New-York tribune., 1920-09-17
Old Naturalist
Takes Handicap
In ast Time
Fields Gut Almost in Half
at Aqueduct; Four Fa.
vorites Home i'm Front
By W. !. Macbeth


Until the various racing associations
OF this vicinity get over the idea that
they can operate on a shoestring, fall
racing on the metropolitan tracks is
bound to be the big joke it has since
the horses returned from Saratoga.
Hcrsemen Except the few loca! multi
nlllionaires who are anything but the
backbone of the game) cannot be ex-
pected to race for charity when Mary
land, Kentucky and even the Canadian
tracks pay twice the purse money that
obtains here.
IL was expected that some improve
ment might, be seen with the opening
Ct the fall meeting of the Queens
County Jockey Club at Aqueduct yes-
terday afternoon. as it was believed
THO small fields at Belmont Park were
partly the result Of prejudice iowa I'd
turning the English, or reverse, way
OF the track. But no improvement was
noticed; in fact, the reverse held true
" hat seemed very attractive pro
gram as advertised was scratched
Gown to next to nothing. The only
neid OF balance or class closed out
the program, when ten two-year-olds
went to the post for six furloncs
eaHiiot 1901 all or the peo-
PIE all of the time. The public is he
ginning to get hep to the fact that
the best horses have gone elsewhere.
a Iact that Is being attested dailv hv
dWlndllng attendancee.
Blue Pencil Promiscuous
The first field yesterday was cr+ !,
two by the blue pencil; scratched frona ~,
fourteen down to seven. Three of no
1our named went in the steeplechase
Elgnt had been named for the third
trlai, but only half that number want
TO the post Three of the eight nomi.
natlons were withdrawn from the fea.
ture event. The fifth was two-horse
race, though only three had been en-
ee[eo' so tar as that goes. There we're
only two scratched out of dozen in
the closing event.
=. 80 lar as form-or what was left ot
II after the wholesale scratchino-is
cohcerhed, Aqueduct's fall opening was
ABOUT as propitlous as could be ex-
PecIeO. -Four tavorites won. thouch all
OF them we're at odd son and mostly
at such lean quAacon- that the regu-
!oTs SIMPLY wagged their heads and de-
c'oeo 70 take a look instead of leap.
4he feature of the opening dav cara
at such lean quotations that tn,. reen-
was the Alverne Handicap, for three
Lear-olds and upward, at six furlongs.
n ms purse. which had an added value Of
so;ooo; was won by j. E. Widener's
reIiab.e, old Naturalist, which bore his
impost OF 1873 pounds as if but a
feather and dashed home in the good
time Of 1:l2 3-5.
Naturalist did not long leave the race
lr coubt. He was in sweet temper, and.
en- on his toes, soon had the rail posi-
Won, whence he led ali the wav. Harry
game'y for five furlongs, but had quite
sufficient of Naturalists 5 game by that
time aid dropped quickly back to next
to last. Naturalist. though he ran
tine race was loafng none at the end.
George W. Lofts On Watch was crowd
ing him.
Lucky To Win at I to 2
The steeDechase was more or les; of
a laugh. Ticket. the ! to , choice,
eventually staggered home, though he
could scarcely get over the fences.
which he took sidcwise. 1t was we'll
for him that he had nothing to beat but
Liner johnson after the second fence
wnere Sweenment, the second choice,
lost his rider. Despite his victory,
I!chet was perhaps the luckest | to
2 shot that has been soat to the races
IN the last decade.
lhe third race. the Bellerose Selling
Stakes, with $1,000 added, at five fur,
longs fer two-year-o.ds. was nothing
but an exercise gallop for the Oneck
Stables Freate. This gelding was
IN hand al! the way. Larry Waterbury's
Rep was much the best of the others
and took the place easily Jefferson
Livingston's Rolo was heavily played
fer the place, but the best he could do
was 20 finish third after making up a
lot Of ground in the stretch.
J. (. W!dcner's Pilgrim beat Tailor
Maid in the Luxe Blackburn Handicap
at mile and sixteenth. Only these
two started. For nearly a mile the
pair raced as a team. Pilrrim 20 the
outside Here Mooney came away at