The New York herald., 1922-07-14
BAD TRACK AND BAD
RIDING MAR SPORT
Parke, Merimee, Keogh, Gala
han and Nolan Do Weird
Tricks in Saddle.
PUNISHMENT FOR ONE
Brainstorm Wins, Thanks to
Opponents Jockeys-Devas-
! tation a Winner.
PUNISHMENT FOR ONE
BY HENRY ". KING.

The Empire City track has been
noted for the frequent visits 1t has
received from violent electrical storms.
flying than that Of yesterday after
noon. 1t threw 10000 racegoers and
hundreds of horses stabbed there into
a near panic. Not in the memory Of
the Oldest veteran did it ever rain as
hard at the Yonkers track. Nor was
the lightning ever as strong or the
thunder louder.
With the downpour>- came hailstones
some Of which were as large as an egg
One bolt Of lightning struck the flag
pole on the grandstand and started a
shower OF splintns. This sent the
thousands in the stand scurrying to the
lawn and under the stand. There were
many women present but they con-
Quoted themselves as calmly as. II not
more so than, the men. All of them
appeared frightened as the thunder
roared above their heads accompanied
by streaks of lightning that flashed all
around them and seemed only inches
away. But none became hysterical or
tainted
The clubhouse contingent gathered
in Harry Stevens's restaurant, ordered
some food and remained there until
after the last race had been decided.
The flagpole was the only thing the
lightning struck at the track 1t landed
/ in several places but no one was in
jured and 1t did little or no damage.
! Performs Other Stunts.
An instant before the pole was shat
tered bolt hit the steel rod on the
inner rail which denotes the finish line
1t made the pole look like pillar Of
fire for what seemed like several sec
onds. The stewards and judges. who
We're In their stand directly opposite
and only few feet away from 1t, saw
1t plainly and their first thought was
that 1t would spring across the track
to their stand 1t didn't, though. Ac-
cording to Frank Bryan 1t leaped up
to the flagpole on the grandstand
! A minute or two later there was a
crash of thunder and a long streak Of
lightning followed by a crash in back OF
the stand. Investigation showed that
the bolt had struck an automobile and
demolished it. Just as the thousands
present had considered the storm over
a bolt struck the flag pole on top OF
the barn occupied by Harry Payne
Whitney's horses. 1t carried part OF the.
pole away.
So long and hard was the downpour
that the infield was turned into half
dozen miniature lakes and the track was
a veritable quagnire. Several stables
were flooded and some of the horses had
to wade through water knee deep to get
out Of their stalls. The stewards post
poned the first race for half an hour.
Devastation Wins the Spur.
- ac& l,.t tot ic
son of Wrack he doesn't seem to fancy
muddy track. He won the Spur purse,
but was all out to beat such cheap or-
ponents as Bellsolar. Opperman and Two
Feathers
Opperman splashed throgh the sloppy
Gcing for six furlongs at the head of
his field and Devastation was going his
mightiest to keep within striking dis
tance of him. When Opperman died
away to almost walk Devastation took
command, but Lang was compelled to
ride him hard all the way home to stall
off Bellsolar's challenge.
H. Watersons Brainstorm beat some
good three-year -olds in the Mahopac
Handicap, but it didn't add much to his
glory He got the decision by head
from Joseph f. Daviss filly, Prodigious,
and for the victory Sande deserves as
much credit as the horse. Sande rode
good race. His ride wasn't sensational
or anything bordering on sensational.
but 1t sparkled because 1t was so much
better than any displayed by the other
Jockeys.
Johnny Callahan, who is as old as
Ann. rode IKE a lad who had never
ridden q winner. He got his mount
away well, but took back and back until
she was last rounding the first turn. He
clung to the rail going down the back
stretch and saved some ground, but when
his filly challenged and began to gain
on the leader he went to the outside.
lost half dozen lengths and then put
I'D a rather weak finish.
But as poor as was his ride 1t was
nothing compared to that displayed by
frankie Keogh on Frank Browns Hep
haistos. Hephaistos is capable of rum
ming a much better race and with a
stronger ride he might have won. He
probably will do better in his next race,
which may be the Derby Tomorrow
Firm Friend Resigns.
Firm Friend. Mrs. Louise viau's Derby
candidate was in the race. He showed
keen speed for six furlongs and then
quit He will be one Of the favorites for
the Derby IL the track Is dry, and will
not be without friends II 1t Is muddy.
Comic song, WHICH uispidyeu hcSh sPce'
in the mud in one race at Aqueduct. ran
like a dray horse. He was never
contender and was beaten nearly a six
teenth OF mile. II might be that this
fellow, which has been In training since
early spring, has lost his form.
The monetary feature was the Frivol-
dty Stakes, q selling affair at six fur
longs Daniel. racing in the coiors OF
II. c. Proctor. won It, with Amber Sec
ond and Hilhouse third. In the run
down the backstretch Forest Lore
stepped In a hole and nearly went down.
At the start of the race Park shot
Ambler across his field and for this
violation of the rules the stewards sus-
pended him for six days.
Rough and tumble riding marred the
fifth race. Service Star won IL. with
Armistice second. while Halu. the favor
ite, was third. While rounding the first
turn Halu was almost thrown over the
rail. Merrimec. on Service Star. and
Nolan on Beckna crowded him against
the rail. and II Thomas had made n
move to pull up both ne and his horse
probably would have been over the fence
and hurt. The stewards saw the foul
and started an investigation immedl-
ately. They intmrogated all of the
Jockeys In the race for nearly half an
hour. They are going to do some more
investigating this morning and hand
down their decision In the case before
the first race this afternoon.