New-York tribune., 1919-05-16
Horse Lovers !
Throng Track
AT Jamaica
More Than Twenty Thou.
sand Watch Opening Day
for Racing in North
By W. I. Macheth

ge!ding, beat out Old Rosebud, the ac.a
geidlng marvel and perennial idol ~
the metropolitan tracks, in hard drivs
Ior hrst money in the $4,000 Paumonok
Handicap at six furlongs, the opening
aay feature of the spring meeting Of
the metropolitan Jockey Club at tho
Jamaica track yesterday afternonn
Sam Hildreth's four-year-old co,s
Lucullite, which perhaps ran the he's,
race of the high class field of fourteen.
finished third 'Ss''
Flags's time, 1912 25, was within two-
fifths seconds of the record for tha
event held jointly by Sam Hildreth's
Restlgouche (1910) and W. L. divers
Kewessa Q917. Flags, which manv
of the hunch players boarded because
ne. was the only entry printed without
colors on the programme, paid his sun
porters z to / for their speculations
Old Rosebud was s to for the place:
Lucullite, to ! to show.
The Paumonok was by far the best
event of the opening day card. The
Suffolk Selling Stakes, five furlonc
sprint for two-year-olds, attracssd
Juveniles Of ordinary class and mn.
known virtues. Godfrey Preece won
this $4,000 event, with Walter ]. Sal
mons chestnut colt, Eddie Ricken-
hacker. Only a half dozen babies ac-
cepted the issue.
Sport Due for Revival
That the thoroughbred sport is due
for a revival hereabout that will mako
Billy Sundays best effort look like a
case of rank quitting was attested to
the satisfaction of every one present.
II racing improves the breed of horses
proportionately to public interest dis
played then America sure is destined
to send some veritable fiers to the
post in the immediate future. Seldom.
If ever before, had such a representa-
tive throng crowded the Jamaica
course and this despite the fact that
the day was anything but propitious
for the big opening.
The day was cold and very threaten
ing. Indeed rain fell spasmodically
throughout the afternoon, but the
parking spaces were overtaxed and
to the point of suffocation. 1t was with
the greatest difficulty one could move
about the lawn or club house verandas,
and when the showers freshened oc-
casionally there were thousands who
could not reach shelter.
Harry Mosely Stevens, the king Of
caterers, who has moved branch of
his well-known establishment to ia
malca for the first time, ministered to
the inner wants of the jocular multi
tude in his best copyrighted fashion
superintendent Tommy Maher had pro-
vided every possible comfort in seat
ing and standing way. So if any one
left the establishment disgruntled it
must have been because he hearkened
TO bad information"
By the time the field paraded for the
feature event the interest of the crowd
was at white heat. G. D. Widener's
Lanius had been scratched, but Com
r. T. Wilson jr.'s, Hannibal had been
added, making in all fourteen to face
Starter Edward Tribe, who will officiate
until Mars Cassidy arrives at the close
Of the Pim'ico meeting.
The big field proved restivc at the
barrier. Elm Queen was particularly
sklttlsh and broke through several
times on false starts. Old Koenig,
Hollister and The Boy, timorous Of the
webbing at first, also caused more or
less delay, so that the horses were at
the post in all seven minutes, fact
which did not improve the chances Of
the heavily weighted thoroughbreds.
When Tribe finally sprung the web
DiilG lHC OulSIucIS were IumpleQ ana
tangled. George Starr, Hollister, Lu-
cullite, Fairy Wand and The Boy final
ly got out of the mess, but lengths be-
hind the first fight. AS a matter Of
fact the field was away in three
straggly punches.
Flags in Second Bevy
Flags was back in the second bevy.
McAtee had succeeded in getting the
tractious Elfin Queen away wingng
from the outside; Lotus, with Motor
on the rail, did not have his usual
early foot to pull through clear, and
the flying Elfin Queen was able to
cut over and take the rail from him.
Old koenig, winner Of this event last
year, had crowded up even with Motor
Cop IN few strides, so that the Ross
candidate soon found himself in dam
ger Of being pocketed.
Whether or not Lotus eased his
mount to avoid the threatened danger
or whether Motor Cop just would not
run would be hard to say. 1t was evil
dent before the first turn was reached
that it was not Ross day. Motor Cop
usually runs his best from the front.
Meanwhile Elfn Queen was flying
out in front with Old Koenig holding
on as gamely as he could. Hollister
and George Starr were out of it from
the start. But in the run down the
back-stretch Larry Lyke began TO get
busy with last years sprint champion.
The good, game sprint champion OF
last season responded with will after
drawing clear of the second pack
around the far turn.
With Old Rosebud in close pursuit
Flags fairly ate up his disadvantage.
Koenig had moved up now close to the
tiring Elm Queen, which appeared
heavy in flesh as she went to the post.
1t was seen before the stretch turn was
reached that the Queen could scarcely
hope to last.
The pace was telling on Old Koen.g,
too, and when he went to the outside at
the stretch turn Lyke wisely crowded
through with Flags on the rail. He
forced his way through in hearty fash
ion and settled down to the whip. But
when he strai ightened out for the short
stretch run home Lyke found new
menace in Old Rosebud
Loses Considerable Ground
This gallant old gelding lost consid-
Dreyer elected the safer, overland
route. But when the boy did get the
old fellow headed for home now that
Rosebud horse did run. Old Rosebud
closed with great resolution and game
ness. He was closing on Flags with
every jump, but still the winner had
good lengths advantage at the end.
Lucullite had very stormy passage.
But for this Sam Hildreth's fine Trap
Rock colt, which, like Old Rosebud, is
coming hack TO the racer after an IN