New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-02
SUMMER COUGH
WREAKS HAVOC
WITH RACE CARD
Two Hundred and Fifty
Thoroughbreds Develop
Hack at Belmont Park.
By f. ID. BURROWS.

A summer cough, irritating, but not
necessarily dangerous, bids fair to
wreak havoc with the Westchester
Racing Associations racing programme,
now in progress at Belmont Park.
Some $50 thoroughbreds, a majority
Of which were expected TO participate
in the racing at the Long Island hip
podrome, have developed hacking dis
order Of the throat which, while not
serious enough TO cause great alarm,
is sufficiently deleterious TO keep the
high priced gee-gees out of the pres
ent running and reduce the Belmont
entries 10 a point where the Westches
ter officials are worried, not to say dis
tracted.
Consider, for example, the August
Belmont stable. OF approximately
sixty thoroughbreds which Sam Hill
dreth, conditioner for Mr.. Belmont, has
under his wing only three have escaped
the epidemic of laryngitis, bronchitis
or whatever il is-and it is extremely
doubtful whether or no this trio can
long remain immune from the in
fectious plague which is running riot
at Jamaica, Aqueduct and Belmont.
Only Six Escape.
OF thirty-two thoroughbreds owned
by Clifford A. Cochran only six lave so
far escaped the ravages of the throat
tickler," while James Fitzsimmons, who
conducts a stable near the Belmont
course, has thirty coughing thorough
breds on his hands, and W. X. Knapp,
of the Oneck Stable, says that eight
of his string are affected and unable TO
appear in competition.
Only the stable of Harry Payne
Whitney has 80 far escaped the cpl
demic, and this because Mr.. Whitney
did not send his horses to Belmont
until Tuesday afternoon. II was de-
clared yesterday that he would prob
ably remove the string at once, in or
der to escape, if possible, the "black
spot" which has been put on the other
owners.
Naturally, under these conditions the
matinee entertainments at Belmont
have suffered severely. Yesterday, for
example, the fields in the six races were
comparatively small, though John E.
Madden, James Butler and other own
ers who have not been affected did
their best TO make the cards look repre-
sentative.
As was the case on Wednesday. how
ever, the supposed feature event of the
afternoon-the Harlem Selling Stakes
brought out only two thoroughbreds,
II. G.. Hallenbeck's bay gelding Blue
Thistle having no trouble whatever in
taking the $500 prize away from
Wooden Shoes, owned by the Marrone
stable, in a mile chase which was al
most entirely devoid of features
Joy for Madden.
John f. Madden whipsawed the first
race of the afternoon when his two
colts, Gillies and Marse Henry, finished
first and third, respectively, in a field
of six three-year-olds, running five and
a half furlongs on the straightaway.
The Madden stable was favored by the
bettors, although r. T. Wilson, IRIS,
chestnut colt Ormesdale received
quite play.
Gillies, a son Of Ogden and Golden
Drop and winner of the home-bred
Produce Stakes last year, was easily
the class of the race, and captured
the first prize after Ormesdale and
Whimsy had given the best they had
o
the Madden speed-eater.
Ambrose, the Marrone Stables entry
for the second race, received a most in
different ride from Jockey Ball. who
permitted the son of Disguise 70 run
wild and wide at the stretch turn after
having the race carefully packed away
IT. the bosom Of his bay shirt.
Ambrose being thus jockeyed out of
his chance to win the event. II. Neu-
stater's bay colt Good Counsel, always
contender. pranced down the stretch
with creditable speed and took the race
away from Cliff Haven, the Crown
Stable entry, by length. Safe home
was third. and Ambrose, messed all
over the place, finished bad last.
The Mineola Handicap. No. 8 on the
card. was a jolly joke to G. A. Mullers
chestnut horse Flittergold. which came
home galloping. eight lengths in front
Of his nearest rival, Magnet, which. in
turn, was eight lengths 70 the good
over Woodward. the Madden entry.
The Wickliffe Stables hlly Ghetto