The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-17
MORE GILT EDGE RACING.
Great Sport on Rigby Track Yester.
day Afternoon.
THE 2I0 RACE WAS A CRACKER
JACK.

the Crowd Present-NicoI B. Winner in
2.10 Pace-Medium b. in 2.1S Trotiand
DanACupid in 2.O9Trot.
If the people who were at Rigby Park
yesterday afternoon did not get their
moneys worth in genuine up to date
record smashing racing, then the. moon is
surely made> of green cheese.
The weather was in marked contrast
with that of Wednesday. Yesterday at
ternoon the skies were leaden, but the
slight breeze that was in evidence was
in no sense detrimental to speed and in
consequence the spectators saw some gilt
edged racing with horse smashing their
previous marks into, snithereens.
Just few words about the attendance
this week. In viesw of the high class
cards hung out the attendance has been
very diseouraging, aud this much is alb
solutely certain, if Riga,y loses It's present
fine prestige as the Ideal harness track
of the country, it will be solely on &C.
count of>the lack Of appreciation on the
part of the public.
A generous estimate of yesterdays at
tendance would be about 5000 and that
was surely a meagre attendance for the
fine races shown. One fact. however,
was noticeable, and that was the increased
enthusiasm and applause emanating from
the stand.
There were three events on the days
card, namely, the $40 pace, the 2.1s trot,
and the 200 trot.
Starter Merrill is certainly making
very favorable reputation during this
meet for the promptness which he has
shown in calling out the horse on.sched
uied time.
AS usual they were .callsd on time yes
terday afternoon and the track was never
in better condition, The drivers were
loud in their praises Of the superb con-
dition of the stretch.
THE 2.1o PACE.
There have been many hard fought
races at Rigby since the track was form
ally opened, but it can be put right
down as gospel truth that there never
was a more hard fought contest for
places in Rigby race than the 40 pace.
Out of Is entries field of nine came out
for positions. There was such fine
field to select from that there was no par
ticular selling favorite, although Gazette
and Nichol B., rather had the call, al
though Kansas, HasSouthern stallion, was
looked upon with considerable favor. At
the word, Eyelet was well to the fore and
at the quarter led, closely pressed by
Lantana and Kansas. Going to the half
Eyelet went into the air, while Kansas
and Merrill taking advantage of the
break moved up peg. Going into the
stretch Kansas passed Lantana and held
the lead, thus gaining to the wire, the
heat being 200 IA.
There was not so much speed developed
in the second Although Kansas made
good bid for the heat, Schockeney
made a good drive with Gazette in 2. IL,
with Pilgrimme and Merrill we'll up in
the order named, and with the South
horse and previous heat winner about a
length behind, in fourth place.
1t was King Egbert's turn to do some
thing in the third and he did it, although
q, whip tactics adopted by Scott Hud-
son, his driver, met with considerable adj
verse criticism among the spectators. It
was hard and exciting finish between
Egbert and Gazette with Hudson going
under the wire neck to the good
Nichol B., trailed along in third with
Mignon in fourth and poor Kansas was
left ignominiously in ninth place.
1t was plain that Nichol B. had a great
deal of power in reserve ready to be
turned on by Quinton, when the proper
time should arrive. 1t proved to be in
this, the fourth heat of this oscillating
race. The leading quartette going up to
the third quarter was composed of Ga
zette, King Egbert Nichol B. and Mig
non, and as the big four rounded into the
stretch, the swish of the whips and the
hoarse shouts of the drivers showed that
they meant business. After being fairly
launched into the stretch, Nichol B,
heightened out and shot under the wire
half a neck in advance of the gamey
Gazette, with Eyelet, comparative dark
horse, showing a fine burst of speed in
securing third position, followed by Mig
non in the fourth.
When the field squared away for the
sixth heat it was found that Merrill had
cidedly interesting for the unbiased crowd
Of spectators and the speculative talent.
Four rafting heats had been paced
with different winner to each heat.
Matters were becoming somewhat warm
and everybody was on the tip toe of ex-
citement when Starter Merrill sent the
field away in fine bunch for their fifth
journey round the oval. 1t was pretty
bunch as ever huddled around to the
three-quarter pole and the eyes of the
crowd were eagerly strained as they
watched the struggling bunch sweeping
onto the final turn. Down the street CHI
they came with a thunderous rush, the
dust flying in clouds and the drivers yell.
ing and plying their whips with ven
geance. Inch by inch, her nose high in