The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-18
.GALLOPED
HOME.
Virgie A. Defeats
Aggravation by
Lengths.
THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS BET
Loser Got a Hideously Bad Ride
and There is Talk of An
other Race.


Aggravation on Saturday afternoon at
the Kapiolani Park track, one OF the
best things in the history of racing in
these Islands went through.
To say that the result was surprise
would not be true, for in two previous
races victory had attended the black
mare, and had a professional made a
book at the track he would have posted
odds of 6-5 or better against Aggrava-
ton These were the odds that pre-
vious form justified. AS it was, it
was a case of even money, and take
your choice Backers of the winner
may consider themselves hugely for
tunate in getting such excellent finan-
cia value for their speculative outlay.
The race was at seven furlongs for
$3.50 a side.
The crowd was a very good one for
a one-race afternoon. ana contained
large number of faces which were new
to such an occasion. The majority
seemed to favor Virgie A, judging from
the quantity of ribbons which were
worn.
Shortly before 3 o'clock the first bet
ting of note took place, and several
bets of $500 We're registered. Then an
even thousand was placed, and still
! money continued to pour in from the
! Virgie contingent. There seemed to be
no end to it, and at fiagfall hundreds
/ were still unbet. People We're asking
each other Of the phenomenal conf
dence Of the black mares hackers, but
( the problem remained unsolved
Tom Hoiiinger went down on his
mare heavily. backing her for a thou
sand at one asking. Soldier O'Don-
mel was one of the stauncneSt or Vir-
! gie's supporters, and he must have
cleaned up in the neighborhood of
/ 81 900 The betting was the heaviest
that has transpired on match race
for the past three years. Over $4,000
was wagered in the paddock.
| At half-paSt three AggraVat1on
warmed up; she came down the stretch
with the old, somewhat laborious
movement. and did not seem to be
/ troubled with surplus fire. In appear
ance she looked to be in first-class
! shape if not thoroughly on edge. Nir-
! gle A, on the other hand, warmed up
in fiattering manner, ana made many
| friends on her way to the post. The
only fault to be found with her was
that she looked trifle tucked up.
Nichols, on Virgie A, who had the
pole, and Opiopio, on A9ggravatfon, got
Each seemed to be trying to run the
others head off At the quarter 1t was
the bay mare by a head, and at the
three-eighths she led by nearly half a
length.
Shortly before passing the half pole
| Virgie A got her head in front, and at
| five furlongs had three-quarters of
length the best of it. Soon afterwards
Opiopio hustled his mount, and she rail-
lied somewhat, but at the three-quar
ters was still a length in the rear.
From this on the further she went the
further she fell behind Coming into
the stretch Opiopio appeared to be
whipping vigorously, while Nichols
made never move. At the seven
eighths Nirgie was over length in adj
vance, and Aggravation was hopeless
ly beaten. Firgie A passed under the
wire easy winner by two and a halr
lengths, in :33.
Summary:
Virgie A. black mare aged, by True
BritOn- Big Bertha, 11S pounds (Nich-
ols) /.
Aggravation, bay mare, six years. by
Brutus- Gladette, 121 pounds 6 pounds
overweighO. Opiopio, 2.
Time, 1888. Winner owned by Messrs.
Moore and Hancock
The victory was a popular one and
an extraordinary demonstration took
place as the winner flashed under the
wire. Nichols ride was a good one,
but the earnest effort of Opiopio verg-
ed on the ludcrous.
Aggravation's chances were spoiled
by the ride she got; her bad showing
was inexplicable. and she could GER
tainly have finished closer up.
Virgie A is better mare than she
has been generally rated, and will
probably confirm her victory if the two
meet again.
The following opinions We're express
cd
of the race:
Al Moore-Just what | expected
Virgie A is better mare now than
ever in her life.
Trainer Westwood-It was easy for
Virgie; 1--WE will go them again II they
like
Lieutenant Hancock-The best horse
won; People said the winner did not
have work enough, but they were mis-
taken.
Soldier" oDonnel-virgle ran
grand race
Billy Cunningham thought Agra
walton would have won, and did not
think Virgie was up to such a ride
John Callan-Aggravation can run a
half in :5l The boy on her did not
try to win; he had no business to lay
back and try to take the pole There
was too much talking in the back
stretch; l wouldn't have minded if we
had lost the race on the square
Tom Hollinger-My mare got no ride;
there wasn't a mark on her. or a puff
In her. She didn't run better than
1;35. She has run faster than the win
ner's time in a workout. and could
run faster when a green mare.
Opiopio-I did my best; Aggravation
quit at the head of the stretch If T
had Won 1 would have got 500 from
Mr.. Hollinger.
Seth Nichols-Virgie had the foot OF
her all the way; the other Is not much
account.
Yirgie AS owners are willing to run
Aggravation at mile. They hold their
! horse at $3.50
The officials on Saturday were as fol-
Judges. c. P. Wilder, Edgar Hal
stead, J, R. Shaw; timekeepers. c. H.
Judd F. Halstead; starter, l.. H Dee;
assistant starter. c. Newman.