The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-01
RUNNING RACES.
The Crowd Was Big. but
Not Thanksgiving.
ANNA MAYES AT LENGTH
A Stake-Winner Captures the
PalO Alto.
THE SHORT-PRICED BOOKIES.
Ida Glenn, Motto, Anna Mayes,
Cuchara and North Winners.
Mechanics Leg Broken.
e SHORT-PRICED BOOKIEs.

The crowd out at the Bay District Track
yesterday afternoon. which filled the
stands and damned the betting ring so
tight that football scrimmage would
have been mild fun in comparison, were
by no means in a thanksgiving mood
either at the beginning of the afternoon.
in the middle or at the close. The weather
was against them, luck was against them
in their speculations. and the continual
and long delays at the starts dragged out
an improbable afternoon into wet, un-
pleasant evening, with darkness fast set
thing down as the last race was run off.
Under other conditions, except in two or
three instances to which allusion will
hereafter be made. the day would have
been, and must be so considered even now.
a memorable one, in that it saw in the
Palo Alto stakes grand contest between
the highest class lot of two-year- old fillles
that ever faced starter in California, the
first success Of the stake events at this
meeting. The details of that race are
fully dealt with below, but there was one
circumstance IN connection with the bet
ting market that requires mention, and
that was the ridiculOuSly short prices that
the boOkmakers doing business here con-
slider themselves justified in Offering. If
ever "einch' books were made they are 10
be found open at the Bay District Track at
the present meeting.
The management seem inclined TO rely
solely on sprint races as an attraction.
Yesterday in the four fiat races there were
TWO SIX furlOng and two five furlOng
events. True. mile handicap was adver-
tised in the weeks programme, but it did
not fill, and so the sprint for beaten horses
was substituted. The public is asking.
however, why the handicaps, which should
always be the most exciting features of
any race meeting, do not fill? If owners
are shy of entering their horses what is
the reason? The reason lies in The one
fact that The CALL has before spoken Of
the value Uf the purses offered. The sou-
ton of the difficulty would be to reduce
the size OF those offered for fields of skates,
whose owners have hitherto been only too
glad to run them for $50 and $500 purses.
and proportiOnately increase those of the
nandicaps. Make the latter still more val
liable than they are now and they will I'LL
fast enough.
Georgetown was favorite in the first race.
but his price changed so quickly that
spectators became suspicious. Jacobu
was very heavily backed, closing favorite
at even money and Is TO 10 Ida Glenn was
at 9 to .. while 30 TO l rould have been had
about Joe. The TWO favorites were, how
ever. never in the race with the mare, who.
taking the Lead at the start, held il the
entire journey, and won by three lengths
from Joe, who got the place by head,
little 81 Mechanic catching Madison nap
ping and beating him right under the wire.
MottU's weli-known liking for the mud
did not seem sufficient inducement for the
talent TO back her in view of her recent
running and the fact that two superlatIve-
~ excellent mudlarks In Cocheco and st.
Croix were also starters. The three