Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-15
KING JAMES WINS HANDICAP
Hildreth Colt Has Easy Victory il
Metropolitan Event.
BETTING BY wINKs AND MODS
Form Layers Place WaGers on Honor
and Collect or Pay After Race
Summaries at Louisville
and jamestown.

NEW YORK, May 1.-THE long-deferred
politan racing season, which was coupled
this year with the running of the classic
Metropolitan handicap, passed into turf
history with the easy winning at Bel
mont Park OF the Blue Ribbon event OF
the occasion by 8. C. Hildreth's fleet A.
year-old colt King James, from a field of
eleven starters. Fayette, the Madden en-
try. finished six lengths behind. with Jug
gler, a 6-year-old gelding entered by C. c.
Smithson, a close third
The conditions were ideal in point Of
weather and served to bring out a fash
ionable crowd, in which the gay colors
worn by the women predominated. These,
against the emerald green of the we'll
kept lawns and track Enclosure, made a
brilliant picture and impaired . garden
party flavor 10 the occasion. In the grand
stand the attendance was considerably
simmer than on previous Metropolitan
handicap days. The entire number aggre-
gated less than 10000. but in view of the
ban placed on race track betting last year
by the Hart-Agnew law, the falling off
was not such as to create surprise.
Oral Betting Permitted.
The betting question looms large in the
racing world and todayls opening was
awaited with much trepidation by those
followers of the sport who have been wont
TO lay wagers on the chances of the horses
engaged. The net results Of the day were
that under materially circumstances bet
ting of a sort is tolerated. The new form,
however, is a travesty OF the practice
which flourished in previous years. I'm
der cover of a decision of the appellate
division, which permits oral betting, the
layers of odds took up their stations on
the concourse In front of the grandstand
in whispers, and by mods accepted wagers
and gave odds. The method was yelled In
mystery. accompanied by searching glances
and stealthy looks. II the would-be bettor
was known TO the bookmaker, his bet was
accepted with a muttered you're on" No
money was passed, the "bookmaker'
trusted the bettor to search him out after
the race and pay him the amount OF his
wager II he lost, and the bettcr on his part
trusted the ''bookmaker" to look him up
in the same fashion and give him his win
nings-if he won. Some Of the layers Of
odds settled outside of the grounds after
the last race, and others on the trains
coming back, but most Of them put off
settlement until tomorrow morning, at ap-
pointed headquarters in town.
Easy Victory for King james.
The race of the day. the Metropolitan
handicap. was won in handy fashion, for
King James led the field by six lengths,
The eleven starters got off well, with the
Hildreth entry quoted at 8 to 8 and 2 to /,
in the, lead. closely followed by Nimbus,
an added starter. At the far turn King
James forged TO the front, and from then
on the race was his. Fayette was well up
all the way and finished second, nosing
out Juggler, who finished a strong third.
Favorites Jared badly during the day,
only two. KIM James and Newmarket.
winning. The other winners, however,
were well played. Agent, an added starter
in the steeplechase and backed from fives
to fours. defeated the 4 to 8 %favorite, Sir
Wooster. in a mild drive.
The field, where thousands have assem-
bled in former years for a cheap admis-
sion. was closed today and this was one
OF the noticeable omissions OF the usual
race track features.
Racing will be resumed at Belmont park
on Saturday, for It has been planned by