The San Francisco call., 1898-01-29
Acrobatic Buck MaSSie Beaten in a Walk by
 Fleur de Lis.
Spencer Earned Fresh Laurels by His Effort on Harry
 ThOburn.
Treachery Developed an Attack ot Speed-Eddie Jones Was Out
 for Glory.

Any old sort of thing seems to go at the track nowadays. Run a horse to-day at to 5, get him beaten a city block, and cut him loose a few days later at to 1 or better, and it's all right. This is modern Western racing, but it won't last. There has been supply of Holsters at both of the two big tracks for the past three weeks in quantities large enough to keep a thou sand Klondike miners from starving to death. If the judges continue in the same lenient mood, the end can be pre- dicted.
 On Friday, January 21, Buck Massie was a veritable wonder, beating 'Ost- Ter Joe, The Roman and Tom Crom- well over one mile and a sixteenth, with his tongue hanging out, almost pulled to a walk. Yesterday the brown horse started in a mile dash, a 9-to-20 favor ite, and after going half mile, went to pieces, and was disgracefully beaten by Fleur de Lis, backed by the knowing ones. To be sure, the time, 1:4012, marked an excellent performance, and the winner is a rare good mare, but Bucks early disinterestedness Is en- tirely ineXplicable. The new owners of RubicCn did not fancy that horses chances, and of course as the only re- maining starter he was in duty bound to finish third. The favorite's downfall may have been right up to form, but certainly more was expected from him, considering his long Eastern record.
 Another brilliant piece of workman ship was that of Slim Spencer, astride Harry ThOburn. If medals were pre- Sented to jockeys for favorite staying, Spencer is entitled to half dozen or so, even if they were given to him all in a bunch for this one ride alone. The horse opened a 5-to-2 second choice for the fifth race, mile selling affair, and the generous bookies were pleased just before the curtain arose to lay a little to 2 that Harry didn't show. If Spen- cer is troubled with insomnia then the ride justified the price. When the horses issued from the saddling pad dock in answer to the bugle call, Judge Murphy summoned Spencer to the stand. What the official said may be heard later in the photograph. It was not repeated to the press. To add to the ridiculousness of the situation Caldwell, in a gay mood, sent the field away to fantastic start, Marplot, an outsider. off in front. He maintained the lead to the end, finishing three lengths ahead of the post favorite, San Marco. Aroused once near the half mile pole by the squeakings of stall door, Spencer again relapsed into a reverie. and was beaten out for the show by Conley on the outsider, Don Clarencio. Los Prietos was left at the post, and Cromwell might just as well have been.
 All six favorites were buried with due hOnors Some of them received good rides and some did not. The book makers enjoyed the sport and as it be- gins to look as though these gentry and not the public were entitled to pro- lection it will have to pass as a good days racing.
 The Burns & Warehouse pair, Gold Scratch and Malay. ruled favorites in the betting on the two -year-old scram- ble, and one of them, Malay, just man. aged to bite off the short end of the purse The winner turned up in the Midlothian lilly, Saintly, to l chance in the betting, carrying the colors of