The morning call., 1891-09-14
The SACRAMENTO RACES.
Interesting Track Gossip Concerning Past
and Coming EYeDtS.

SACRAMENTO, Sept. 13.-With half Of the
meeting over, the racing has been good
though not exceptionally SO. The only SEN
sational feature so far was Arion's great
showing ON Thursday, when the handy Elec-
tionecr two-year-old went q second heat in
2:21 and set the worlds two-year-old stall
lion record. Marvin probably did not push
MIN all out, but if he had the figure might
have been below 2:20, as outside close
timers made the heat 2:20h Possibly
there were good reasons for keeping Arion
out of the 90 list. At the breeders meeting
next month AriOn. if he starts, may bring
his mark down little lower. But. as men,
toned above, Arion's is the only really
great performance of the meeting so far in
the harness division and Myrtle's 2:19R, in
the three-yearold opening event, was excel
lent, but it is not equal to Arion's work.
The 2:20 trot on Saturday was not en-
trely satisfactory, owing to the uncertainty
concerning Mary LOUIS status, and poSsi-
bly,, under other conditions, the time made
throughout would have been better some
what. There was also some uncertainty
about the pacing contests of the week, aud
it looks very much as if the closest atten ton
that the judges can give to this class OF
racing can never be much out of place.
That in a three-hOrse pace the judges should
decide, and most iustitably so, as tile result
proved, to take down two drivers IS not
very satisfactory showing of the honesty of
some pacing contests.
As to the runners, the fields, with the
opening exception, have been much smaller
than the entries made should have brought
out. In all ia different horses were entered
in the running events Some Of these are
dead, some sold in the East and some out of
training. Still about sixty have started or
are likely to do SO. The absence of the
Palo Alto, Thornton, Porter Ashe, Golden
Gate, Undne and other stables is felt In the
fields.
L. j. Rose has only two entries at the
track, Fairy and Motto. AT the conc Iusion
of the meeting they will 60 to Reno and pos
sibly to Carson City, returning to Oakland
in time to prepare for the fall blood-hOrse
meeting at the Bay District Track. Fairy
so much out-classes anything else here that
most owners decline to start their horses
against her, thus accounting III some meas
ure for the small fields. Fl. Jones, who
trained Colonel Thornton'S stable and man
aged them in the East this year until they
were sold at auction. has charge now OF the
Rose horses.
Frank NJ, whose great race last year with
Homestake is vivid memory TO horsemen,
has arrived at the track from the Interior
circuit where he had things all his own
way. Only last week he won easily up
country in 2:19. He is looking in prime
order and will be most important factor
purse for the 2:1S class. Frank goes
against Silas Skinner and Wanda,
and, with his speed and gameness,
is likely to be, if not the winner, at least
very close up. Good judges consider it
almost certain that he will take one and
possibly two heats. Heating, his trainer
and driver, thinks very highly of Franks
chances. The Skinner people are confident
that Wanda will have to do better than she
has done yet to hold him. They know that
he is faster than before and his subrOsa
mile last Tuesday, after winning the State
good and better, it is said, than 2:15 has made
them feel as If they had almost certainty
OF winning. Yesterday afternoon, between
the heats of the 2:20 and 2:30 classes, Skim
ner worked out mile in 2:16A, so inde-
pendent clockers stated. As to Wanda, her
steadiness and speed are we'll known; but
even in private it has not been shown to the
public that she can equal SINNERS 2:l4A
or 2:l6%. She is, however, so cleverly
managed that her past moves are known
only to her owner On Thursday she was
given six public heats, the slowest in 2:26,
and the fastest in 2:19%.
The drivers will in all probability be
Frank NJ, Keating; Silas Skinner. Nc
Graw, and Wanda, Hickok. The race is
DO certainty for any one of the three. Each
of them has shown up well enough to win,
and the race is an open one enough. All
good money that will be awarded
the victor, and it promises to be a
borse-race from end to end. Racing is. of
course, most uncertain; but regarding this
event the best judges predict that II VIII
not be won in straight heats. Ii this pre-
dction be verified the race will be one OF
the most interesting of the years racing in
California, and the winner. whichever one
of the three it may be, will be notable
figure in the record list of the State.