The sun., 1919-07-13
LANTUS VICTOR
. BY A NECK IN
\ EMPIRE CITY
G.. d. Widener's Winner of
the Metropolitan Takes
Inaugural Feature.
BE FRANK is SECOND
Spur Staggers Home Third
Out the Way Takes the
Katonah Handicap.
By HENRY W. KING.

ported gelding belonging to George d.
Widener, won the Empire City Handicap
yesterday afternoon at the Empire City
track. He won it by a neck from Be
Frank. the three-year-old gelding. which
carried the colors of C. NJ Garrison to
victory in the Latonia Derby. Two
lengths further back. and staggering
from fatigue, finished James Buffers
Spur. J. ]. Hallenbeck's Salvestra was
fourth and George w. Lofts Tippity
Witchet last in the field Of Ave.
Tho largest crowd that yet has visited
the Yonkers track was present Tho
plant was damned to overlooking. It
was almost impossible to move ABOUT
It was a much larger gathering than
the association had expected, with the
result that there were not enough tick
cts and thousands were compelled to go
without programmes.
The transportation facilities we're bad
and the associations employees were un-
able to cope with the situation. The en-
frances were choked mp for several hours,
and many who reached the entrances be-
fore o'clock were unable to get inside
the gates until after the first race had
been decided. Some did not join the
swaying. pushing and showing mob in
side until the horses were going to the
parking space was filled to overlooking
and hundreds of machines were unable
to get inside the park
Many improvements Made.
The track plant has been greatly i'm
proved since last season. The club house
has been enlarged. the grand stand
renovated. the lawns rebuilt and the
track made lightning fast
nacpita cd q
great majority of the thousands who
packed the stands. lawns and club
! house enjoyed the sport. 1t was a day
of stirring contests. and besides. FIVE
1avorites and a second choice won.
The Empire City Handicap was the
feature. 1t was a hummer from start
to finish. Corn Tassel, OLD Rosebud
and Recount were scratched, and every
one of the FIVE contestants which went
to the post had host of friends Lanius
with Johnny LOTUS in the saddle was
the favorite. The winner Of the Metro
politan Handicap was backed heavily,
and at post time the best odds obtain
able against his chances we're TO 10.
The start was a good one. Tippity
witchet and Spur had the most early
speed and quickly opened up a gap of
a length and a half on Lanius, which
was leading the remainder OF the field.
Both Spur and Tippity Witchet were
bent on going to the front, but neither
was able to get away from the other.
and they raced around the bend into
the backstretch as a team. Down the
long straight away Kelsay. on Ttppity
witchet, and Plckens, on Spur, did their
Ynightiest to take command, but 1t was
not until the next turn that they were
separated. There Tippity Witchet fan
tered. As he dropped back LOTUS made
his move on Lanius. which always was
in a contending position. Entering the
homestretch Lotus had Mr.. Widener' s
horse in front and running easily AT
the final sixteenth pole he seemed an
easy winner.
he Frank Challenges.
But while the crowd was cheering him
as the victor Be Frank came with rush
and twenty yards from the finish had
his nose at Lanius's throatlatch. Then
followed one of the most sensational
finishes OF the year. Lanius ts a game
horse and LOTUS put him TO the test
Be Frank appeared the stronger ana &c
a majority Il seemed as IL he would
win. But they had not counted on LOT
tus's ability TO lift a horse home In front
in a pinch. The great Jockey often has
mt up a stirring finish. but none better
than that on Lanius For half dozen
hounds he fairly lifted his firing charge
through the air to the judges. II was 9
remarkably vigorous finish and II hac
the desired effect. for 1t gave to Lanius
a race which would have gone to BE
frank IL the rider had not been at hii
best A., w..
acored an easy victory in the katonaf
lightweight Handicap. Lotus mad tht
lag up on him too. but all the Jockey nae
"a 40 10 land Out the Way home II
i'm, free rein anC
o,,ide him the shortest way nome. ou
the WAY had an abundance of speed anc
rc,Ickly opened up a big lead on his op
oonants Entering the homestretch N
Tss three lengths in front and could
have won easily. But Lotus took ne
chances with him and rode him out e
the Judges. A. II. Morris's unreliani
ouistude ran one OF her best races an.
fniahed second. Bill MCCOY was thiro
Ms PAYNE Whitney's Peter Piper, Will
Vincent Powers, the steeplechase Jockey
a. ,ha saddle. ran fast for three furlongs
then mutt badly, and finished ntth.
The crowd got its first thrill In I'M
onenIng event when George w. Lott
Ormbei. Annette Teller. which mas Jus
come out OF the West, ana sanuei tNosS
sroncanet finished necks apart In tn
order named. Ormbel had the mos
Sariy speed and setting the pac.
,hrou1hout had enough left to stall or
,he determined challenges Of Annett
Teller and Toucanet
Toucanet probably would have won
Tommv Nolan had not taken his charg
up right after the barrier went up. Thi
cost the Ross hlly several lengths
Chr,storher Fitzgerald. the manager o
the track and one Of the stewards. di'
not like the way Nolan handled the I'LL!
and after the contest gave the jockey
..vsrA reprimand He told Nolan tina
he would not tolerate similar ride an
warned him that a repetition woul
mean suspension.
Hank o'Day on Good Behavior.
That old, cratic and sour tempere
'xelding, Hank O'Day, was on his bes
behavior in the second race and ra
way from a big field OF cheap platter
! over the one mile and seventy var
course, He broke" well, raced Kin
1ohn into submission In the first hal
mile. then went 20 the front and wo
sased up by ave isngfhs. Kiag job
Syo.Sk,, slSA m. Gecoud Pd06.