New-York tribune., 1916-07-13
SHORT GRASS TOO
FAST FOR R0AMER
IN EMPIRE CITY
Herr WhirlWind Captures
Feature Event on Track
at YOnkerS.
By f. d. BURROWS.

Ten thousand wildly excited lovers
of thoroughbred horses braved yester-
days torrid temperatures and jour
neyed out to James Buffers Empire
City racetrGck TO witness the eighth
running of the Empire City Handicap,
which was won by Emil Hers wonder
ful imported whirlwind, Short Grass.
from "a field of eight of the best that
America has to offer this year.
Despite his spectacular performances
at Belmont Park and Aqueduct, despite
his winning of the Queens County and
Brookdale handicaps. and his bang-up
second to Friar Rock in the Suburban,
Short Grass was all but neglected
by the crowd, as good as for | being
obtainable against him at post time.
Andrew Miller's Roamer, having
showed flash of 1915 form in his re-
cent workouts, was installed as the
favorite for the event, with the Bel
mont pair, Stromboli and Friar Rock,
ruling as second choice and James But
ler's colt Spur the third selection.
OF in a Bunch.
The race itself again attested to the
splendid handicapping system OF W. >.
Vosburgh. the nine horses leaving the
barrier in a pretty bunch and hanging
closely together for a full mile. Only
in the last furlong did the scamper be-
come a question of Roamer's gameness,
Spurs experience and the last-minute
dashing ability of Short Grassland in
that contest the splendid son of Laveno
and Outburst emerged victor by his
own length. Roamer's stout heart car
ried him home a scant head in front OF
Spur for the place.
Stromboli. Slumber III and Trial by
Jury set the opening place for the big
canter, with Roamer clinglng to their
fanks and Short Grass, as usual, an ap-
parently hopeless last. For perhaps a
quarter of a mile this order prevailed.
but at the top of the backstretch Short
Grass and Spur began TO move up, Trial
by Jury falling back in the face OF the
sizzling challenge.
Slumber II and Stromboli led around
the upper turn, but the pace-setting
stunt began to tell as the nine turned
into the stretch, and Butwell, on Roam
er, scooted through on the rail and
took command, with Spur at his heels.
Down the stretch they came. stride FOR
stride, the big crowd wondering which
would win.
But it was the old story over again.
No sooner had the 10000 made up
their minds that either Roamer or Spur
was about to win the event than bay
flash appeared from out the trailing
septet and catapulted itself toward the
finish line.
The bay flash was Short Grass, and
Short Grass won the race.
Balm for Butler.
But there was some balm in Empire
CITY for James Butler. after all. His
pretty Star Shoot filly, Wistful, had
little difficulty in capturing the FRI
volity Stakes, the other feature event
on the opening day programme, and his
Voter Mosquito mare, Gnat, took the
second race of the afternoon in highly
commendable fashion. Furthermore
everything went off without hitch
and everybody had good time.
Jockeys Shilling and Keogh put In
highly profitable afternoon at the
picturesque concourse on the edge or
Yonkers town, the former riding two
winners, second and two third
horses, while the latter had the mount
on three winners in three attempts.
Taplin was the only other rider who
was able to break in, plotting Wood
ward home ahead OF the unreliable
Sam McMeekin, Gallop, Fair Count,
Charmeuse and Napier in the opener.
McMeekin, by the way, after having
cost August Belmont $4,000 IN the
beginning and nobody knows how much
since, was claimed out of his race by
J.. W. Hedrick for $3.50. Joy go
with him." sighed Sam Hildreth when
the sad news was broken to him.