Evening star., 1899-04-17
BENNING MEETING ENDED
Six Thousand Persons Saw the Racing Sat-
urday.
Satisfactory Climax to n Satisfac.
Large Number of Ladies Present.

Ine 1Ourtn SpTulS UeStlHS VI tiC w o'ih
ington Jockey Club closed Saturday under
the most favorable conditions-perfect
weather. a fast track and the largest at
tendance in the history of the Bennfng
course, not less than 5000 persons being at
tracted by the excellent card. The number
of ladies present was gratifyingly large, as
it was throughout the meeting, undoubtedly
due to the determination of the manage
ment to exclude from the stand and grounds
all disreputable persons. 1t was this policy
which made the racing at the old Ivy City
course so popular, and it is the intention
of President Howland and his associates to
rigidly enforce this rule at all future meet
ings of the club In recognition of the
large attendance of ladies at the meeting
the club served them with cream and cake
Saturday, and added to the further enjoy
ment of the occasion by engaging tne Ma
rine Band for the afternoon.
A Very Successful Meeting.
The meeting was very successful from
financial point of view, despite the fact that
the long. cold winter materially interfered
with the preparation of the horses, thus
causing smallsfields. The racing, however,
was more than interesting on the whole.
The work of Mars Cassidy in the starters
box was excellent, not more than one or two
really bad starts being made by MIN III the
sixty races of the meeting. No complaints
were made against the judging of Clarence
Mcdowell, and the stewards We're alert ana
determined in the enforcement. The pest
of order prevailed throughout the twelve
days of the meeting, but one arrest being
made on the grounds, and that was for an
offense alleged to have been committed IN
the city by the person apprehended a week
or so before the races commenced.
Best Card of the Meeting.
The card presented Saturday was by far
the best of the meeting, the second run
ming of the Washington Nursery stakes,
value $4,000 being the race of the day.
Five two-year-olds started in it at half
mile the Morris trio, Prestidigitator, Prim-
rose Day and Specific; Anderson & Wood
ford's Greetings and j. E. Maddens chest-
nut colt De Lacy by Hanover-klng CUP.
The Morris stable was made a to 10 IA
vorite Greetings being to and De Lacy
at 6 to 1. After being knocked about by
the Morris trio OLeary squeezed De Lacy
through next to the rail in the last SIN
teenth, beating Primrose Day to the wire
by a head. PrestidigitatOr was third, Spe-
cific fourth and Greetings, which had been
carried wide by the Morris trio, last. Inc
race was run in 0.49 3-5, within a tenth OF a
second of the track record. O'Leary was pre-
sented with a diamond scarf pin in honor
of his victory, and Mr.. w. P. Burch, the
popular local trainer. was heartily congrat-
ulated upon his excellent preparation of
the dam of the winner. received $500 out
of the stakes, and the Messrs. Morris, the
nOminators of the dams of the second and
third horses, the same amount. The owner
of the winner received $1,000 and the own
ers of the second and third horses $1,000.
OLeary was fined 5000 for striking Mitchell
with his whip. O'Leary claims that Mitch
ell attempted to throw him.
The Washington handicap was the next
important event of the day, Mr. w. c.
Eustis' Thomas Cat, the winner last year.
being made to l favorite. He was off
next to last at the start, and, although he
ran a game race, Duke of Middleburg, at
l. to 1. won. Nosey being third.
The other stake event, the Benning stee-
p'echase. was won by Decapod, at 3 to /,
Raby Bill, the to ) favorite, being sec
Ond and Trillion third. HuestOn, the rider
of the winner was presented with a fine
meerschaum pipe. In the first race Presti-
digitatrice, the 1 TO favOrite, won easily,
and the fourth went to Sister Stella, at >
to ], killing being made on her.
The Summary.
Summary of the days racing:
First race, purse $500 for three-year-ol
and upwards, handicap six furlongs-Pres-
tidgitatrice, los (Odom), 1 to and out,
won; Tallahassee. 100 CMitchelD, 3 to / and
to 5, second, and Red Gid, 81 (Seaton),
to l and even, third. Time, 1.16 Three
started.
Second race nursery stakes, value $4,000
Aui tNc-S tdI -OIlS nail Nlle-De Lacy, 1l0
(O'Leary), to 1 and s to ), won; Primrose
Day, 112 Q4ittlefield), 8 to 10 and out sec
ond, and Prestidigitator 11S (Odom), 8 to 10
and out. third. Time. 40 80. Specific and
Greetings also ran. Prestidigitator, Spe-
ciic and Primrose Day coupled in betting
as Morris entry.
Third race, the Washington handicap.
$3.50 for three-year-Olds and upward one
mile-Duke of Middleburg, 1161a (Sulliyan),
II to l and to 1, won; Thomas Cat -,
CO'Leary), to l and to ;, second and
Nosey 12l12 CMcGlone), 8 to ! and ayen
third Time la. Premier Roysterer and
Danforth also ran.
Fourth race, purse $500, for three-year-
oids and upward selling thirteen -sixteenths
of mile-Sister Stella, 81 (Moody) ; to l
and 9 TO D. won; Lady Exile 90 (Odorn), 9
to > and out, second, and Plantain. 81 (Sea-
t0nl. 10 10 1 and to l. third. Time. / %
Thinker, Marsian, Christabella and Bonnie
Nell also ran.
Fifth race, the Benning steeplechase, $500
for four-year-olds and upward about 21b
miles-Decapod. 152 Hueston). 3 to / ard
even, won; Baby Bill, 1G7 HIogan). 8 to :
and : to . second, and TrilIion. 154 (Mr. w
C. Hayes, to l and to 10, third. Time
3.13 %. Vanity Fair and Beval also fin
fell. r''