The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-04

ordered for tho occasion the opening
yesterday of the spring meeting Of the
Lake and Driving Park Association
could scarcely have been more auspi-
cious.
Overhead the elements were about
perfect and it was plainly evident that
the race loving-people appreciated
the di:ectorial efforts to furnish great
days sport. Tho attendance was i'm
mense, fully 1900 people taking advan-
tage OF the occasion to fill the grand
stand and shady hooks, which afforded
good view Ct the field. Besides, the
spectators were enthusiastic over their
favorites and goodly number of the
fair Sex with escorts served to allay
anything bordering on boisterness.
Before the races began each stall had
its little knot Of admirers, anxious to
view the condition of tho flyers who re-
ceived their backing, and as 2:30 o'clock
drew near the tide gradually moved
backward. A Slight accident to ono of
the dummy trains delayed Il portion of
the crowd in reaching tho course and it
was an hour later when the five entries
in the first event OF tho day logged up
to tho post.
Meanwhile tho Roanoke Machine
Works band discoursed several musical
selections from their station in the
grand stand and the betting ring was u
lively scene There was plenty of
plunging on winners, but very little
place betting And as events turned out
it proved to be favorites' day all around.
The dark horses and long shots had no
chance whatever.
Tho slight rain of Tuesday night
seemed to be just the needed article. and
the track was light as a feather. The
running races were holly contested from
start to finish and tho swayiug feeling
of the crowd found vent in loud cheers
as one or the other held temporary ad-
vantage.
The roadsters' race was somewhat
in the nature of Il walkover, Sam
Purdy, Jr., not only winning with the
utmost ease, but distancing the rest of
the field in the bargain. There was
great deal moro jockeying at the post
than might have been necessary, but
that is at the same time trick of the
trade, and in the first event at least
aided one hor &c to place. A. l.. Jam
ison, d. NJ. Howe, and Il. M. Williams
acted as judges: H., W. ClaXton, as clerk,
and M. Il. c. Jordan as starter. In the
final race ]. c. Rawn assumed Mr..
Jamisons duties.
THE FIRST RACE.
When the contestants for the hotel
stakes, e mile dash, wcro called, the
following horses responded: L. u. Holli-
days Fitz Lee, j. ID. McCarty's Crown
Prince, II. c. Mattux's Ella, A. ID.
Payne's Count Mc-in and the Columbia
Stables America, with Jockeys West,
Bcanan, Slack, Carson and Lewis up.
The betting at this time stood: Books:
Fitz Lee, 4 to ;: Crown Prince, 4 to ];
Ella, 3 to /; Count-Mc. In, 3 to ?; and
America, S to /. Auction pools: Fitz
Lee, Sl0 CountMc-In, s.; fold, So. In
the mutuals FitZ Lee was also the primo
favorite, closely followed by America.
At the fall of the flag the field came
away in the following order: Fitz Lee,
Crown Prince, Ella, Count-Mc-In and
America. Ella set the pace-a very hot
one-all the way to the quarter pole,
closely pressed by III Lee and Count.
Me-In. West here began to uso his
whip and spur freely and passed tie
leader. They ran in this order to the
stretch, where Count-Me-In and Ella
had 4 great race for place. Fitz Leo
coming under the wire like streak and
winning by a length. Count-Me-In took
second money from Ella by nose.
Time 1:O4.
SECOND EVENT.
About 1870 tho runners in the milo
dash were called out and again the
favorite won easily. This was the game
event of the day, and what looked like
sure victory for Capt. MattuX's Trousers
at first ended in defeat. After eight or
ten false starts the field got under way
in the following order: Columbia
Stables Dover, II. F. Corce's Katie c.
l.. p. Holidays Story Teller, S. +.
PoindeXter's Medoc and II. C. MattuX's
Trousers. The jocks were Lewis, Car
son, West, Pace and Slack. The odds
were: Dover, to 9; Katio c., 2 to 5;
Story Teller, to /; Mcdoc, Z to ., and
Trousers, to /, with Katie G.. selling
even against the field in tho auction
and a strong favoriic in the mutuals.
Trousers secured an excellent start
and passed his four opponents half way
TO the quarter post, when he led Katie
c. by a length and Medoc by two
lengths. At the half tho procession
was still the same, but within fifty
yards of the three quarters Katie c.
showed her metal and ran away from
the bunch in great style. between the
last post and stretch Story Teller and
Medoc showed Trousers the way and
the order under the wire was: Katie
c., Story Teller and Medoc, the winner
coming home by two lengths. Time
1:49.
THE RoADSTERs,
Everything was Sam Purdy, Jr., in the
last event Of the card, the book makers
Offering to ), and the mutuals showing
the same preference. Sam Jones
and Mike d. were withdrawn, and the