Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-15
THE GREAT HANDICAP
All Ready for the Big Race at
Gravesend.
WEATHER PLEASANT And FAST TRACK
Preparing for a Raid on Book
makers.
WEATHER PLEASANT And FAST TRACK
CAN DID ATES AT WORK


clear. The Grcvesend track WAS In the
pink OF condition. and While there is an
inch of loose dirt on the surface it IS as
fast as at any time since II was built, and
fast time seems likely in the great Brook
lyn handicap, which is the fourth race on
the card and should be run shortly after
4 o'clock in the afternoon.
The preparations have all been made for
the reception of the crowd of race goers
which has been kicking it's heels in i1leness
since December 1, when all racing ceased
In this neighborhood, and the rest Of nearly
ak months has made the followers of the
horses more anxious than ii any previous
year. But there is trouble among the army
Of men who 80 to the track daily during the
racing season, for they were without the
usual free passes, as the new jockey club
had decided that passes were 20 be issued
only to those whose business obligated
them to be at the track. anu the swarm Of
touts. alleged jockeys AMI broken down
sports had the fact Staring them in the
face that they would have to pay to see
the racing They had known this for some
time. but were IN hopes that some way
would be found to enter the track without
paying or ,I.at the club wodll Telent at
the last minute.
The hotels in the city were thronge1 with
racing met last night and az s0on t:is.
entries for tOday's racing appeared On the
tickers disca sSi0n over the chances Of the
horses was begun AMI continued until .ate
in the night The city was full of western
men. who had come on to back the western
horses. and c,Iriously enough, three of the
favorites came from that section.
Clifford was the choice Of the majority,
and from al Appearances those who had
not already made III. makers OF the winter
books sorry that tney nal laid such ling
odds against the smart of Br.unble
were prepared to descSn1 upon the ring
and flood IL with Cliffori money. Eugene
Leigh tnor1 moi
his friends we're out in full force and fully
prepared to give the ring \ sSorchi1g. IL
was thought then that Clifford would go
IO the post an eish- to five favorite.
Fred Foster, owner OF DIR. Rice, had
goodly sized following. and deservedly. too,
Tor the game son OF Onondaga was never
In better condition and his two-year-old
form was good enough to make him an i'm,
portant factor in the race. He, too, Is apt
To start at short price.
The other westerner. Henry of Navarro,
has plenty of friends. but the fact that the
Colt is the only -three-year-old in the race
and that there is decided prejudice to
horses OF that age in handicap, will make
him less favored than II he were not at
such a disadvantage. He has had good
deal OF backing however, and will have
much more. so that the winter bookmakers
Will be hard hit If ne is the first at the fin
ish for the great S25,OOO handicap.
Sir Walter is the undoubted choice OF the
majority OF eastern men, and he has been
heavily backed already but it would not be
surprising II his price were driven down so
that he would start about an equal favorite
with Clifford He is better known in the
east however, and his reputation has not
been OF the newspaper kind Banquet Is
better thought OF than he was a few days
ago. and this hard-working, honest little
gelding will not lack for supporters. For
the first time his name came up prominent
ly last night. and the fact that his temper
IS better than IL ever was before had added
to his already long list of friends; and II
this sturdy old campaigner should succeed
I'm winning, men who have bets on the
wrong horse will be the only ones to COM
plain He has been popular with the mass
es for years
Sport still remains a good choice although
he has not done as well as he should, and
II Is still a matter of doubt whether he will
break when the question is asked, and he
may decline to race.
Ajax has his friends, too, in spite of the
fact that the distance is believed to be
more than he likes. but he may like a longer
distance when Garrison begins to prod him
along. Il
Bassetlaw had a few friends. but 1t was
only a few. in spite of the fact that Matt
Allen thinks SO highly Of the imported son
OF ST. Simon
Scenes at Gravesend.
At o'clock there was quite a sprinkling
Of spectators in the grand stand at Graves
end. with the race many hours away. They
had been busy watching the horses at their
work. but had no opportunity for seeing the
handicap candidates speeded. although all
were out for little gentle exercise.
The chief interest was in Sir Walter, who
had not been seen on the track at Graves
end this year. and his condition was prac cti-
cally unknown. He came out early and
simply caNered. He in the pink of
condition, and looked as if he had been cam
palgning. Walter Rollins had certainly
given him enough work, and he seemed 10
De inner than any of the other horses in the
Dig race All of the exercise work was over
by 10 O'Clock, and then the men began the
work OF preparing the track for the days
racing.
II was narrowed and rolled and all the
Jumps were taken out to get it In the best
possible condition for fast time The hose,
too was called into use and the stretch was
well wet down. = -
The grand stand. paddock and betting
rinS presented an unusual spectacle at
that time. In former wears there hss
been large crowd of hangers on at the
track. who were waiting to see how they
could manage to remain through the rae
irg, but none OF them Were to be seen to-
day. The guards We're put on the gates
early and all of the riff raff of previous
years were left outside to get in as best
they could, for very few of them had the
entrance money and their occupation was
gene.
The annoying touts who have heretofore
swarmed over the track to the disgust of
respectable race goers. could not be seen
hAAI II DeSdn 10 lOOk rs II the Jockey Club
was in earnest and they would be kept
away from the track. This move is as
good as any made by the club and will GER
talnly result in less annoyance and bring
back the old respectability to the course
The grand stand was as clean as a new
pin and in the morning sunlight the grass
looked like velvet
The latest track betting on the handicap
Is
Banquet. s; Ajax. 6: DIR. Rice. 4: Henry OF
Navarro 8; Clifford. 21z; Sir Walter, ) to 2
Diablo. 10; others, 20.
A Raid Intended.
At noon today IT was announced thai
Sheriff Buttling of Kings county will go tc
Gravesend track this afternoon. He will
have a posse Of twenty men with him.
Messrs- Howe and Hummel say that q
general raid will be made. All "parapher-
MALTA OF the track will be seized. This
means that horses, Jockeys and owners will
be taken into custody.
Work of the Candidates.
The owners Of the candidates seem to be
confident Of winning. and each of them
has his own particular idea as to when his
horse Is going to break the others down
Taylor declares that they will have to beat
21i to set ahead OF Sport, and says that
his horse is fit to run for his life.
Doggett says that he will win by three