The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-13
COUNTER TENOR WON
He Is the Victor in the Great Metro
pOlitan Handicap.
THE MORRIS PARK OPENING
Henry OF Navarro Withdrew and
Sir Walter Was Favorite "A
Good start and Fretty Fin
ish = Races Elsewhere.

New York, May 12.-The opening day
at Morris park was a complete success:
the track was in the best possible con-
dition. 1t was 4:45 o'clock when the
six candidates for the honor of the first
great event of the year made their ap-
pearance. The withdrawal of Henry
of Navarro had established Sir Walter
as the leading favorite, chiefly on ac-
count of his jockey, Taral, and the fact
that he was on his own track, while
Counter Tenor and Dorian were able
favorites, the former having been well
backed, as Lakeland, his trainer. was
confident of victory. They reached the
post in good time. and after one or two
slight breaks and general breakaway
they were sent off to a good start, with
Hornpipe quickest on his feet. and but
a head in front of Sir Walter, he a
head in front of Dorian. while a length
away were Rubicon, st. Maxim and
Counter Tenor. necks apart. They
reached the end OF the first quarter in
the same order as the start Then
came the climb up the hill which has
caused many a good horse to falter,
and to-day was no exception to the
rule. They swept around the turn.
which Sir Walter knew so well. Taral
urged his mount and he took the lead
away from the Brooklyn handicap win
ner of last year, both taking a little
lOHBeT lcdu VI the IcSl VI lHC hCld,
which maintained about the same posi-
tion as at the fall of the flag, Sir Wal
ter being a neck in front of Hornpipe,
he length before Dorian. who led Ru-
bicon by a head, while ST. Maxim and
Counter Tenor. a neck apart were
holding the rear of the flying thorough
breds.
Along the top of the hill half a dozen
rushed with quickening strides, and as
fhay tt1rpad N down the hill there
was a rapid change in the positions.
and the weakest began to falter. A
dozen strides down the hill and they
were at the three-quarter pole, with Sir
, Walter. a length in the lead of Horn
pipe. who was sliding back and was
only head in front of Rubicon- Dorian
was a half length behind. then came
Counter Tenor and st. Maxim, who had
changed places. and were getting ready
for the final rush. They were well down
the hill at the mile post. and Hamilton
I had taken Counter Tenor up into third
place, and was working In earnest. Ru-
bicon was, however. a length and a half
in front of him and Sir Walter a neck
further away. and only a furlong to 60
st. Maxim was a length behind the
Rupert crack, while Dorian was abso-
lutely out of IL. Taral and Clayton dug
the leaders with their spurs and banged
their whips against their quivering
sides, but II was no use. The final rush
came, and when 1t was all over big
chestnut with a negro shot past the
judges stand, winner by a half length
in one of the finest finishes seen in
years.
st. Maxim. the despised outsider. was
in the second place, neck In front OF
the game Sir Walter. The others were
trailing. From the roar that arose
from the crowd II seemed as though
the favorite had won, but he was In the
third place.
Five furlongs-Hastings won. Freak
ness second. Gotham third; time, O;59.
One mile-Lehman won, Brisk second,
Copyright third: time. 1:41. Five fur
longs, Casse Opia won. Bastron second.
Caldron third; time, l minute; Metro
politan, mile and an eighth-Counter
Tenor, Q15) Hamilton. (S13 to II won,
St Maxim 00O Doggett, 90 TO ID sec
ond: Sir Walter. Q12 Taral. 6 to 81
third time, 1853. Half mile-Challenger
won, Fireside second, Royal Rose third:
time. 0:49. One mile and a sixteenth
Shakespeare won. Shylock second; time
1:47A. No others.