New-York tribune., 1919-07-14
Empire City
Proves Popular
With Racegoers
Good Class of Horses Also
Likely To Be Seen, In
Guiding Kentucky Stables
By w. ]. Macbeth

II the Empire City meeting is to b,
judged by Saturdays opening the Yonk
ers course within the next three weeks
will acquire a popularity second te
none Of the metropolitan circuit.
1t is true that transportation facilitie,
to this particular track have been great
ly improved within the last few years
still the conveniences in going anc
coming-except for those who can af
ford motor transfer-do not begin tc
compare with Belmont, Aqueduct OF
Jamaica; but, in spite of it all, holi-
day crowd was on hand for the inauc-
III al that would have done great credit
to any of the other racing establish.
ments named.
A Record Crowd
1t was by far the biggest crowd ever
seen at Empire City, and to a man the
crowd enjoyed the days sport. Patrons
felt in the vast improvements made to
the clubhouse, grandstand and lawns
that the management had some sort of
proprietary interest in the comfort and
convenience of the general public.
Also, it would seem, the manapcmen+
recognizes the fact that tie public is
deserving of some show of protection.
The SIX races contested were run far
more truly to form than had been the
rule heretofore. Chris Fitzgerald. who
had absolute charge of the meeting and
who is in the stewards stand, is an
official OF initiative as we'll as courage.
He has let it be known that he Will
tolerate no monkey-dood business.
lie did not wait long to make an ex-
ample.
Vincent Powers, who rode Peter
PIPER in the third race Saturday and
crowd to the front after he had been
caught mapping at the post, was set
down for five days.
The meeting, for various reasons.
should be one of the most popular of
the year. To begin with. a better class
OF horses is likely to be seen. The
stables that were campaigned in Ken
tucky and which always appear at
the Saratoga Mecca in August have
almost without exception come east bv
way of Empire City. The fact adds a
charm of uncertainty to the whole sit
uation and provides much needed now
blood in the competitions. A great
drawback to racing in the East so far
this year has been an epidemic of in
fuenza among the thoroughbreds.
Many of the best horses in training
have been affected more or less SER
ously. 1t was for this reason alone
that the fields generally have been so
light right along; but with all the
Western horses in hand improvements
in this line should be noted.
Man9uvred Many a Coup
In years gone by these same West
ern horsemen, both at Empire City and
Saratoga have mannuvrel many COUP.
Perhaps this season will be no excep-
tion to the rule. So long as they re-
sort to nothing sharp or shady nobody
can COMPLAIN, no matter how much the
Blue Grass puts it over the elite East.
But the undesirable element will do
we'll to watch it's step.
Though 1t has been impossible as vet
to transfer all the horses in training
from the other local tracks to Empire
City, and though many more horses
are, still due from the West there is
to be no lack in competition. as evi-
denced in the entries for to-day.
The feature event is to be the Fri
volity Selling Stakes, of $4,000. at five
and half furlongs. Seven good iuve-
niles have been named for this. No
less than twenty-four overnight nomi-
nations have been made for the mile
and sixteenth claiming race for three
year-olds and upward. Fifteen platers
of various ages have been named for
the second dash, of about six furlongs.
The other events. while much lighter in
numbers, appear to possess fair bal
ance.