The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-05-07
ON WATCH VICTOR
L IN JAMAICA STAKE
~
Runs Fine Race and Beats Nat
uralist Half a Length in
PaumonOk Handicap.
big CROWD AT OPENING
IN
Despite Cold and Rain More
Than 10000 Racegoers
Usher in Sport.
BIG CROWD AT OPENING
BY HENRY W. KING.

BY HENRY ". KING.
Despite cold, biting winds and q
drizzling rain. racing in the metropolis
yesterday afternoon at the Jamaica
track. More than 1000 lovers Of the
thoroughbreds turned out to usher n
the season and they were rewarded
Swith six stirring contests. The crowd
did not resemble the brilliant assem-
blage that is usually seen at the open.
Ing OF Belmont Park or Saratoga. II
was made up of $500 well dressed. Law
abiding citizens, 500 women who love
the horse and the thrill contest pro.
duces and a few high class sportsmen
That any wealthy sportsmen were there
was a surprise. Not that they don't
patronize the little track. They usually
attend it by the hundreds. But most
of them are either in Kentucky OF
en- route there to see the Derby de-
Fcided this afternoon.
The initial feature was the Paumonok
Handicap at six furlonss. 1t went to
George w. Lofts four-year-old colt
On Watch. He beat Joseph F. Wide
ner's aged and erratic Naturalist in a
driving finish by hall a length. Two
lengths farther back Harry Payne
Whitney's DR.. Clark finished in third
place.
Over a slow track that was heavy
around the turn. On Watch covered the
s6ix furlong route In the good time OF
1:1S 1-5.
The race was truly run and the best
horse won. On Watch ran a remarkably
good race. He was carried a trihe wide
at the head of the home stretch. but
fought on gamely until he passed the
Judges a victor.
Naturalist also ran a great race Bur-
dened with 131 pounds he set the pace
until fifty yards from home.
n All OF the other contestants ran to
their top form but that wasn't good
enough to win.
Away to Good Start.
The field was at the post three minutes
before Mars Cassidy released the bar
rier. Then the ten contestants stepped
away in motion and almost aligned.
Lord Brighton, a sour tempered fellow.
was on his good behavior and In the
first ten jumps bounded to the front.
DIR. Clark quickly Joined him but, try as
he might. Naturalist could not get past
shis heels during the first quarter OF a
mile. Then the old gelding wore the
leaders down and went TO the front.
Once there Naturalist stepped along at
a terrific pace and passed the half mile
pole in 0:47 3-5.
Rounding the turn Naturalist in
creased mis- lead and he entered the
homestretch three lengths in front OF
DIR. Clark. which was staggering along
In front of the remainder of the field.
Just AS the crowd was procaimng the
old gelding the victor On Watch, who
had been outrun in the early stages. be-
gan to charge. He was half a dozen
lengths back, but he was fairly flying
His 126 pounds was apparently sitting
lightly on his back and he came tear
ing around the bend and into the home
stretch at a terrific pace. He flew
past the trailers. and at the final eighth
pole was in second place and two lengths
behind the leader. Naturalist was still
stepping along at a fast pace. He was
rgavfng up every ounce of speed he pos
sessed. but that wasn't enough. The
Loft colt was too much for him. He
struggled along for another sixteenth
of mile, and then On Watch stuck his
head in front and continued to gain
until at the judges stand he was in
hand.
Norwich. a California bred juvenile
belonging to A. B. Spreckels, made a
big field of Eastern youngsters look
cheap In the Suffolk Selling Stakes He
broke like a Compadre. stole a big lead
In the first furong and then galloped
the remainder of the way TO win eased
\ UP by ten lengths. Harry Sinclair's
Brush Boy was second. a head in front
OF the Pelican Stables Dolly Warden
Despite the slow track Norwich stepped
over the five furlong route in the fast
time of 100 AS.
e4 When offered for sale n crowd gath
.ered around the stand. When bid was
asked Albert Simons said $4,000, $1,000
pore than his entered selling price, but
the Judge didn't hear him and he was
sent 10 his barn. There several horse
men realized they had overlooked a bar
gain and went In quest of him. Max
fsHirsch. who probably was acting for
George w. Loft. got him. The price
was not made public, but II is known It
was much larger than he had been en-
! tered for.
LII Norwich Is handsome brown by
x Runnymede and Hymir. His sire is by
Voter and the dam by DR. Leggo. Run
nymede raced In England and won some
- good sprint races there.
After his victory II was reported
prorwd the track that Norwich Is one OF
the culls in the Spreckels stable and that
+ tlree OF his stable mates are twenty
4.pounds his superior.