New-York tribune., 1919-07-23
Bulldog Beats
Ruck Runners
In Last Event
Canine lnjecis Humor Into
Programme; Recount
Easily Takes Handicap
By w. ]. Macbeth

You've often heard the dsrespect
full refer to the sport of kings as "dog
racing haven't you? Well, the fas
tidious New York public was treated to
a touch of the real thing in the closing
race yesterday afternoon up at Empire
City.
As the field of seven maiden two
year-old iillles swept past the old field
stand loose pit bulldog crawled
through the fence onto the track and
Joined the competition Though he
was bad last at the start of his i'm
promptu sprint the unvarnished canine
was actually running over the field at
the end and beat out Lola and Sweet
Apple in a romp.
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, by the way.
had handed out Lola as a sure thing
to finish in the money. ard when the
bulldog showed up his tuy, which
trailed home absolutely last, he beat
it for the stable and the old blum
derbuss.
The unconscious comedy injected
into the entertainment by the said
canine was by far the best chucklc
the rain soaked throng enjoyed during
the day. 1t might be a good idea for
the promoters to turn their attention
to courSlng until the food rccedes a
bit.
The track-or wnat used to be the
tracks, in such horrible condition
that the art of selecting winners is a
matter of blind stab. like delving
for the lucky number in a hat. Nor
has the continued rain in any manner
tended to improve either the quality
or quantity in the fields. The scratches
pile out on the hoard with due regu-
larity though the horsemen, familiar
with track conditions, go on merrily
naming heavy fields day after day.
All OF which is unjust to the sup
porting public. which goes to the track
expecting plenty of action and has to
be satisfied with three or four horses
to a race.
Had it not been for the presence of
an added starter in the Arrow Selling
the feature of yesterdays racing pro-
gramme would have been a two horse
affair. There were no fewer than five
scratches. leaving in only Osgood and
Housemaid until R. F. Carman added
Startling. Carman put up Fator on his
high-weig GIFTED candidate. and as a re-
suit was. able to beat out Housemaid
for the Second best share of the purse
money. His added entry also insured
favorite, than might have obtained had
II been i two-horse affair
AS it turned out, Osgood would have
been q good bet at any price; he
simply .ow-roped the others, drew out
in the first furlong and cantered
through the stretch to victory by ten
lengths.
Recount Beats Odds-on Choice
Strange as it may seem under the
distressing track conditions, form held
up in the mud and water better than
the most ardent student could have
dared to hope. No less than four of
the public choices splashed down in
front at the wire and all of them won
with ridiculous ease.
The most startling upset developed
in the Gramatan Handicap, at a mile
and seventy yards. Andrew Miller's
Recount, admirably handled by Schut
finger, took the measure Of Pickwick,
the red-hot ! to 2 favorite. The sup
porters of Pickwck we're unusually re-
assured by the presence of Fator in
the best Schuttinger was off wing
ing but Immediately took up and rated
his mount behind Pickwick to the
head OF the stretch. He came on,
then pur Pickwick away in short or
der and won breezing.
Fator won the brackets with Wood
trap. odds-on-c choice of the mile fifth.
he was alded ana aOetted TO tnls end
by Kelsey's very poor handling Of
Matinee Idol. When Fator took up
Woodtrap for breather on the far
turn Ke.sey very foolishly bumped off
into the lead and ran his mount into
the ground.
Duchess Lace might have had some
thing to say if Stapleton hadn't tried
TO see how Jar he could ride IN mile
He hugeed the outside fence all the
way Kelsey showed better judg
ment with Homely in the last race.
He waited till the stretch this time,
saving ground by coming through on
the rail.
The near scandal attending Sun
Briars recent defeat by Lucullite has
died natural death. The stewards
have announced that the case against
Johnny Lotus, whose handling of Sun
Brar was unsatisfactory, has been
dismissed