The San Francisco call., 1898-03-20
Traverser and Fleur de Lis Not in the Chase
 for the Stake.
Sevens Took the Flying Stake From a Fleet Lot of
 FillieS.
Favorites Were Out of Luck-Tea Rose, at Her Best, Downed
 Smart Field of Sprinters.

The attractiveness of the card drew the largest crowd of the semi i-monthly meeting to Oakland track yesterday. Then, too, the weather was warm and summery, which seemed to thaw out the cold feeling existing among many racegoers during the early portion of the meeting. The card was an espe- cially good one, two stakes, the Flying, for two-year- old Allies. and the Pacific Union, for all ages, being set for deci- sion. It was the latter event in which the greater amount of interest was centered. The distance was one mile and furlong, and all looked to see a battle royal between the crack three year-old Traverser and the great mare, Fleur de Lis, and what a surprise awaited them, for the rank outsider, Linstock, made a show of his field.
 The conditions called for 106 pounds on Traverser and 115 on the mare, and in the opening betting each opened up at to 5. The odds against F'leur de Lis heightened to to 2, when her par tisans began to unloosen and the books cut to twos. Traverser closed a to 2 choice. Senator Bland, with IA in the saddle, was next in demand at to 1,
 b entry, Won't Dance, and 12 offered about Linstock, with his light impost of SS pounds and Clawson to do the pi- loting. He was thought to be lacking in class, however, and went begging for friends. There was absolutely no part of the journey when the latter gelding did not have the race up his sleeve. As expected, Traverser went out at a ter rife clip, with Fleur de Lis close up ''Skeets" Martin evidently not intend ing that the favorite should lose him. The six furlongs were rattled off in 1:1312, the mile in 1:39a4, with both of the two leaders beginning to falter Once headed for the wire Dick Claw son gave Linstock his head, and the son of Logic romped in the easiest sort of winner, three lengths ahead of Won't Dance, in 1858 fiat. Senator Bland also passed the tiring choices se- curing the short end of the prize Traverser stopped to nothing after go- ing mile and a sixteenth, but Fleur de Lis hung on with remarkable game ness.
 It was squally afternoon for the favorites, Dr. Marks and Chappie be- ing the only ones to bring home the coin. Nearly all of the winners, with the exception of Linstock, were accord ed good support, and the books did not salt away any great amount of coin. Clawson carried away the riding hon. OTS, pllollIS two past the post In frOnt.
 The talent were nearly turned upside down over the result of the Flying stake at four furlongs, for Allies. Mag dalenas, which had already taken two stakes in the past and was supposed to possess stake quality, was plugged for moral" at the short price of to 5. The Burns & Warehouse pair, Win fired and Humidity, had third call in the betting. Ed Corrigan thought Winifred, with Sloan in the saddle, had a chance second to none, and she was second choice at post time. It was tipped about that Sevens, the entry of Nick Hall, had stepped a half in 4S1a seconds, and the long-shot division got aboard, getting 15 to 1. The start was only a fair one. The favorite broke from behind, but quickly showed out in front, chased by the Baldwin lilly, Reina de Cuba. The clip was a killing one and when the stretch was reached McNichols, with the leg up on Sevens next the rail, assumed the lead. The latter became a trifle rattled as the wire was neared, but managed to keep his mount in the lead, gaining the yer dict by a head from the fast-coming