The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-15
PECULIAR RACING.
Charge That Horses Were
Pulled by Riders.
WRlGHT'S WINTER MEETING.
But Small Number of People Witness
the Running on the Oakland
Track Yesterday.

Racing at the Oakland track has been
practically ruined under the management of
Ben Wright.
When the events of the second day of
Wright's winter meeting began yesterday
aftern DON there were less than 200 spectators
at the track.
There were murmurings of discomfort
from the start which eliminated during the
third race by open charges of crookedness.
That there was bad starting NO one Will
deny and that Altus was pulled" in the
third race there was the general opinion.
To begin with. the first race was over q
course of half a mile. There were eight
starters, and Flora E was the favorite with
the avaricious "bookies," who sold her at
odds of to 5. and Daily Oregonian sold at
u to l. Elwood % to l, Tacoma 10 to 1,Valita
to 1. Flair to 1, Mischief % to and Pan
ehita 10 TO l.
Starter Lee Shaner got the horses off
under crcums tanceS that would warrant an
Investigation in themselves. He manipu-
lated the flag in such style that Mischief ana
Flair were pulled up at the post and did not
attempt to run. The others ran well
punched TO the turn, where Daily Oregonlan
and Flora L appeared to collide. DAILY
OregOnian then took the lead and won by
nose ia :53A. Flora 4 beat Panchlta three
lengths for the place.
Jockey Narvaez, the rider OF Flora h. en-
tered protest. claiming that he had been
deliberately fouled by Martinez on Daily
Oregonian. The judges refused to consider
the claim and ignored the protest.
When asked why they had been left at
the post the riders of Mischief and Flair
stated that before Shaner dropped the scar
let flag he shouted go" and then counter
manded the order by eXclaiming come
back" Between these contrary orders he
dropped the flag and that is why the judges
rang the bell after two of the Jockeys had
pulled up.
There were four starters in the second
race with L'EspeTanZa as the favorite. At
the start l. Esperanto took the lead and held
1t 10 the finish. winning by two lengths.
The little mare ran over the i've furl0ngS in
:0715. Maekey ran under the wire second
and Queen Bee third. Jack the Ripper
brought up the rear Of the procession.
Then came the third race. which came
very near ending in riot "Bookies" be-
gan by offering odds OF TO l against Cy-
clone, to 5 against Altus and to l against
Fannie T. Considerable money had been
wagered, when rumOr took unto Itself
wings and flew all over the track. 1t was
an ugly, hldeous rumor. 1t was nothing
more nor less than the fact-so the rumor
went-that the ''bookies" had made up a
purse of $3.50 10 have the favOrite pulled"
Just who received the money is not known.
butit is certain that II was sufficiently well
'placed" to have Altus beaten. When the
bookmakers began chopping the odds
around until they made Cyclone the favor
ite al to the first substantiati0n OF the
rumOr was shown.
During the race the allegation OF fixing"
was fully substaatiated. From the start TO
the half Cyclone led, with Fanny + second
and Altus third At the three-quarter post
Fanny 4 took the lead and maintained it 10
the finish. winning the race" by length
and covering tile seven-eighths of a mile in
l :3S. Cyclone was second, and Altus was
kept back ten lengths in the rear That
Atus was held baek-"puled," as the
turfmen express twas only too palpable
to every witness of the performance.
Yet the judges failed to discover anything
wrong. They simply declared Fanny +
winner and awarded second place TO Cy-
clone. Several bOokles were bitten at their
own game. They secretly wagered big
money on Cyclone with their rivals. 1t was
case Of diamond cut diamond, but the
"bookies" who took in all the odds on the
"favorites" were more than satisfied with
their winnings.
at is just such performances as this"
said one disguised spectator, that ruin all
lines of legitimate sport. But there can DO
no investigation In the present case because
these races are neither backed by associa-
| ton or club. They are simply run by Ben
| Wright. and that is all there Is to it,"
Very little money was wagered on the
| fourth and last race, which was over a
| Stoneman. Mountain Boy, ST. Patrick, Joe
| Hooker Jr., Little Tough and Red Rose.
| Stoneman took the lead early in the race
| and won easily by length In 1:06%. Joe
| Hooker Jr. was second and Red Rose third.
Appended are the summaries:
SUMMARIZES.
oakland Racetrack, Feb IA, lss5.-weather fac.
First race-Half mile: purse $780,
s. J. Jones ch. Z. Daily Oregoaian, a. by Ophir-
| Blue Mountain Belle lis (Martinez) ........, l
Sutton Buffers b. m Flora L. o. lio a. Mar
Encino stables ch m Panchita. i, loi ispencej. 5
Time. 1914.
Won by neck; three lengths between second aud
Betting: ~ to Daily oregonian. 8 to 5 Flora e,
EiwoOd, Tacoma, valIta Flair and Mischief also
ran.
Second race-Handicap; I'VE furlongs; purse 5000.
Enciao stables CD. m fEsper@nza, 4. by Judge
g. II. Kennedy's ch. & Msckey. a. ll2 (TayIor) 2
Howard Leach's D m Queen Bee L. los GLOW
af'' ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Time orr. ''''''''-'''-'
Won by two lengths; half length between sec
Hetting: to rEsperanza 8 to ! Mackey 3 to
Queen Bee
Jack the Ripper 4 to !. also ran.
Third race-sening: seven furlongs; purse 5000
Encino stables b. m. Fannie +, A., 10y Wididle-
SMITH Bros. br, h Cyclone, a.. ~ tsmitnj .....
W. 2. Fines b. h. Altus, 5. III (Epperson) .....
| Time, .3S
Won by length; ten lengths between second
| and third
Betting-5 to / Fanny F, IL to Cyclone. to l
Altus.
Fourth race-sellinR; five furlongs; purse 5000.
| W. n. Sinelar's g. &. Stoneman a, by Kirby
Smith-Hunky Dory, III tHiii) ...................
StuIgill & Fishers cb &. Joe Hooker Jr.. a.. lO4
| Fresno stables Oh. m. Red Rose. 4, ga fGarcia) 8
| Time 0634
Won by length; half length between second
| and third.
Betting: to stoneman to Joe Hooker Jr,
| to Red Rose.
Mountain Boy 5 to l. ST. Patrick to and Little
| Tough 4 to ! also
There was an interval of nearly an hour
between each race. Why2 Simply to give
| the 'b0okies," the skin games and the bar
| chance to increase their revenue from the
| spectators
| Wright announced yesterday that be
would hold five more racing days. In view
Of all the most peculiar circumstances that
| occurred yesterday at his track it is evident.
however. that his winter meeting" is
| already practically at an end.