The herald., 1895-10-19
S|LKNOOD STOCK IS DOWN
Beaten by W. Wood in Hollow
Shape
A SPLENDID TROTTING RACE
Ethel Downs Wins the 2;20 Trot After
Five Heats
Ole Of the Finest Exhibitions Of Trotting
Ever Seen on the Circuit-A
Large Crowd Present

Today was Silkwood DAY at Santa Ana.
ALI the countryside was there aid the
infield was lined with carriages for nearly
half a mile. The grand stand was packed
and every box was filled. The turf in
front OF the stand was fairly black with
people, and enthusiastic cheers greeted
Silkwood and W. Wood as they went by
the stand on their warm ing-up rounds.
Silkwood has taken on weight since last
year, and he apparently was not in the
prime condition that usually distinguish
ed him, whereas W. Wood looked fit all
over. i~llaL
Once more the talsnt got the throw
down." Ethel Downs and Nevere both
failing to come first. Gladwin started as
fav orite in the half mile dash, but Ne
vere's supporters forced her up to that po-
sition, Belle Oak being second chocie and
Gladwin falling into the field.
And how the mighty Silkwood did his
admirers wrong After winning a SLOW
heat he went out oil the race altogether,
and now there is weeping and wailIng
and gnashIng of teeth. in the sandy val
ley. st. Joseph Willis is saint no
longer and his glory has departed from
him.
But far and away the best race of
the meet was the 2:20 trot. Such con-
sistency in time is rarely seen, and tn Q
plucky performance of Ethel Downs Is
worthy of much praise. Some severe
comments were made on the carelessness
of Visalia's driver and the judges mad
him up on the stand.
The crowd, by the time the first race
was called, had increased until there
vera over four thousand people in the
Enclosure. all waiting for the Silkwood-
Wood race. When it did come it hardly
came up to expectations in either time or
results.
The first race yesterday was half mile
dash for 2-year-olds for a purse of $780,
There we're five entries and all started.
The horses were Gladwin, George F.,
Little Pearl, Nevere and Belle Oak. In
the pools Nevere fetched the favorite
money of $40, Gladwin gold for 81 and So,
while the field won't for $3 and 81. Glad
win started in as favorite. but the an
ride Nevere soon changed the odds. The
horses got away to fair start. and Nevere
and Belle Oak jumped to the front. Glad
win was in behind and Gerege F. and
Little Pearl running even in the rear.
They sailed away to the quarter pole in
Glad wins jockey jumped his mount for
ward and challenged the leaders. Nip
and tuck they cane down the stretch and
Gladwln's rider began to pull him ahead.
AT the sixteenth he dropped his whip
and Belle Oak and Nevre began to gain.
went under the wire. Gladwln poked her
nose in front and Nevere beat Belle Oak
| out by short neck. George f. and Little
Pearl ran unplaced. Time 50:H.
| Here again the trust tnat the talent
| had put in Webber's riding OF Nevere was
misplaced, and the field took a good
thing from the pools. ALI in all, the
talent has not had q good week at the
Santa Ana meet. all the favorites going
back on their supporters.
Then the judges announced the first
heat of the free-for-all pace. Orily, W.
w. Wood and Silkwood we're the only
ones to compete. Sikwood was the favor
ite at 10 to 3. The night before there had
been plenty of takers, but rumors of Silk
woods condition seemed to affect the
pools in the Afternoon. The discharge of
Silwood's trainer by Willis is to BIS
dition changed rapidly for the worse.
However, both animals got an ovation
when they logged by the grand stand on
their way up the start.
First heat-The sidewheelers got away
on the second start, and Silkwr cd led
Wood was holding we'll and going fast,
when at the three-sixteeuth mark his
head went up in the air and Silkwood
left him as if he was standing still. The
quarter pole was past in :30M, and then
Joe Willis began to pull Silkwood down.
When the five-siXteenths pole was past
Wood settled down and began to try and
make up. The half was made in 1:0434
and Silkwood logged easily around the
turn, Wood trying to close up the gap
between them. But Siikwood never
hurried and went easily under the wire
ten lengths ahead of Wood The time was
slow, 2:16I.
Second heat-The start was trihe un-
even. Wood having length the oest of
it. Chaboya pushed him out and took
the pole ahead of silkwood. They trav-
eled to the quarter in this order IN :32
fiat, but on the back track silkwood
stepped out and began to close up the
gap. At the half in 1:0315, he was at
Woods traces and they flew around the
track in this order, Wood travelling fast
and easily. AS they neareG the three
quarter pole, Wood pulled away and past
the pole in i ;36 fiat: Down the stretch
they came, Wood going strong. and Will
Its found he had waited too long. He
couldn't catch his leaLer, and Wood won
handily in 2 %.
This somewhat restored confidence in
W. Wood, and the pools, closed for the
last heat, opened up again.
Third heat-The pools sold even, and
the horses got away to fair start, and
the crowd roared as Silkwood took the
pole at the eighth. Round to the quarter
they flew in 0:32I, and down the back
stretch Willis let out a link. but he
could not shake Wood. The half was
reached in :03la. and on tho turn Wood
gained steadily. BY the time the. three
quarter pola was reached, in 1887, Wood
was Ia front. and they came down the
stretch flying fast. SIlkwood lost ground
and Willis took to the whip but his
horse was beaten and Wood won out
easily in 2:l0%: @
Fourth heat-They got away to a good
start, and Wood took the pole. Silkwood
going fast on the outside. They passed
the quarter in 0:32, AM down the back
stretch Wood SLOWLY gained till he was a
length ahead at the half in :02A. They
made the turn slowly and reached the
three-quarters IN l: :3S, and Wood swung
into the stretch a good length in the
lead. Willis gave up the chase at the
eighth and Wood logged home in 2:12.
Then ensued a scene of confusion. The
crowd roared and flooded the track. As
Charboya turned Wood down to the
judges stand he was taken from his
sulky and hoisted on the shoulders of
four men. The crowd cheered him