The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-02
RIGBY RACES.
The Rain as Usual Spoiled Saturday 8
Sport.

Sport.
The Favorites Didn't Win-George G. Cap
lures the e IL Race and Venture W. INC
2.19.
Rigby luck. And there were many
people at the races Saturday VINO hau
worse luck than this, even. After TWO
postponements on account of the rain on
Thursday and Friday the patrons Oh ehe
track were looking forward to Saturday
for fine sport.
There were five races left over on the
card for Saturday which ordinarily "ouiu
have been pulled off on Thursday ana
Friday. The first event was scheduled 10
start at IL o'clock, but big pool OF water
was on the back stretch and 1t was q
O'Clock before it dried up sufficiently TO
call the 2.12 pace and even then the pole
horse was obliged to splash through Dig
pond near the half 1t looked as II the
day would be fair although the observing
ones believed the dark clouds threatened
down-pour sometime during the after-
noon. 1t came, and with it came most
unsatisfactory ending.
In the 219 trot there were several gooo
ones, but as has been said, Paddy D. sold
favorite. Marble Chief, Palon and Edna
b. were looked upon favorably and car
r1ed some money but the most OF 1t was
placed on Paddy D.
The crowd increased rapidly after !
O'Clock and many ladies were to be seen
| nd
before the 2.12 pace was called and then
only four horses came out for the word.
The hackers of Esperanto we're happy for
it appeared that their horse was in tine
condition and Sterling, his driver, worked
him out up and down the track so many
times that the sports were cock sure that
he was out for the race. ''It will be q
three heat race, no more, no less" This
was what they said before the horses be-
4 gan to score and some of the unfortunate
went back to the pools and backed the
favorite yet more heavily. One horse in
this class the wisest ones were little
shaky about. This was George G, alias
Charlie P, a. "ringer," whose owners had
been obliged to forfeit 81 800 to the
national racing board to get back on the
track. George G has an unsavory record.
In the West last season he was raced un
der the name of Charlie P. He won lot
of money and the fact that he was q
"ringer''was only discovered through the
efforts of ex-Nlayor Palmer of Lowell, a
member of the trotting board
George G was in the class Saturday and
the hackers of Esperanto began to get
nervous about him and well they might
for he queered Esperanza' S chances of get
ting the biggest slice Of the purse before
the afternoon was over.
| 1t didn't take long to get this class
away for it's first heat. DR.. Wood had the
when Evolution got into the game and
the four starters ranged themselves in
pairs. DR.. Wood and Evolution lead by
two lengths while Esperanza and George
G brought up the rear. In this position
| they scurried around the track. 1t was
a warm race between the two leaders but
the other pair in the rear did not seem to
be very anxious about getting in under
the wire in the lead. There was plenty of
time, thought the drivers, but they were
mistaken and their Indifference to win
ming the first heat cost them heap of
money The finish between Dr. Wood and
Evolution was exciting but DR.. Wood
won out by hairs breadth. "Oh,
said the holders of the favorites' tickets,
''that amounts to nothing Eve didn't ex
pect Esperanto to win the first heat. Wait
until the next and she'll take three
straight"
In the second heat there was another
surprise for the confident ones and this
time George @, the ringer caused it.
Evolution got the pole away from DR..
Wood and was about length ahead at
the first quarter. Then up came the IA
vorite. Esperanto. Esperanza," yelled
the crowd as the favorite forged ahead at
the three-quarter' mark and turned into
the home stretch neck in the lead. But
what is this coming upon the outside? A
gray horse with a gait that was a surprise
to even her driver. Nearer and nearer
came the three leaders. Evolution, Esper-
ANA and DR.. Woods all in bunch, but
out-pacing them on the outside was the
gray. The favorite was fairly pushed
along by his driver, the crowd yelled itself
hoarse as George 6. gained step by, step
and fairly beat the favorite out to the
wire. 1t was great drive. Esperanto
went to pieces under the lash and broke
half length from the finish. George G.
had the race by good length, while the
| fayorite barely finished second.
The hackers of Esperanto now began to
feel shaky about the race. George G. had
shown wonderful speed in the last heat
and must have made the last quarter in
good 2.10 time, if not faster The unfort-
unates tried to hedge but it was too late.
A dark cloud rolled up in the west and
before the second heat of the 2.19 trot
was ended it was pouring down on the
rack in regular torrents. In ten seconds
after the first drop of rain splashed on the
track it was plainly seen that any more