New-York tribune., 1919-07-19
'Bally, Pickwick
And Joan of Arc
AreOverthrown
Stewards at Empire City
Track Should Investigate
Startling Form Reversals
By w. 7. Macbeth


At the Empire City track yesterday
afternoon was enough to drive both
man and beast TO distraction. A heavy
,.in fell continuously, until the course
vas a quagmire, knee-deep in mud.
Under the circumstances one might
expect plenty Of surprises. The sur
nrises came all right, even in spite
Of the fact that three favorites won
The surprises noted dealt with the
overthrow of odds-on choices. NJ
fewer than three Of these (beginning
with the second trial) went down in a
row.
Because it was the feature of the
card Pickwick's defeat in the White
Plains Handicap, at about six furlongs,
was perhaps the most noticeable 1t
is doubtful, though. if Pickwick's de-
feat was more disappointing than the
humiliation to which James Buffers
iye-year-old Bally WAS subjected in the
third event. Bally. like Pickwick, no
better than l to at post time, was
beaten off ten or a dozen lengths by
Fairy Wand and Rose dor, thorough
breds that can be considered little
better than ordinary by any stretch of
the imagination.
keal FOrm reversal
Now Bally's defeat yesterday becomes
doubly interesting to the patronizing
public because of the fact that this
Butler horse three days previously had
taken the measure of Sam Hildreth's
great Luculiite "a l to 8 shot) over a
mile route. Yesterdays trial was at
mile and seventy yards. But Bally
always was outrun city block by the
other two.
1t is true Bally beat Lucullite on a
, fast track in the mile and in the ridicu-
lous time Of 1:39 2-5. 1t IS equally
true that two days later. over a very
slow track, Lucullite ran, or rather
romped mile in l 40 2-5 to beat Old
Rosebud and Sun Briar. The method
LOTUS used in handling Sun Briar in
the last mentioned race in question is
subject of official investigation now
under way.
But even taking into consideration
the fact that Bally never has shown the
propensities for mud that should be in
the Ballot strain, the incident but
serves to throw into even bolder relief
the fact that Lucullite turned one of
the most astounding f1ip-fops of form
ever known anywhere. And it seems
the plain duty of the stewards who
are Investigating Lotus to go higher
when they get through with him. The
sport cannot afford to make fish Of one
and fowl of another
As to the defeat of Pickwick in the
White Plains Handicap-well it had
somewhat the appearance of another
Of those things. The veteran Willie
Knapp rode a very listless race, to say
the least. He waited off the pace too
' long; rather he didn't follow the pace
at all. And when he let Pickwick down
IN the stretch, though his mount was
full Of running, it was too late.
Outsider Takes Purse
Masda, rank outsider, and Bill Nc
Cloy, another, fought it out together
half way round the turn; then Masda
drew away to winning lead Bill
McCloy hung on for about five fur
longs, when he decided to make it
day. Hauberk, which had no early
speed. closed with rush through the
stretch and cinched third money.
In the third race Bally couldn't work
up decent gallop. He was founder
ing and spreading" all the way, and
IT was seen at the far turn that he
would be badly beaten Fairy Wand,
which Hummer crowded quickly to the
'front.', never left the race in doubt.
Down the backstretch she opened UP
lead OF half dozen lengths and won
as she pleased. Rose Dor cooked
baiiy IN the race around the far turn
High Born Lady was left at the post.
Dendera. the second choice, stole
such big lead on Joan of Arc in the
second race going around the first
turn that she had virtually a walk
over. The odds-on favorite was beaten
me moment Richcreek was helped into
me saddle. He has all he can do to
sle on horse. He should be sent
oacH 70 school or home to his parents
fhantom Fair, the odds-on favorite,
spread-eagled her field in the first dash
OF live and half furlongs, after rae
ing around it as result of being
pinched back shortly after the start.
Plunge on Mistress Polly
Mistress Polly galloped home to vic
rofy IN the mile and d furlong, fifth.
Inns one furnished the medium of the
heaviest plunge of the afternoon Mis-
1fess Polly two days previously had
!uh nowhere IN race at the same dis
tance.
The stewards called upon II. Neu-
steter, the filly's owner, for an expla-
nation. He declared that on Wednes-
day the sloppy track had a firm bottom
while yesterday it had no bottom and
that under the latter conditions the
lilly should be twenty pounds better
tnan on her previous outing. The ex-
planatIon satisfied the officials.
In this same race it looked as if
mistress Polly almost put John !. Day
over the fence on the far turn. But
a. Dawes lodged no claim Of foul the
SO wards called up the patrol judge
~Ao testified that Davies had plenty
OF room and that he pulled up sharply
~nen there was little occasion for such
safety first methods.