Evening star., 1900-03-31

We'll, what do want to see that for?''
THE excitement-the inspiration-the en-
thusiasm, your majesty, said the equerry.
industriously knuckling his forehead
Il don't see it, replied the spleDdor of
the skies-perhaps. however, in more
formal terms. II thought any child knew
that one horse can run faster than an
other"
One Side of the Game.
Were this Enthusiastically oriental view
to OBTAIN at this end of the world. there
would be no running thoroughbreds. and
consequently no Benning meeting, spring or
autumn: and. more consequently still. per-
haps large numbers Of washingtonians
would have more metallic and government
stamped substance wherewith to purchase
haberdashery and automobiles and-but this
ts the slate-gray. dun-hued side of the
racing game; 1t has naught to do with the
flashing Of the Jockeys gaudy colors, the
subdued sasps. etc.
The capital city has generously supported
the racing meetings at Benning during re-
cent years. There was time, in the days
Of the old Ivy City track. when Washing
ton was one Of the best racing cities for its
size IN the country; but the game went into
q gradual decline at Ivy City. for several
reasons. and the Benning track had to live
down a good deal Of the stigma which at
tached. in the end. to the Ivy City course
The renewal Of interest in racing in this
Htlg1DOTHOCl curing the past three
has been indicated by the overflow crowds
that have fiocked out to the course, and
the remarkably increased attendance of Ia
dies at the races. The racing game Is not
half so picturesque or interesting as q dis
tinctly stag sport: the presence of the
feminine element in the grand stand is es-
senttal TO complete the idea of festivity and
1oyousness. and to neutralize in some sort
the more or less sordid betting feature, The
BenninS management appreciate this fact
and the result IS that the track has of
late years been visited by large numbers
OF handsomely gowned ard enthusiastic
" Washington women of the best sort.
Hard Nut to Crack.
From speculative point of view the wise
people Of the turf-the shrewd-eyed chaps
who make a life business of studying the
form of race horses and backing their
opinions-have long regarded the Benning
spring meeting as a pretty hard nut 10
crack Most Of the plungers who operate
on the metropolitan tracks when the racing
season is under full haadway run down 10
Washington to look the thoroughbreds over
when they are racing In the spring out at
the Bennlng course: but many of them
indeed. the majority Of thern-waIk around
craftIy during the entire meeting with
their hands in their pockets watching the
running from the grand stand and never
putting down bet These men are what
Is known as form players and the alb
sence Of form at the Benning spring meet
Ing Is obvious, when it is considered tina,
most Of the horses that go to the post out
there in April have been in winter quarters
since the wind-up of racing in the preceding
autumn.
Would Not Bet on Him.
A horse owned by "Pittsburg Phii'
George Z. SMITH was entered in a race al
Benning last spring. 1t was a high-class
animal. and one that the plunger had wor
thousands Of dollars on In operations dur
ing the preceding fall at the New YorE
tracks The horse looked all right and fiji
10 race. and his trainer told his friends
that the horse was liable to go on and Win
Are you going 10 BET on your plug2" one
Of the plunger's friends asked him before
the race-Smith walking aimessIl
around the paddock. not appearing to b'
fustered little bit by the excitement al
around.
Bet on him?" replied "Pittsburg Phil
with far-away expression. Well / Nigh
put few Fenian bonds on him-good wher
Ireland's free-or bunch of raiu-checks o.
stage-money-but not any of the real pa
pcrs; and wouldn't advise you 10: either.
The result justified the plunger's acute
ness His horse went out at flag-fall gain
ed commanding lead and then curled VI
IN the stretch like a sun-dried caterpillar
that q lot Of cheap selling -platers raj
over him in the end The horse wasn't oil
edge. and didn't show anything like hi
actual form until on to midsummer
There IS. OF course. a vast amount o.
speculation on the running of the racer.
at the Benning spring meeting. but mos
Of the money Is that of the Washington
ians who put their money down for tn,
fun OF the thing, and who neither know
nor care for that elusive factor called tn,
form" of thoroughbreds.
when the Great Imp Ran.
Perhaps the greatest amount of none,
that ever went down on a horse race fl
or around Washington was invested OF
the mighty race mare. Imp, when sh
made her first appearance on the Bennin,
track last spring. The result OF that rae
clearly Indicated the difficulty Of pickinl