The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-25
THRILLING FINISH INs
: STAKE At YONKERS
Cirrus, Balustrade and Be
Frank Are Heads Apart in
the Knickerbocker.
BY HENRY v. KING.


In one of the most sensational and
thrilling finishes seen on a local race
track in several years Cirrus won the
Knickerbocker Handicap at the Empire
City track yesterday afternoon. When
he passed the judges only his head was
in front of Robert l. Gerry's Balustrade
and at Balustrades throatlatch was Q.
NJ. Garrisons Be Frank
So close together did the three horses :
finish that those not on n direct line
with the judges called II a triple dead
heat. 1t was a whipping, slashing SEN
sational finish and as the trio sped
through the last sixteenth of a mile the
crowd went Wild in Its excitement. Every
person at the course was cheering az
the same time, some for Cirrus, some
for Balustrade and others for Be Frank.
That Cirrus won was due TO won
derful ride by little Jockey Fator. He
held Cirrus of the early pace and al
lowed BE Frank and Balustrade to run
themselves tired. Then, when they went
wide at the head of the homestretch he
slipped through on the rail, saved four
or five lengths and by a finish that was
the equal of Johnny Loftus's best got
his mount up in time to win the $4,000
purse by nod in the last stride
Applause for Fntor.
For his great finish the lad received
round of applause such as no rider
except LOTUS has received In a decade.
After the contest many racegoers
blamed Schuttinger for the defeat OF
Balustrade. They declared that he should
not have taken his charge so wide At
the turn into the homestretch and that
he should have begun his whipping hnish
sooner than he did. The criticism
heaped on him seemed unjust. The
- ~ 1~tA Nl.aWa NAaH
next the rail and he upsed good judg-
ment in guiding his mount over to the
best going That he did not begin his
finish sooner was because he did not
see Cirrus closing on him next the rail.
AS he swung into the homestretch Be
Frank was Mt his side and this prevented
him from seeing Cirrus until the Hildreth
colt was alongside him.
Be Frank ran a peculiar racs. While
in front in the run through the back
| stretch he was only breezlng with his
mouth open. fighting for his head. But
when called on In the ,homestretch he
| responded for few yards and then
began TO falter. That he was so close
| up at the end was only because of a
master ride by F'airbrother.
Herbert l.. Pratrs Game Cock made
every post winning one In the Rye
Purse and won easily by fve lengths.
Ticket, carrying the colors Of Lawrence
| Waterbury, was second, three lengths
\ in front of Woodtrap.
This race was the most open one Of the
meeting. The four contestants were so
evenly matched that the men who lay the
odds made 1t 3 to and take your pick.
| Georgia Walls had the leg up on
| Game Cock and rode perfect race. He
knows the colt as well as his trainer.
He got his charge OF on his toes and
| sent him bounding around the bend in
| front On the backstretch he took
hold on his charge and gave him
| breathing spell. To the crowd II seemed
as II wootrap and Ticket were over
hauling Game Cock. but when "tha hili'
! was reached Georgia gave his mount
liree rein and in few bounds Mr..
| Pratt's colt was far in front and gain
| ing with every stride. Coming into the
homestretch Walls gave Game Cock n
few taps over the head with his whip
this was to keep him from running out.
| When Strengthened out for the run home
| he "clucked" to his charge and without
using his whip or heels landed his mount
an easy winner.
Vancouver Wins for I<iImer.
Willis Sharp Kilmer's Vancouver led
home a big field OF maidens in the
| second event. This son II Ogden was
considered a hopeless cripple last year.
He had bad knees and feet and when
turned over to Simon Healey this spring
he looked as II he never could be brought
to the races. But Mr.. Healey per
severed with him and a few weeks ago
sent him to the barrier. In his nrst
start Vancouver ran impressively and
! flushed third. Yesterday his race was
still better. Ridden well by Jockey Car
roll he raced along In third place be
! hind Joseph y. Murphy and Sammy
| Kelly to the mai furlong pole. There
Murphy quit and Kelly took command
and seemed an easy winner. But at
the sixteenth pole Vancouver came with
a rush and managed to get up in time
| TO win by neck.
! The story circulated on Wednesday
that a sponge was found in the nose OF
Beck and Can was denied yesterday by
the stewards and the trainer OF the
horse. The report that Dream OF the
Valley had been "sponged' also was
empha tically denied as was the story
that Masla had been badly cut about
the legs with knife Masda has an
insignificant cut on her right fore leg
Just below the knee and II was the con-
tention OF most horsemen that she cut
herself in her stall. She was out on
| the track yesterday morning and worked