The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
VAST THRONG AT BBNnING
Fourteen Thousand People Witness
Exciting Racing.
Lively Speculation and Lucky Pick
ing of winners Force Three Book
stcepIcchasc for Qualified Hunters
The Entries for Tomorrow.

Fourteen thousand people passed through
the gates of the course Of the Washington
Jockey Club at Benning yesterday after
noon and witnessed the best card ever pre-
rared by the organization for one days
sport. II was a crowd which numbered
the great and the small and the wealthy
and those who had little more than the
price of the ticket, but they formed great
enthusiastic assembly which cheered un-
til hoarse and went away happy and con-
tented. Members of the Diplomatic Corps
occupied several private boxes, while Sen
stors and Representatives and Government
officials were plentiful. So great was the
gathering that it gave standing room only
in the grandstand and clubhouse and
swarmed over into the walks and the pad
dock and formed a solid mass of humanity
in the betting ring Dame Fashion and Sir
Snort were there in raiment adorned with
that which smacked OF the turf, and track
slang became the proper thing during the
afternoon.
The Spring Hunters steepleehase had not
little TO do with attracting the large
crowd and was an exciting, yet ludlcrous,
contest. Either from fear of the stif
jumps or from lack of schooling in their
horses. the owners of seven of the fourteen
entries scratched their candidates. The
other seven made good run over por-
ton of the three mile course, but only
three horses finished, four having taken
tumbles while trying 10 .op the timber.
Diver, S to 3, proved false favor
lite, and gave up in disgust when he struck
the fiat and started home. Young Exile,
a wiry little horse, well ridden by Mr..
Taylor, who is a little fellow, outjumped
and outran the others on the last round
and won, pulling up, by six lengths
Jacobel was the first down, falling TO
clear the Liverpool His rider wss unin-
jured MIR. Forepaw and Champion tripped
on the same jump. throwing their riders,
who remounted. but failed to force the
horses to take the next jump. Becky Rolfe
went down last. tossing Mr.. Galloway over
the fence He was not injured. The con-
test caused great excitement, and pro-
vided much amusement.
Pickwickian not in the first race
after the flag fell. Posthaste was heavily
played and won easily.
Royal Sterling led all the way in the Po-
tomac Purse for th:ee-year- and was
never overhauled. Sidney Lucas ran a
good race ard had the route been seven
furlcngs instead of six, would have won.
This was three-horse race, Tou:ne get
ting third place.
Speedmas got away ahead of field of
thirteen horses in the fourth race, and
made good use of the lead, winning from
The jefferson, 25 TO /, an outsider by
length. The jefferson surprised the wise
ones, and with a little more training will
win purses. Jockey Seaton rode splendid
race.
The five thousand followers who placed
money on Beau Ideal were rewarded in the
last race. The Beau made one of his usual
finishes in the stretch and after overhaul
ing Knight of the Garter beat him by a
length. The bookmekers were hard hit
during the day and three Of them retired
after the fourth race. Jockey Mitchell
made good to his followers yesterday by
bringing in two winners and two seconds
out of the four races on the fiat.
The weather was as balmy as June I
day and the track as fast as it has been in
a long time. The success of the meeting
is now assured and fair skies are only
necessary to a money-making week.
Yesterdays results follows:
First raee-For three ear-olds ard up
ward; selling; six and one-half furlongs.
Post Haste u. Slack. to and 10 5.
won.
Double Dummy (AiitchelD. to l and S
to s. second.
Aloha II tseatou), so to and 10 to !,
third
Time 1:24 80
Althea. Robert Bonner, Pickwickian,
Greensboro. X Ray, and Avoca also ran.
Start out Of the chute. of at first break
to good start. Coming out of the chute
Aloha was leading by length, Double
Dummy second and the rest close up. In
the run home there was general closing
up, and in driving finish Post Haste won
h. \.
ard Aloha, an outsider in the betting,
third The rest strung out.
Second race-The Potomac Purse; for
three year-oids: SIX furlongs.
Royal Sterling mitchell, 3 to 10, won.
Sidney Lucas q. Slack. to 8. second
Tourney (O'Leary), TO l, third.
Time. 1:l6 1-5.
Only three starters No delay at the
post. on all together Royal Sterling led
ali the way and won. In the last fifty
yards Sidney Lucas showed a great burst
of speed, and If it had heen made earlier
might have won. 1t was a case OF good
horse and bad Jockey. Had Mitchell the
mount on Lucas he would have won with
him.
Third race-steeplechase; for qualified
hunters; four-year- olds and upward; about
three miles:
Young Exile tMr. Taylor, TO and s
10 ;, won.
Ochiltree (Mr. Smith, ) TO / and even.
second
Diver (Mr. Nichols. 5 10 and 4 to ;,
third.
Time, s;25 2-5
Only the three above finished All the
rest either fell or threw their riders.
Young Exile won pulling up; ochiltree
second six length away; Diver third
There was TOO much use made Of Diver
An amusing race which afforded plenty OF
fun TO the onlookers.
Fourth race-For maiden three year
olds and upward; seven furlongs:
Speedmas (MitchelD. even ard TO 3,
won.
The jefferson tseatOn). % to and 10
to ], second.
Monmouth Boy LANDRY, 20 to and
to ]. third.
Time. 81 is.
Hall Bell Nabocklish. Balkan. Al Reeves
wallada. Christmas Carol, Merriness Chas
T. Hayman. Firelock. and Lulu also ran.
After three hreakaways the flag dropped
TO a bau start for all but Speedmss and
Nabocklish. Those two we're running head
and head on the back stretch. In the Jun
home Speedmss was leading. and won in
s. -