The San Francisco call., 1901-12-26


N ting, furnished the sensational
I'm feature at Oakland yesterday by
capturing the rich Christmas
handicap. Favorites divided honors with
long shots, the twenty-four books were
bombarded and battered out of all shape,
and what more could an immense holiday
gathering wish for? When Sidney Bender,
the plunging talker, told his friends in
New Orleans he found no sunshine in Cal
ifornia while here he must have resided
in basement and labored at night. More
perfect weather could not be found. Many
Of the ladies were attired in summer silks,
and only those of the male persuasion
whose systems had become debilitated by
tndulging in ferry-boat diet resorted to
topcoats. In the ring the crowd was so
dense that it was more difficult for a
stranger to place a bet than to pick up
sleeper" in a Kentucky faro game.
Unfortunately for the layers of odds,
though, the three long-shot winners, Sam
Green, Rio Shannon and Magi, were so
strongly played that nothing was laid
away. Even the field books retired from
action with severe casualties. AS a rule
their position is considered as invulnera-
bic as was the Beers on Spion Kop.
The wonderment Of the spectators was
the staying qualities exhibited by Rio
Shannon in the $4,000 Christmas handicap,
the webbing. Green Morris started three
Watercure 128, Autolight 122 and Janice
with 105 pounds up. Against this trio of
smart ones to 10 could be had. To an
uneven start the chances of AutOlight,
Janice and Brutal were shattered. Icfcle,
from P. Ryan's barn, ridden by Tommy
Burns and well respected in the ring,
cut quite figure in the lead for mile;
then the summer sun got in it's work.
After Icicle had undergone the evapora-
ton process Lee Jackson, astride Rio
Shannon, moved from second to first pO-
sition. and, while Vesuvian once looked
troublesome, Jimmy Coffey's buggy
horse paraded past the judges two lengths
in front in 2:06 fiat. Johnny Woods,
with Watercure, unloaded his cargo in
third place, followed closely by Auto
ME OConnor. But for his piece of i'll
luck at the start the last named horse
would undoubtedly have earned more
than the bones of the turkey to pick
Mounce getting cut off on the back
stretch while endeavoring to go through
on the rail.
Jockey owen Mounce landed Parizade
first in the opening two-year-old scramble
by a head from Royal Rogue, a 10 to
shot. The St. Carlo filly outbroke her
Bullman up, took show h9nors: snowber-
ry was nearly put over the fence on the
far turn by Royal Rogue.
For a time during the progress of the
Gibraltar might get the purse. With Ed
die Jones in the saddle he led to the
stretch when he suddenly decided to sulk,
running unplaced. Never far out of it,
Wyoming, the favorite, worked his way
to the front and driving hard got the
verdict from Orleans by a head. King
Dellis had a stormy trip.
A surprise was furnished in the hurdle
event, over a mile and three-eighthS, for
which Phil Archibald and Rainier, coupled
as a stable, ruled pronounced favorites.
Phil Archibald, the mainstay of the en-
try piloted by Stew Peters, came to
grief at the second jump, his rider escap-
ing injury. Distance, a 20 to L shot and
handy Jumper, looked to have the race
won, when his rider eased up and was
led out more than a length by Sam Green
a Is to l shot, ridden by Evans. Lord
Chesterfield got away from the post poor
ly never showing prominently.
Another member of the Jennings string
finished second in the San Leandro handi-
cap, at six furlongs, for two-year-olds.
Sister Jeanie, astride which O'ConnOr sat,
went to the post a to choice, and in a
long drive had her colors lowered by
Magi, 10 to 1 shot played to z. Escalante
quit after showing first to the stretch.
Bullman on the II to favOrite Cougar
captured the final mile selling run. AT
the close he was hard pressed by the two
year-old Bragg, ridden by Knapp, win
ming by a neck only.