Year: 1872

the Private Stakes-Harry Bassett


Wins the Three-Quarter-Mile Purse


and Tammany the steeple-Chase.


"Opening day Is never q brilliant one at race
meetingn said the HERALD reporters Fidus
Achates, az the pair heard the Broadway pavement
rattle under the wheels Of their vehicle yesterday
morning, an hour before noon.
"How is that ?"
"Well, you see don't count men, but the ladies.
Fact is that the ladies send out sKlrmishers, you
know, and won't hazard an appearance en- masse
the opening day."
Thus chilled and discouraged to his innermost
core the HERALD reporter looked for consolation to
the sky, or as much of 1t as looked down between
the tall houses of the great street. 1t was blue and
there were some white cumulous clouds, with here
and there an ominous gray tinge. wnistling
breeze, trihe COOL was singing in the reportorial
ears as it murmured In those OF the other beings
who thrOnged this wide path through the city. He
was going to the races, this HERALD reporter. He
strOve to discern upon the visages OF those be saw
In that street OF business who going also, but
he gave 1t up. They did look so uncommonly intent
upon business that the reporter laughed at the
idea OF hard work being done anywhere while the
American Jockey Club at the Jerome Park held


HIGH FESTIVAL IN H0RSEFLESH.


The driver OF the vehicle, If he commanded the
sl0west team out OF the Pennsylvania co!heries
yet knew enough of human feelings to cheer
everybody by quitting the rut Of toll and tur-
moil and trundling nothward by the avenue
Once there, 1t was easy to observe that
the racecourse would have garnish OF color
and fashion along its edges, for before the stone
mansions and such hotels as the Brevo0rt many
carriage could be seen awaiting receiving its
pants who would demand to be driven to Jerome.
Even In the merest passing glance there Is some
thing inspriting IN the sight Of


LOVELY WOMAN GOING TO THE RACES.


She has not the overpowering air Of q divinity in
tue or an Empress In satin floating on lace trim
mings to a ball or the opera and catching every
stray moonbeam or gas CLEAN in her diamonds.
She Is warmly clad In warm colors, and can smile
and cause the coarser sex to smile without
excessive millinery surroundings. 1t Is a
breezy effect and the rush Of warm color
Induced by the kissings OF the breeze
would inspirit anyone with soul two inches above
the level OF the earth. As the carriage sweeps
along the avenue 1t seems as though sailing q
river with as many afiiuents as the Luapula or the
Lualaba From every side street pour in rivule.s OF
wealth. beauty fashion and manliness to the glori-
Gus stream going racewards. Then when the Park Is
reached with its sweeping curves green, foreground
Of velvet sod middle distance OF Autumn tinted
trees and background wherein bluIs near at hand
give place to sweeps Of upland, with Washington
Heights, Manhattanville the westchester line to
High Bridge standing against the sky, and the vii
lage OF Harlem lying In a basin below-all formed a
series OF pretty and suggestive pictures to the eye
and the mind.


"Good as a demesne to an English lord" said
Fidus Achates, lis this Park to any living near
It, AL the beauty and the breeze, with other peo-
pie helping to pay for It,"


The eyes cannot linger long on these beauties,
for the carriage soon leaves the Park. along with
the hundreds OF others which head towards old
Harlem lane, now happily vanished into the new
Boulevard. 1t is worth while to


LOOK AT THE CARRIAGES,


which, to the delight OF the reporter and disgust Of
his friend, passed their slow vehicle. The road
wagon with its pair OF 2:40 trottcrs before 1t and
the faster brace OF males upon the. seat; the
manlty OF either sex rolling cheerily along;
the English dog cart, with an Irish tiger seated
peaing their ostentatos Cigars in iront the eosS
coupe with Its cosier couple basking smiling
within the loud four-in-hand with its jolly passen
gers careerng duster-cad onward, and the man or
the hard angular face and the leering eye passing
everything on wheels in his suky, are seen within
Owe minutes. Then there are


THE wAYsIDE HOUSES


whereat frequent stoppages are made to refresh
the inner man or the horse, and soon afterwards
the cavalcade Is at the walk going Macombs
Dam Bridge, shaky pontine structure which will
always remind one OF the uncertainty OF life.





finally through gate bearing in Haunting capitals
the legend-Jerome Park. Here one is beset
take Charge syea Of Your animals The Jeha emu relieves
the carriage Of their presence by timely flourish
Of the whip and the reporter dsmounts to enter on
the duty OF the day. 1t Is near the hour marked
the correct card" for the first race and there is
already goodly company on the grassy oblong in
front OF the Grand Stand ycept


THE QUARTER STRETCH.


The men are circulating over the sward, some in
n I-hn
at the horses, who have begun to canter up and
down upon the track. a stream OF cavalier
House on the cliff yonder to take their places
on the Grand stand and the voices OF the excited
When the be rings and md the the police eS captain
on the track IS heard to shout, Clear the
track N, The reporter reTss
Union and out OF 1t are plying pencil on the first
horses. with their variegated riders about to start,
are drawn up In line at the quarter pole, behind
the judges stand. The sky is bright but there Is
dark cloud before the face Of the sun.


TIE RED FLAG OF THE STARTER DROPS,
and the horses rush forward in chorussed
tramp Just as they near the Grand Stand the sun
breaks forth from the cloud; the hash oil sunlight
falls on the slken coats OF horses and riders with
OF dust under their hoofs look golden The
gazing crowd seem TO catch the rush OF the
sunlight in their souls and a. ringing
cheer goes up as the blOOded steeds whrl az mad
dening pace around the curve OF the second quar-.
ter. The race is soon won, and the crowd breaks
In across the quarter stretch again. 1t is pleasant
now to look around and recognize the faces
OF men famous In the annals or the
clty, the nation and the world OF sport.
Not wanting either are a few reverses to the pic.
ture. Ask that detective, Of the quiet, bland
smile and keen eye, whether there ale any sus-
pci0us characters here. He answers


"There is not single thief here; we caught one
Just now and sent him kiting."


Which means In effect that they have reouested
him to prey upon pocketbooks elsewhere and
moved him Gothamwards at the double quick But
there are many ways on the turf OF emptying a
portemonnale besides putting hand In your
neighb0r's pocket and taking his purse out. This