Belmont Stakes

Prince of Bourbon was as clean a horse as you could wish to see--small head, thin hock, deep chest, round blue hoof; moreover, he was being ridden in the famed $50,000 Belmont Stakes (Belmont Park, L. I.) by Earl Sande, who has been called, not without justice, "world's greatest jockey." So it seemed curious that obliging gentlemen with receipt-books were willing to offer $10 to every $1 of yours that Prince of Bourbon would not win the race. But if you thought that American Flag, for instance--swift son of Man o' War--or By Hisself, another son of that famed sire--were faster than Kentucky Cardinal, Marconi, Backbone, Swope, Dangerous, you would have to put up more money to win less. Various opinions Upon this state of affairs were expressed in U. S. currency or friendly promises. The horses went to the barrier, leapt away.

In three strides, Prince de Bourbon was in front, Backbone close behind him. The obliging gentlemen gasped. First furlong. Backbone, already dizzy, had slipped back. The mile. Prince de Bourbon was lengths in front. The obliging gentlemen loosed their striped collars with trembling forefingers. But ho!--American Flag, in second place, was behaving queerly. Jockey Johnson, on his back, did not lift his hands, raise his whip. But American Flag bounded past Prince de Bourbon as if the latter were shod with billets. To his owner, Samuel D. Riddle, went the stakes, and a great silver basket donated by the late Major August Belmont. The obliging gentlemen thoughtfully relit their masticated, short cigars. They had, as usual, been right.