The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-23
A VERY FINE OPENING.
The First Day Of the Montana State
Fair Meeting Promises
Success.
Some Pretty Racing With Three
Favorites Out of Four
Winning.
Oregon Eclipse Fooled tho Talent and
Weund Up at the Tail End Of
tho String.

April 10
Hevs1a !"
Bob WADE :"
Maud Patchen ......... ............ = to
A clear aky, a fast track and a good at
tendance gave the Montana State Fair
very hne send-otf yesterday. The crowd, al
usaal ON the first day, was composed prin
oipally of the sporting classes, but thu
ladies were out in goodly numbers and gav'
color to the grand stand gathering. Pri'
vate eonveyancea were on the grounds il
profusion, the most noticeable being the
handsome victoria Of L. H. Hershfield. Or
the judges stand was the portly and i'm
posing figure of President A. j.. Davidson,
He. with W. A. Chessman and Francis
Pope. composed the judges. H. W. Childs
and e. W. Bach were time keepers. Or
the quarter stretch and around the betting
stand was the tall form of Maj. Davenport
enveloped in his long linen buster, Joe
WoolmaR with his field glasses strapped
over his shoulder, and a host of larger
or smaller lovers Of horsefiesh and sporting
men. Tho betting was very lively, and q
great deal of money changed hands. There
Was one thing particularly pleasing, and
that was the promptness with which the
races began, They were over before six
O'Clock, q fact due mainly to the beautiful
style in which the California mare, Maud
Patchen. captured the 2:3O trot in three
straight heats. This enabled everybody to
get back to town before seven O'Clock.
There were no surprises outside of the
half-mile dash and there tho talent got
dumped. Oregon Eclipse was a great ia
vorits. and with Fortune M, the betting
men thought they had q cinoh. When the
chestnut horse passed under the wire away
in the rear of the string, they duR,their hands
that they did not know much about it any
how. In the other events, however. it was
decidedly q fsvorite day, though in the
tyotting race the knowing ones again
caught it by playing Gregory against Maud
Patchen on the second heat. The book
Helena track, and did a fair business.
though the auction pools were the best
~patronixed.
The time made was good only in the half
mAe dash, whom April Fool came within
half 4 second of the record by making it in
:22. In the other events it was fair, though
no thought Oregon Eclipse had any
business bringing up the rear in a half mile
run that was won in :4s. Maud Patchen's
time in the big tFot was excellent, consider
ing that tho mare is Yeputsd to be
very much pumped out usually in two heats.
i was this superstition or report, whatever
it may he, that made tho profession plunge
on Gregory after the first heat. The Cali
fornia mare fooled them all by holding her
wind nicely throughout. in spite Of the
ard trotting she had to do in the first heat
to keep away from Tom Tucker. In the
other tvo heats she made the gait herself.
April Fool wssTa favorite III the betting
Bob Wade 2-to ]. Nettie s 5 to 1. In the
Wade IS and Nettie 8 s.. Considerable
trouble was experienced in getting a good
start. Nettie S behaved badly and Bur
linesps, her Jockey. had considerable
F i5GaIiy ringing start as1 70 was 'ns ''i made
after a good many trials, and the first fur
long was Travelled in o style that made it
look as if the favorits would have to run
for it. This was an idea that was quickly
dispeAed. April Fool came along half the
then The buckskin drew away and put two
lengths between himself and the bay
gelding. This distance was maintained to
the finish, April Fool winning easily by "
lengths ahead of Bob Wade, and Nettle S.
away in the rear, in the good time of %.
HAHoI uie %SoVs W. uL-
J.,R Walkers Oh. g. April Fool. by Conf
w de + dam nh unkn1 2 n ~ Rd pou Wad. (M lo9Tsrs. l
unknown. i22 pounds, (Kellyl..... -. 2
IN Barker, Jr.'s gr. m; Nettie 81 BY. Roam ,
JNok, dam unknown, III pounds, (Burllgame) 3
lime, 20. MutuAls paid $3.50.
Revolver was withdrawn by his owner
from the second race, si1 furlonRs, because
of the weight he was obliged to carry-l22
pounds. This left Eddie r.. Hercules,
Comet and Nevada. the latter, of course. a
prime favorite. She sold in the books at l
Comet 70 to l.. In the auction pools Nevada
ought $40, Hercules S15, Eddie r. 81 and
Comet So. The start was a good one and
the fuers kept fairly we'll punched to the
first turn, when Hercules and Nevada got
away from the others, who were soon two
lengths behind the leaders. Coming down
the homestretch Eddie r. drew up toward
the leaders and it looked for the moment as
If the gelding would give Nevada a race.
But at tbs furlong pole Nevada began draw
ing away with ease. and though Kelly piled
the whip he could not close the gap and the
favorite went under the wire in a gallon in
ILL, two lengths ahead of Eddie r. Her
culss was a poor third and Comet last.
SECOND RAcE-Running-Purse $3.50; six fur
longs: winner this season at this distance carry
ing weight for age, to carry entitled weight; non
winners allowed 10 pounds.
IL; KirkendalIs ch. m, Nevada, by Regent, dam
Miss Fila, LOT pounds Smith -.......,.... /
w. H. Chambers b. G. Eddie r., by Nappa,
dam Sally Come Up, liz pounds Kelly 80.
James Fosters CHI. h. Hs.cules, by Joe Hooker.
dam Lulu Riggs II pounds FortuneJ.......
t.. J Booseke,s oh. h. Comet, by Robbery Roy,
dam Eelle, IL pounds, (Dingley) ............ c
Time. iii. Mutuals paid $40.
1t had been favorite's day up to now.
But the time had come for the guessers.
Oregon Eclipse was the favorite in the
half mile dash and the best odds
that the bcokmakers would give
on him was 3 to 8. They put Black
Diamond at 2 to l. and Bob Wade anG
Eclipse. Jr., at 3 to l each. In the auction
pools Oregon Eclipse sold for $50, Blacl
Diamond SIG, Bob Wade SIS and Eclipse,
Jr. 81. The horses got off well in a bunch
the plaid colors of the Brazoria stable show
ing slightly to the front for a few rods, and
the others running even. At the first turf
Rlack Diamond closed with the leader anG
it was a guess to tell who had the best of it
Showing up on the turn into the HON
stretch, Bob Wade and Oregon ECLIPSE
began struggling to the front. The latter die
not make it though Bob Wade caught up with
the leaders. Then it was a race indeed.
Kelly got the gelding to working nicely,
and Smith urged the black horse to the ut.
most. Rivers applied the whip vigorously
but Eclipse, Jr., had done his best ano