The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-28
WINNER OF THE TWO THIRTY.
,osrtAsTER" CARRIES, OFF THE
uoNoRs AT THUNDERBOLT

wr.. NERe-AON--AAA
md VIII BE Decided TO-day-The
-.,5fdates. "PaImettO Prince"
..R,.bmontr and ''Vietory'-"Mus-
,netoon's- Exhibition Mile a Feat
,,re Of the Programme.
4,-a card yesterday at the Thunderbolt
- PARK was a brilliant one, and the
-. 1f harness racing who went out
:, -re track Witnessed the best events
- me year. Five hundred people saw the
.-..,sr- and closely contested finishes
,-ti.b were worthy of a much larger audi
ence.
me weather was of the best, and the
.-otrsrs and PAGERS that took part in the
sysurs showed surprising form for this
s-sson of the year. which, together with
q ne r4rnarkabIy fine condition of the track,
sssisted in placing upon the park records
nat viii probably stand unbeaten for
some time.
n took four heats to decide the 2:3O
class. which was won by Mr.. Charles Z.
Suits trotter Postmaster. He was in
7,rin,e condition, and was admirably hand
led by Curley Hudson.
IL was the fashion some months ago
10 regard Postmaster as a back num-
4 her" but that conclusion seems to have
81 been a little previous. His recent per-
4 formauces and that of yesterday fully
demonstrated the fact that he is a thor
ough race horse and one destined to make
a good record for himself on the big
tracks The only horse that held any ar
gument with Postmaster was the gray
4 PAGER Dick Egan. Dick was driven by
Martin Berry. He won the first heat, and
4 finished second place for the race. Al was
E third and Calico fourth. Time of heats,
. 2.i1. 2:37, 2.36l4, 2:Hl2.
Interest was centered upon the free-for-
all pace, which did not by any means
prove "a disappointment. 1t was a splen-
4 did race and the finishes We're the most
Il stirring ever seen at Thunderbolt. 1t was
Il a battle for five heats, and the race is
& not yet won. All of the heats We're bet
Ter than 2:30, and are the fastest five heats
4 ever paced in race at the park.
The candidates for free-for-aIl were
brought out between the heats of the thir-
~ class. George Haight pilOted the fav
orite Palmetto Prince; Curley Hudson
was behind Rushmont, and J. A. Bland
drove Victory. In assigning positions,
Palmetto was given the pole, Victory sec4
ond place and Rushmont the outside.
When the three PAGERS scored down and
were given the signal to start, they show
ed splendid form, and, from all appear
ances, plenty of speed. Rushmont, much
10 the surprise of the spectators, pushed
his way to the front, with a burst of
speed, and stepped the first quarter in SO
seconds. Palmetto Rugged him closely
around the second turn, and succeeded in
passing him. Before the half was reached
Palmetto broke, and fell back to third
place Victory now took up the chase and
gave RushmOnt a good race of 1t to the
three-quarter pole Palmetto now joined
the leaders, and the three PAGERS raced
together to the wire, and Rushmont won
by half length, with Palmetto second
and Victory third Time 2:29s4.
After the showing that Rushmont made
IN this neat, his stock was at a premium
in the betting. 1t was evident that he had
as much speed as any of the other entries
and that he could carry the clip for
mile. Joe Jordan as We'll as the other
hackers of Rushmont, wore the happest
looking faces at the park after the first
heat.
The second heat proved another victory
for Rushmont, and he paced a magnificent
mile. Palmetto Prince tried to beat him
TO the first turn, but made one of his los
ing breaks and lost all chances for the
but could only get to Rushmont's shout
der when he passed under Sthe wire a
winner, in 2:912. With two heats to his
surely win 49, =
The third heat, however, Furnished
surprise for the talent, and set everybody
guessing, when it was won by the old
PAGER, Victory. In this heat "Haight'
again tried TO lead the other entries and
sent Palmetto away. at flying clip; the
PAGER was not on his good behavior and
he again broke at the first turn and fell
back to third place. The heat was a
tory and Victory, after a whipping drive,
outfooted Rushmont in the last strides in
227. The veteran, ]. A. Bland, was loud
ly cheered when he passed the grand
stand.
When the entries scored away for the
fourth heat Haight, instead of making a
drive for the first quarter as he had done
N the previous heats, kept Palmetto well
IN hand until they had reached the three
quarter pole. To this point Rushmont was
in front with Victory a close second. Pal
pfb his IA
leaders moved neck and neck around the
turn into the home stretch. There Palmet-
70 began TO close up the gap At the dis
lance stand, he was in the bunch and COM
ing fast. Voices in the grand stand shout
ed: Come Palmetto" He has it," The
race to the wire was most exciting and
Haight, after a magnificent drive, landed
winner in 227. Rushmont second and Vic
tory third
The fifth heat was another rafting good
one, ana the three PAGERS Kept well to-
gether for the entire distance. Haight
again trailed the leaders and made his
Drive during the last quarter. The fight to
the wire was between RuShmont and Pal
metto, and the finish was of a stirring
character Cheer after cheer went UP
from the spectators in the grand stand
Nnen Palmetto swept under the wire
winner in 2:27A. When Haight drove the
little PAGER up to the judges stand, the
crowd gave the reinsman and Palmetto
a perfect ovation. Haight acknowledged
the compliment by raising his cap. 1t was
then after o'clock and as it is against
Ihe rules to race after dark, the event was
carried over until this afternoon. The
crowd was anxious to have the race finish
ed, but the judges would not allow it.
One of the features of the afternoons
caro- was the exhibition mile by the trotter
Musquetoon. He was brought on the track
ABOUT O'Clock, and the lovers of a per-
IecL trotting horses were given a treat. A.
T. Doyle drove the runner, who acted as
a pace maker, and George Haight plotted
Musquetoon. The mile was the fastest
ever trotted at Thunderbolt, and Mosque
loon went the entire distance without a
SKIP or break. He not only equalied his
ITO.
Musquetoon can be justly termed the
champion trotter of Savannah. He is
hlghly bred, and is destined to become
star performer in the trOtting world. His
owner, DR.. A. G.. Bouton, as we'll as his
many admirers, are proud over his splen-
ud exhibition yesterday. The pony race
was very amusing feature Of the after
AQoh. The event was for a quarter of a
SSuie 5 and 1t was won by Master Clifford
=, The unfinished free-for-an will be called
ms afternoon at O'Clock. The patrons
oI the park are invited by Manager Doyle
10 be present There will be no admission
charged at the gate.
Cost of the Medals,