The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-05
REVIEW OF SEASON
Race Track Sport Lost Interest as Season Progressed, in
 Spite of Good Start.
CAL. CIRCUIT TO OPEN
Dreary Close of 1908 Season at Ja- maica esterday-Results
 of Events.

Jamaica, l. L, Nov. 4--With frigid wind bowling through the great grand stand where thousands were wont to gather when interest in the sport Was at It's height, little band of BOO reg ulars" saw the Metropolitan racing season of 1908 come to a melancholy close today at Jamaica Public inter- est in racing has been on the wane since early summer, when the bill pro- hibiting public betting and providing a severe penalty for violations was made law. Largely as result of the great ly reduced attendance one of the big tracks which has enjoyed popularity for many years has been dismantled and the field out up. into house lots; purses have been greatly reduced and during the past few weeks there have been races only three or four days a week. Whether this plan of shortened meetings will be continued next year or "the game" as 1t is called practical ly abandoned, is yet to be determined. Many owners already have sent theiI better horses to sections where the betting laws arc less stringent and a large number of animals have been been shipped to Europe for next sea- sons campaign.
 The California circuit which opens at Oakland Saturday will get a majority of the horses There was lacking among the handful of ''regulars" al Jamaica today any enthusiasm that presaged hopefulness for next season; In fact the belief seemed general that for the "sport of kings" the only oasis in the desert of uncertainty lay in the near eastern, southern and western tracks and there was prevalent feal that lest what seemed an oasis in the south, might in reality, owing to tho reform movement there, turn out to be B mirage. There also was some renewed comment concerning the shipment of 2 number of the best horses in the Unit. ed States to Europe
 The season was q memorable one. Ii began most auspiciously and with ev. cry indication that 1t would be thu banner year for racing both in tho achievements of the thoroughbred ant attendance. About two months all wa enthusiasm. despite the fact that tht antiJbetting legislation at Albany wa pending. Crowds daily thronged tn, tracks and speculation went merrily on The race track element were conf1den that the bills before the legislatur would fail; but their hopes were dashed 10 earth when the Agnew- Hart bill wa passed. Gov. Hughes immediatel, signed the measure and tho polio, brought the betting almost to stand still; and thenceforward the attendanc at the courses daily grew smaller ant smaller until the closing day had hard ly more than oorporal's guard to as stst in ending the campaign. With tn falling off in attendance purses wer cut materially, and in some cases valu able stake events were called off en tirely.
 The sport itself has been of q higl class, and the horses this year ral more closely to form than for severe seasons past. Fortune smiled on tn stable of James R. Keene, who agai this year led tho list of winners hi earnings having been s2s2,000. John I Madden came second with S165, ,000; Au gust Belmont was third with s94, ,00t and Harry Payne Whitney, fourth wit E5,0 Keene's Ballot, the unbeate, Colin, Helmet, Maskette and Meisand earned the major portion of his purse while Sir Martin and Fayette were tn nainstays of Madden T'alr Play too flown most of tho money for Belmon Smiling Joe" Notter led the jockey this season by comfortable margin with E Dugan second and the lit westerner, D. Mccarthy, a close thlrt Marvellous" Miller, the sensation C 1907, was thirteenth on the list.
 First race: Three year olds; selling six furlongs--Black Mary, 107, Hel bert, won; Queen Marguerite, 10 Ural, second; Ardri, 102, Creevy. thir, Time, 1:14. Coincldent, Bislara an He Knows also ran.
 Second race: Mares and geldings; year olds and upward; selling; or mile and 0 sIxteenth--Bad News, 10 BIerbert, won; Imitator, 94, Creev second; Golconda, 90, Ural, thr Time. 1:49 3-5. Cary, St Josepi Burgher and Raquel, also ran.
 Third race: Maidens, year olt and upward; selling; one mile and sixteen nth--Florenc IL, 97, Creev won; Queen Lead, 97, Rossi secont Bigot, 97. Ural third Time, Is Tnticing, Tlvoli, Frances Ray ar Tennis also ran.
 Fourth race: Handicap; all age six rlongs--Royal Onyx, 1l5, Llber won; Cressina, 110, Holmes seconc Notasula, 92 Ural, third. Time, 1:I 8-5. Gretna Green, Woolane Hal fax, Saracinesca, Arondaok and Okel tte also ran.
 Fifth race: year olds; selling; mi and a lxteenth--Jeanette, 98, Wolk won; Yankee Daughter, 96, Berge second; Prosper, O4, Creevy, thir Time, 1.50. Mobility and Dandy Di. on also ran. Spellbound fell
 Sixth race: Fillies and gelding maidens; 2 year olds; six furlongs- Contentious, 105, Ural first; Meris 105, Lynch, second; Midshipman Bas 1o5, Herbert, third. Time, 1:15 g. Eustaclan, Rose Belle, Miss C., Dlyo and Gene T also ran.
 
 FUTURE H11AVTES.