The Portland daily press., 1893-10-06
Big CROWDS At RIGBY.
Edgardo Wins the Long Disputed
2.2o Race.
NELSON FAILS TO LOWER HIS
BECORD OF 200.

The Holly Contested Pacing Glass will
Have to be Finished This Forenoon
Attendance Five or Seven Thousand
Jean Vatican and the PAGER Bunco, Jr,
to be Matched Tpday-7Edgardo Trots
fire Fastest Heat Ever Seen iii a Maine
Contest.
Yesterdays races at Rigby Park must
have met the expectations of the manage
ment The day was fine and the attend
ance, was large, from five to seven
thousand certainly. The trains from the
East and the West brought many, and
the Portland people, alive to the fact
that some unusual races are going on, at
tended in good numbers. The large grand
stand was about half full AS it seats
5000 people, this portion of the audience
was Of satisfactory proportions. A great
many teams were on, the grounds, and
the audience outside the grand stand
was very large.
Nelson did not succeed in lowering his
record. The day and track We're perfect;
but the great stallion was little lame.
CHI. Nelson says that he cut the of hind
foot at Dover, N. H., making wound
much like a quarter crack. He was
slightly lame when he came onto the
track. Nevertheless. loudly cheered by
the audience, the great horse went of
in good STYLE Oh. Nelson drove. But
it became evident quite soon that the
record was not likely to be broken. At
the quarter the time was SO Ia; at the
half LOS; at the three-fourths 1.37, and
at the finish 2.1O 3-4. CHI. Nelson said
he would start again in thirty minutes;
but word coming that the foot was in
bad shape. the next trial was put 9 e. un-
til next Saturday, when Nelson will start
again.
The conclusion of the
2.aO Glass
began Tuesday, proved great struggle.
Neither Edith H. nor Thetis4 won, the
race. finally going to Edgardo.
Some complaint was made that the driver
of Edith H. pulled, her; but the judges
refused to entertain it, as in their opinion
the driver was doing his best to win.
The conclusion of Tuesdays 2.20 class
was magnificent. It will be remembered
that two heats were trotted Tuesday. In
the first Thetis was first, with Edith Il.
second. In the second heat Edith II.
won. Interest in the third heat yester-
day was intense. Edith I'll. was the
favorite although Thetis and Edgardo
had many hackers. After rather tedious
scoring the field got away in good style,
Edith II. having the pole. But at the
very outset she broke slightly, and by
the time the quarter was rached: the
Saco horse quartette, driven by John
dash. But near the half Quartette broke
and Repetition took the pole: Edith IL.
had been quite a distance behind, but on
the back stretch her powerful gray figure
was seen forging through the crowd OF
black. horses, as she made her way to the
front. But meanwhile the Medford horse
Edgardo had been quietly working
ahead, and when Repetition broke near
the three-quarters, Edgardo took the
pole. Edith HI. closed up with him, and
as she did SO the red coat of Thetis's
dandy Jockey also flashed to the front.
Tt was an exciting dash down the home
stretch. The right rein Of Repetition's
harness had broken, and that fine horse
was uncomfortable. Edgardo managed to
retain his lead although Edith HIS
driver used the whip freely, and the
finish was, Edgardo first, Edith III.
second, with Thetis and Repetition fol-
lowing together. Repetition was uncon-
trollable and ran again around the track.
causing much excitement. On the home
stretch the horse was caught by Rollins,
driver of the Biddeford stallion Cebolla.,
Edgardo's time was 2. Ii "a, and was re-
ceived with cheers.
aT,ba caoond baat for the day or the
fourth for the race, was another triumph
for Edgardo, although the victory was
obtained only after a desperate struggle.
AT the very outset Edith II. took the
pole, and at the quarter had comfort
able lead Edgardo was doing substan-
tial, but not brilliant work, and on the
back stretch it was not he but the
Gardiner horse Bird that dashed up to-
ward Edith H. IS wheel But the fine
New Hampshire gray held her lead at,the
half and also at the three-fourth. But
the last quarter was the stretch,On which
the jockeys meant to do or die. Bird
had given place to Edgardo and the red
jacket of Thetis's driver was coming on
with dash that surprised thesfeld. Down
the home stretch they tore. Edith Fl.
holding her lead with more and more
difficulty Finally, amid loud cheers,
Edgardo Tapped the gray, then dashed
ahead and went under the wire winner
by a length. Thetis also had spurted,
and when the gray went under the wire
the red coat of Thetis's driver was ahead
of the more sober raiment of the gray's
Jockey. Time 2.14 12
The fifth heat will be remem bered long
by every one of the 5000 people who saw
it. AT three points in the long course
the best eyesights were different as to
which of two contestants was ahead, and
one of those points was at the wire. At
the very first Thetis fell to tho rear and
thereafter cut no figure. 1t was her gray
rival Edith H. that thrust herself for
ward until she was nose and nose with
Edgardo. Along the back stretch the
two horses and two drivers appeared to
be as one horse and one driver. At the
half Edgardo had drawn q neck ahead;
but again Edith H. spurted, and again
they were wheel and wheel They were
in this position at the three-fourth's
mark, and they were in this position for
every inch of the distance to the wire.
A great shout arose as this race, un-
eqnalled for the day, dashed to the wire,
the drivers swinging their whips,
and each striving to gain the inch which
should make his horse winner.
The spectators, even those who had
the best chance to see the wire, disputed;
but the judges gave the race to Edgardo.
Time 215 3-4. The summary complete