Evening star., 1897-04-15
SPRING RACING MEETING
Horses Will Start at Benning Next satur-
Interest In the Events-The Jockey
Club and It's Good
Work. -.--s- >e...,,.s

The second spring meeting Of the Wash
ington Jockey Club will commence Satur-
day at the Benning race course, when the
legitimate racing season Of 1897 in the east
will be inaugurated. The meeting will be
one of seven days, concluding Saturday,
the oath instant. There are about three
hundred horses at the track, every stable
on the grounds having been engaged, and
the class of horses insure racing OF the
very highest quality.
Since the reorganization of the present
club, more than a year ago, there has not
been an effort spared by the management
to redeem racing from the deplorable condi-
ton it had been placed in in this vicinity
by the gambling element, and the two
meetings held last year by the club were
productive of the finest and cleanest rae
ing ever witnessed here or elsewhere. The
members Of the new club are not only men
of the highest character but they are also
men who understand what is real sport, re-
neved of all undesirable conditions and d.
vorced from the control of the gamblers.
who have more than anybody else been re-
sponsible for the decadence of racing in
America. They have conducted their meet
tngs, therefore, with but one end in view,
to provide the people of the District with
clean, honest sport, for sports sake alone.
The club has not only recognized the laws
here against gambling. but the manage
forcing those laws. ..
Because Of such course, the race meet
ings of the club have come to be recognized
as occasions when true sport can be en-
toyed under the most pleasant surround
ings. and the meetings are now regarded as
social events. The two meetings last year
were attended by the very best people of
the District, the attendance of ladies being
particularly large, the largest by far since
the best days Of the old Ivy City course.
Indeed, the club has catered to the desir-
able element of the people from the first,
and Its success has been most gratifying in
that respect. The officers and members of
the club embrace men of wealth and high
social standing, men known most favorably
throughout the country. Under their guild
ance the club has taken an enviable posi-
ton not only in the social circles. but also
In the ranks of racing organizations
The racing conducted by the club is. Of
course, under the license and auspices of
the Jockey Club. the governing turf organi-
zatlon In America, and the same officials
who preside over the big race meetings on
the New York tracks will preside here. as
they did at last years meetings. Mr.. S. s.
Howland. the president Of the club and
Vice President Jesse Brown will be the
stewards of the meeting. c. +. Pettingtll
Will do the starting. and W. 8. Vosburgh
the handicapping. The judge will be Clar-
ence Mcdowell while the veteran H. G.
Cr1ckmore. will act as clerk Of the course
and scales The secretary of the club is
Mr. Ben. HELEN. There will be not less
than five races every day. the first race be-
Ing called at 3:15. Special trains will leave
the 9th street station direct for the track
at 300 and 2:30, returning Immediately af-
ter the last race. The popularity here of
races over the jumps has been recognized
by the club, hurdle and steeplechase events
having been given prominent places on the
program Special attention will be paid 10
ladies', and on the opening day they will be
admitted free.
The program for the first day calls for
hve races one at five furlongs. one at a
mile, the Arlington two-year-old stakes at
haif mile, six-furlong dash, and hur-
stacleS.