The Portland daily press., 1897-07-28
THE JULY RACES.
How the Races Began at Rigby
Park.
ONLY TWO EVENTS BUT THEY
WERE INTERESTING.

The Favorites Won in Both the 2.3S Trot
and the 219 Pace-Marjorie was One of
the Lucky Ones and Piedmont the
Other-Today's Programme.
~ Nature seemed to be in exquisite har-
mony with the opening day at Rigby
park, the famous track which holds the
worlds record and which is the pride of
all Maine. The weather was warm
enough to put the racing fields on their
mettle and to bring out an extremely
large attendance for an opening day. The
big grand stand with its acres of seats
was well filled and what was more, the
ladies were strongly in evidence and
seemed to enjoy the day as much as any
one else.
The horses which appear at Rigby at
this meet have, the most of them, already
been campaigning for some weeks and are
all in first class condition and well fitted
to furnish some excellent amusement for
lovers of fine racing before the week is
ended. Horsemen like Rigby, like the
treatment they receive there, like the
track and above all enjoy the exciting
contests which always result when a good
entry list meets upon this track. Nearly
all of the old timers, the old guard which
has followed the New England racing
circuit for SO many years that they have
become identified with the sport, were on
hand yesterday. There was Jock Bowen
in the same old garb, Sterling and Golden
|. e. Lou vat
become familiar to the patrons of the
sport in Maine All of the old favorites
among the newspaper men were on deck
too. There was Quimby, whose reports to
the Horse Breeder every one reads, Frank
Trott of the Boston Globe, a general
fayorite in all the New England press
boxes, Mccoy of the Herald, whom many
horsemen swear by and many others.
Then in the judges box there was Mr..
Frank B. Walker, he of the sonorous
voice and excellent reputation for hand
ling unruly fields of horses, judge who
always gets race started on time and
sees that it is finished in manner that is
fair and above board. Mr.. Walker is an
excellent official and his appearance on a
track is a guarantee that the meet is to
be success. The other officials in the
box yesterday were Obediah Stackpole
and Fred Murch, judges, and the affable
| DR.. Huntington as clerk of the track.
On yesterdays programme there were
| only two events, the 2.3S trot and the 2. 10
| pace. In these classes were entered some
excellent horses and they succeeded in
| filling in the afternoon with some excit-
ing heats which gave the opening day a
great send off and delighted the hearts of
| all present.
| In the 2.3S class the talent was not dis
appointed as to the result. They had
picked out Marjorie, bay mare owned
| by John Kervick of Worcester, Mass, as
the winner and she carried greater part
of the money when she trotted out for the
first heat. There were seven starters and
though some of them showed ambition
and tried to stick their noses under the
| wire ahead of the favorite in more than
one heat, Marjorie captured them all with
| the exception of the first, when Timbrel
| finished in the lead. In this heat Berthold
drew the pole and that was about all he
got out of the day as far as glory goes.
| He led to the first turn and then igno-
miniously went off his feet and into the
air and that ended Berthold's chances if
he ever had any. Lady Andover then
| came up into the charmed circle and to
the three-quarters mark held the atten-
| ton of the spectators and the lead. Here
| it was that Tilnbrel jumped at chance
| to distinguish himself and got up into the
van. Into the home stretch both animals
| turned with little to chose between them.
1t was neck and neck between Timbrel
and Lady Andover for time and then
with dash that showed he has good
finishing qualities Timbrel went ahead
and won out by length in the time of
222 IA
1.-THE last shall be first and the first
last" say the scriptures and this held
good in the second heat of the 2.3S trot
for Marjorie, who had not been seen in
the first heat, Marjorie who carried all of
the money but whose finish had been
among the mourners in the last row,
jumped into prominence in the second
heat and won it by neck after a pretty
brush with Timbrel and Lady Andover.
Timbrel was good leader until the three
quarters, then up came Lady Andover
and close behind her was Marjorie with
her nose out for the heat. And she got it
too, but only by neck and a sort of
rubber neck at that. The finish was very
exciting with Timbrel second and Lady
Andover third and the time for the mile
at 2.18 1-2.
In the third heat Marjorie led all the
| way. Lightnoon and Timbrel were
driving her out at good rate when the
| former went off her feet at the half.
Timbrel stuck to Marjorie's wheel and at
the three-quarters mark was neck and
neck with her. Into the home stretch
plucky Timbrel held his place and then,
finding the pace too warm, dropped back
a length and allowed Marjorie to take her
second heat.
In the fourth heat Marjorie again held