New-York tribune., 1918-07-18
Favorites Land Brackets in
First Five Events at En-
pire City Track
By w. ]. Macbeth

Old Roamer, Andrew Miller's seven
year-old gelding, which appears as kit
tenish as a -year-old this season,
almost laughed himself to death win
ming the Mount Vernon Handicap, the
feature of yesterdays racing card at
the Empire City track. This wasn't
the only horse laugh of the afternoon,
either. The players were able to give
the razz to the layers for once in their
lives, anyhow, as favorites landed the
brackets in the first five events.
Favorites undoubtedly would have
swept the card had Mars Cassidy not
been looking up the chimney when he
sent the final field away. Purling. the
best horse, ridden by Lyke, the best
boy. was simply eliminated by start
that left him hatfooted and gave him
at least a dozen lengths the worst of it.
But getting back to the Mount Ver-
non and Roamer. This event was at a
mile, distance the venerable gelding
admires when the track is any way
fast and to his liking. Yesterday S
threatened rainstorm failed to develop
previous to the running of the stake
failed to develop, at least. in any pro-
portions more annoying to the going
than would have resulted from an ap-
plication of the sprinkling cart. So a
couple of the trainers, after scanning
the skies in vain for squalls, decided d
they would have no part of a race with
the old Miller gelding.
Clifford A. Cochran Fairy Wand and
j. E. Widener's Pickwick were both
scratched at the last moment. This
left only the Beverwyck Stables Old
Koenig and George w. Lofts Papp to
contest the honors with the habitual
stake winner of the seasoned division,
Roamer Gets Away Lazily
The running of this Mount Vernon
Handicap proved a somewhat pleasing
diversion from most of Roamer's en-
gagements, for the element of doubt
lasted longer Usually Roamer hot
foots it out in front before the first
bend and kicks up lot of dust for his
contenders to inhale all the way home
Yesterday Roamer got away rather
lazily for Lyke, or, rather, both Papp
and Old Koenig got off on their toes.
The aged gelding was outrun to the
first turn, Lyke taking up bit so soon
as he discovered he could not beat the
other two to the bend.
If his hackers were momentarily
nonplussed over Roamer's failure to
make the pace to suit himself Lyke APP
peared not a whit worried. He badc
the others goodby for the time, lying
off the pace and saving his charge for
the run he knew Roamer had in him
any time he might be called up.
A. johnson, on Papp, was winging out
in front. half Tapped by Old Koenig, as
the field circled the first turn. Roamer
was about a length back. The three
maintained these relative positions as
the quarter pole was passed. At the
head of the backstretch Johnson let
Papp down a bit, and he soon drew
away from Old Koenig to a full length
At the half mile Papp was leading by
| a length. Daylight showed between
Old, koenig and Roamer
s Koenig and Papp in Duel
Going up the hill for the far turn
Taplin decided to work closer with Old
Koenig, for Papp out there in front
was giving an imitation of pretty
good racehorse. He was running free
and easy, apparently we'll within him
self. Koenig and Papp. therefore. went
to it in private little duel Of their
own. Lyke lay back with Roamer still.
Rounding the near turn koenig and
Papp were fighting head to head. They
Strengthened out for the dash home
almost on even terms.
Lyke came wide at the near bend so
as to have plenty of sea room for his