The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-19
SPRING RACES BEGUN
An Ideal Day Ushers In a Tito Of Notable
Events at the Park.
A VERY EXCITING RUNNING RACE

I'LL GAUtllNO 9 nUHWlHU hAUc
Tommy Wins tho $3.50 Trot with
| Mariners Chestnut Egbnline n
Close Sccond-EynUflo ahc winner
I'm tho s:37 Pace Ricl.mond Horse
Wins In Lust Event.
Yesterday inaugurnted the spring
meeting Of the Norfolk Driving and
Fair association. 1t was an ideal day
fairer could neither be expected nor
Desired, and fairly good attendance.
though by no means so large as there
should have been. resulted.
Everything combined to make the
opening day, from a horsemans point of
view, successful one. The track was
| IN splendid condition, which had some
Thing to do with the good time made.
The starter. Mr.. Culberson, OF Chicago.
! is one of the bes! in the country and
got the horses off In fine style with re-
! inarknbly little delay. and TO the salts
FACTION Of all participants. This was
rendered somewhat easier than formerly
oy the rule adopted by the ASSOCIATE ton
eompeiiing drivers to draw for places.
Nevertheless 1t was by no means an
easy task TO manage twelve starters,
such as were In the first event, and Mr.
Culberson did 1t with consunlmatc skill.
The judges were Messrs. Gwathmey,
Gains and Gilchrlst, Of Norfolk. Mcssrs
Luther and Cromwell, also OF this city,
oitic!ated as timers.
It was great day for the 'bookmakers.
ana an expert places their winnings at
not less than four or five hundred dol
ials, when, considering the size Of the
crowd and the absence Of any great
amount OF betting talent, is quite n fig
ure ~ "
AS to the races themselves, It NAV
DC SAID that they were in every way
.irst Grass events, and represented some
| a,aeh WORK as pretty as ever seen here
me last event was especially exciting
ana IS pronounced by those Of exper-
renee 10 be the prettIest they ever
saw. The first and second events wero
| also quite close enough to be Interest
Us ana were, wtthal. intensely enjoyed
| ny the spectators
THE FIRST EVENT.
me first event. ESQ class, trot. was .,
beauty and proved a surprise to mynv
it was known that tile race would he n
i las one though hardly anticipated that
me time made would be quite up 10 tho
notch recorded. -
| ISrone, the pretty bay gelding belong
uiE 10 ~. j. Ash, OF Knoxville, was a
prime favorite and prior to the first neat
as h'Eh as four to one was offered on
Mn reduced later to two to one. Even
after the first heat even money Was
| 1911 Loi hiHi put he was never in the
race. and after that his hackers would
not touch him with a ten foot pole, 80
Mitrinef,s handsome chestnut gcldinr
rso'Mihe was generally picked for sec
ona pace He nobly repaid The conG-
uehre placed In him and gave the win
lier n hard tustle for his money.
There were twelve entries and twelve
St'Ltsts, getting away well after but one
pau attempt. The first heat was rim IN
a cloud or dust, and was won by Josiah
quincy, with Miss Bird u close second
~ t!ilrd and THE favorite, Tyrone
puShlng Guy Fly for hast place.
The grey gelding Tommy, n marnin.
cent animal from the Brookview Stool;
Farm. Chester. ~. Y, came under thr
WIRE fifth, but it was seen that his
"r!Ner was holding him back and there
was an Immediate shift OIL sentiment II,
laFor OF the New Yorker. This wa
thoroughly justified, for after the frs,
neat the result was snevcr In doubt
tommy running away from the entire
| Duncn, except the brave little EEbaline
~ al three OF the succeeding heats
taking the lead in cacl, and holding !,
sr;iiAuiY throughout, nor could F;sbaline
ciihS!n@ to his wheel throughout three
successive heats, ever succeed in pass.
lng nm, or IN lesseniIg. except IN very
slight degree, the small margin between
them . -
TYRONE and Quincy were distanced in
Che Third heat and dropped The fourtl
neat developed possibly the most ex.
citing incident of the race, when. on the
last quarter, DR. 1>,lbbs spunlly little
roam. Paddy McGrcgor. by n beautiful
effort forced ahead Of Belle Leland
winning third place and fourth money
Tommy, or course coming In for first
Egbaline brought in second money fo,
MS owner and Miss Bird took third.
The best time made, o:2iA rather dis
counted that Of the 2:37 pace, and was
not at all slow for q ESQ event. The
mark was reached. too, without much
| apparent effort
THE 2:37 CLASS PACE.
The second event. the 2:S7 class, pace
proved Interesting. though hardly eScit-
ing. From the first the race law be-
tween Evadnc. Redmond's bay mare and
hnborn's chestnut Emma j.. and Il,
each heat the former took the lead In
the first quarter and held it by a small
though steady margin to the end
IN the first heat. Of the eight an
nounced to enter. there were but fo,l,
starters. These got away well and
came in fairly punched, Evadne hold
: Ing a slight lead over Emma ]. oil tn,
way, Lady Mack coming in third, with
Merry Thought the favorite. a tallender
Both these latter were distanced in
the second heat and the third was be.
tween the chestnut and Redmond's
mare