Evening star., 1898-04-07
Eastern Racing Season to Begin at
Benning.
STAKES and STABLES WE'LL FILLED
Recent Improvements to Track and
Grounds.
MANY TWO-YEAR-OLDS HERE

The legitimate racing season of 1898 will
be inaugurated in the east next Monday,
when the Washington Jockey Club will
throw open the gates of the Benning track
for a meeting of two weeks. If well filed
stake events and overfowing stables can
be taken as Indications, then this meeting
the third spring meeting Of the club, will
be in every sense TIE finest in the history
of the organization. The large number OF
horses which wintered at the track has
during the past several weeks been so in
creased that every stable the track has
heen taken and the large overflow of the
"bang tails will be quartered at the old
Ivy City track. The recent rainy weather
has somewhat retarded the efforts Of Sup
erintendent Lee in his work on the track
tut by the opening day of the meeting it
will be in excellent shape, safe and fast
Many improvements have been made on
the track and grounds since the fall meeting
and they were never in better condition
than at present, everything being as neat
and clean as the proverbias new pin. One
In provement which will be highly appre-
ciated by the race-going public, particu-
larly by those in the grand stand and OF
ground for the horses, walk having been
made which row brings the animals
through the lawn on their way to the
starting post. directly in front of the grand
a much closer view of the horses
While no fast work has yet been asked by
the trainers of their horses, yet the ami
mails are gradually being sent along at
slightly increased speed from day TO day
as the opening day of the meeting ap-
breaches, and it appears that most of
them are already fit for a race Jimmy
McLaughlin's Hi Daddy covered five fur
longs the other day in 1:06I2. and c. F.
Dryers Sly Fox went the distance in easy
fashion half a second slower. The rail
BIRDS claim to have seen Thomas Cat do
a mile in LAT with weight up, and they
say he will bear watching in any race he
enters. William divers The Squan and
Warrenton are reported as having done d
mile in las. hard held. AIarum is claimed
to be q vastly improved horse, while Nc
Laushlin's Premier seems to be better
pleased than ever with the Benning course.
where he is looked upon to repeat some
OF his most notable victories. Blue Devil
and Keeper, in W. P. Burch's stable also
lC ok to be in fine shape, and will be heard
from during the meeting. Virginia" Brad
ley has one of the largest stabies on the
track. and an unusually large number of
TaiGcns among his horses, of all ages. Two
Bhtzen twO-year- in this stable, re-
garded by the stable as being unusually
good. and these get of the old iron horse"
will be watched with more than ordinary
interest.
Probably there are at the track this
spring the largest number of two-year
olds ever seen here. Some of them, If
iDOhS anu tTldtS go IOr Will
win brackets not only here. but through
out the eastern racing circuit, and more
than one is expected to develop into
stake horses. Frank Reagan's Sir Florian
and Sister Fox are very racy looking young
sters and are considered more than dan
gerous. McLaughlin's Counsellor Wern-
b1rg. Sol and Miss Order; W. P. Burch'3
Deceptive Halo and Tartan; the Wads-
worth stables Haruko and La Poupee: W.
Jennings Mavylander. Acrobat, Avoca and
Wesa. and Phil Dryers Sharpless and
Chanler are said 10 be among the best OF
the youngsters at the track. "Old BIZ
DAILY. Tom Barrett, A. H and d. Fl. Nor
ris Walden & Son and Fred Miller VIII
also add a number of good two-year-olds
to the string. Bannock, Doggett. Knight
of the Garter Charagrace. Long Acre,
Glenoine. Sailor King. Manassas. Decanter.
Nazzarine, Dinsmore. Takanassee, Mar
shall. Woodranger and The Cad among
the older horses. are seemingly IN fne
shape and fit to race.
The las.est arrival at the track Is Father
Biz Daily and his string, which includes
Billali, four years old; Sensational, three;
Merlin, three; AuTum three; Ortoland,
three: Claptrap. two; Rusher, two; Lepida
two. and number of others. His horses
are we'll engaged for the stake events which
will be run of during the meeting.
A good number of jumpers are also at
the track and more are expected: As
usual. the club will make the hurdle and
steeplechase races quite prominent during
the meeting. and the people of the Dis
trict and the surrounding country, who
are particularly partial to jumping races,
will he provided with fine sport: The
steeplechase course has been carefully gone
over, and never looked prettier. A number
OF the stake races will be over the jumps.
and some Of the best timher-toppers In
training have been entered, thus insuring
excellent racing.
The detCl rnination of the executive COM
1ntttee TO provide for associate members
of the club has proven to be a very wise
move, AMI an unusually large number Of
the race-going men of the District as well
as those of Maryland and Virginia. have
taken advantage Cf il. The fees Of these
associate members are SO for the spring
meeting and S1J for the spring and fall
n-eetngs. the two meetings giving about
twenty-five days OF racing. These asso-
cfate members enjoy all the privileges ac-
ctrfed regular members of the club. having
admission to every Enclosure on the track.
all club houses and also having the privi
lese of distributing not less than dozen