The Washington times., 1901-11-04
THE FALL MEETING NEAR
Racing at Benning to Commence
Week From Today.
improvements to he Practically
Completed by the Opening Day
The Track Exceptionally Fast
Never so Many Horses to Compete.

Not less than one thousand persons took
advantage of the beautiful weather yes
| terday to visit the Benning race track.
| The rev grandstand and other improve
ments now under construction by the
Washington Jockey Club were Of great
| interest to the visitors. There was notice
able unanimity in expressions Of the con-
viction that the Washington Jockey Club
| is sparing no expense to give the people
| of Washington as good a racing plant as
| any in the country.
Everything will be in readiness by the
opening day, in as far as the main feat
ures are concerned. Some minor details
| of Improvements, such as painting, grad
! ing and repairs, may have TO lay over
until after the meeting. But the grand
stand, betting ring, cafes, etc. Will all
be complete for the opening, which oc-
ours one week from today. The grand
stand is almost finished. the concretlng
viii be completed tomorrow, and on
Thursday all the seats Will be in position,
In fact, one-third of the seats are already
in position. They are of a bright cherry
color; the effect is very pleasing.
There IS not poor seat on the whole
stand, and there viii be no necessity for
seeking any one particular spot from
which to view the races. An unobstructed
view can be had of the entire track from
any seat. Heretofore to get a good view
of the horses coming into the stretch,
spectators We're compelled to mount on
chairs to the disadvantage Of everyone
not similarly elevated. Now the racegOer
can be comfortably seated and see every
part of race from start to finish.
The track itself is in superb condition,
and was never 50 fast as at the present
time. An estimate of this can be OBJ
| tained from statement made by w. p.
Burch. After working q couple Of year
ltngs a half mile on the track in 80 sec
Onds, he said, the best work he could get
out of these colts at Norris Park was
half in 0:53. Here they did it in O:5O, hold
ing back all the time, he declares. Had
they been pushed he thinks they could
have worked the half in 0:4S.
This is something remarkable for the
on Superintendent Lee. If it remains as
fast during the meeting it is now, all
Benning records will be smashed-particu-
ldrly at distances OF ., 5la ana iurlOnBs,
The programme for the first six days
Of the meeting is certainly good one,
and not only shows liberality on the part
of the jockey club, but desire to frame
races that will meet all conditions, and
all classes of horses. The fields are sure
to be very large, as there never We're so
many horses to race here there Will be
at this meeting. Every horse now racing
at Aqueduct, and a great many that have
been racing at Chicago and st. Louis
tracks, wifi be here, With a large con
tingent from the Canadian circuit If
the same condition win be true of horses
over the jumps, as all the horses that
have been engaged at the steeplechase
meeting at Baltimore, will be here be-
sides large delegation from Virginia
Among recent arrivals at the track II
the stable of w. +. Burch with twenty
five horses. In this string ready to race,
are Knight Of Rhodes. Guess Work Pre-
torius, Flying Colors. Gold Braid, Cryptic
gram, The Goldindcr Lux Casta, Happy,
Lady Godiva, Miss Hastings and Red
Damsel Another arrival is William
Garth's stable with Imperialist. Passaic.
Lady Hayman and Gahilda. NJ. j. Ma
lcney with Ohnet. entered in the New
Grand Stand Handicap, and Geo. w. Jen-
kins, a good jumper, are among the new
corners. ]. l.. Lane & Co. are To arrive
this evening with ten horses. amongst
which are All Saints, Spry, Meditation
and Concertina.
With good weather, the coming meeting
promises to be the most successful Ia
the tracks history. The best horses In
training will be here, with the best
Jockeys in the country to ride them.
Nothing more could be desired in racing.