. and took the Melton colt
back, allowing the field to close on him.
Colonial Girl and Race King dis
placed Eeldame and Santa Catalan,
who dropped back hopelessly beaten.
First Mason. stable companion of
Colonial Glfl, WIS not lar away. SyS-
onby was seen to bear away toward
the outside rail and at his side was
Race King. the little sway back son of
the famous Tenny.
There was an instant's silence as the
thoroughbreds dashed along the rail.
First one brown muzZle showed in
front and then the other. as the racers
every fibre to gain an inch.
Shaw and Smith We're driving like
mad, but to no purpose and their
charges finished so closely together
that the judges were unable to separ-
ate them.
James r. Keene and o. L. Richards,
owners of Sysonby and Race King.
quickly settled the question Of the dead
heat by dividing the proceeds. Bets
on the results were settled the SaI7a