New-York tribune., 1918-05-29

SOo1 turf reporter, according to
tradition, tells first who won the race.
Here goes: A. X. Macomber's four
year-old bay colt, Star Gazer, by Star
Shoot out of Busy Maid (thcre you
nave 1t all In nutshel) took first
money. But Star Gazer didn't win the
race. He just helped to win it, that
was all. Jockey Johnny LOTUS won the
race. Say. if you had only seen him
but wait.
The setting was one which would
have done justice to the fertile brain
of fainter Foote. Seven paraded to
the post for this feature race. The
Macomber colt was very much the most
highly regarded of the field of seven.
His admirers hailed with delight the
to laid against Star Gazer's chances
In the opening quotations and WITH
such avidity that the price shortened to
odds on of to 10 at post time.
But price setting is not the setting
Of which we wish to speak. Shadow
had succeeded sunshine before the
bugle cali. The oppressive humidity
rallied storm out of the northwest
which rumbled up, ominous and murky,
as the saddling bell rang
Favorite Unready to Start
Before thehorses came out of the
gate onto the track the storm broke.
vivid lightning fecked the sky. The
rumbling thunder made the high strung
thoroughbreds dance in nervousness.
The jockeys hunched up as if to make
smaller target against the pelting
rain. And then the rainfall ended al
most as abruptly as it had begun,
after laying the dust nicely.
They fddled bit. and one or two
made false breaks. before Cassidy final
ly sprung the barrier. A groan went
up, however, as the field swung into
motion. 1t was seen that Star Gazer
had not been quite ready. The favorite
propped a bit. though LOTUS quickly
woke him up and shot away fifth
among the bunch.
1T was close quarters for little
Johnny and his favorite, who had the
rail, and for while they promised to
two, Rhine Maiden and Tea Caddy, in
second and third positions, respective
ly, had plenty of early speed, so much
that they sprinted away from the out
siders. This gave koftus an opportu-
nifty to redeem very lnopportune
start-he had come within an eyelash
of being left.
Hummer, on Rhine Maiden, mean
while had shot out of the bunch with
an idea of spreadeagling the field. if
possible. And for a time the old Whit
ney mare gave good imitation of one
that entertained like notion Johnny
McTaggart, however. had gotten Tea
Caddy away we'll, and he was thunder
ing at the heels of Rhine Maiden. Be
fore Deckmate could bear over from an
outside position behind these two Lof-
tus had Star Gazer at his best licks
and had avoided the grave possibility
of being badly shut off. At the quarter
Rhine Maiden, the pacemaker, was q
length in front of Tea Caddy. A length
and half behind pounded Deckmate,
with the favorite at his throatlatch.
Rides With Great Skill
The four maintained these approx
mate positions to the half, only at this
stage of the journey Star Gazer was n
head IN front of Deckmate. Rounding
the home turn LOTUS gradually carried
DIT wide for straight run home, ma
hipulatlng the movement so skilfullv
as to lose practically no ground. With
the straight run home he began to ride
And what ride! 1t seemed that
i'ttie Johnny just gathered Star Gazer
up into his arms and lifted him along
with each leap. Horse and Jockey
seemed but parts of one irresistible
whole of undeniable force. But. trv as
Star Gazer would (and Lotus tried
even harder), the commanding adj
vantage of the two in front seemed i'm
pervious to attack.
Then Rhine Maiden began to weaken
lKummer felt it and applied the whip.
lea Caddy crept up. stride by stride.
until furlong from home he was
at the mares shoulders. That was
enough for Rhine Maiden.
AT the fve-eighths pole Star Gazer
was three lengths behind the resolute
Tea Caddy, in turn half length he
n'nd the firing Rhine Maiden. There
is where Lotus made his bid wh;ch
IN thoroughbred competition Of
greater renown, undoubtedly would
nave spelled immortal fame 'Tbare
Is no use In trying to describe it. Tho
nninitiated could not understand. th.J
initiated understand quite we'll smf.
nee it that Lotus ENCOURAGED 'b; h;s
mount to such a tremendous burst of 11f
spees in the last fifty wards that no
sos up in time to nip Tea raddy hv v
Fields Congested
Despite the excessively concestaa
neias the races Of yesterday were r,,u
pretty truly to form. Eiays th. ian