The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-29
Il AuNT-LOOKING and sad-eyed

sale is the history of the horse
which defeated Green Morris crack
Watercure for the handicap at Oakland
yesterday. In the betting on the Peralta
handicap, one mile and a sixteenth, Po-
sition, the entry of DELI Fountain, was
among those laid out on the bargain coun-
ter. Fifteen to one, and at some Of the
smaller shops where scalping was done l6
to /. a tin whistle and a cake of barber
soap went with each purchase on Posi-
ton. The race attracted a big crowd to
the track over the bay, and seven out of
ten individuals entering the ring wanted a
ticket on Watercure, the top-weight, with
Winnie O'Connor in the pilot-house. The
latter horse carried 122 pounds, and then
came a fall of IA stories to Andrisa, with a
toothpiek or a bootiack on most OF the
others. Among these lightweights Ictcle,
Jim Hale and Rio Shannon fell in for
more than passing consideration. There
seemed to be premonition Of disaster
for Watercure, possibly due to OConnor' S
unlucl1y streak of late, as to l could
always be had about him.
From a spectacular point of view more
exciting contest could not be wished for.
Dick Dwyer started the bunch of nine
on their Journey in faultless fashion, with
Ransch on Icicle away in front under in
structions to set a dizzy clip, followed by
Jim Hale, Andrisa and Rio Shannon. The
pace was too hot, for as the stretch was
neared Icicle melted and Jim Hale Gag
erly waited for the gong to sound corners.
About this time the chances of Andr1Sa
looked bright, when the whole bunch
seemed to Swoop down upon her until she
was buffeted about like a decoy duck on
Suisun Slough
Near the paddock with it looking any
horses race, spread out as they were
across the track, O'Connor on the favor
tie had worked his way to the firing line
and Watercures name was shouted by
hundreds But on the far outside a
brown gelding, ridden by Hoar, had been
making great strides to the fore, and de-
spite OConnor's desperate finish, Posi-
ton gained the honors by neck. while
half a length back Varro, 80 to 1 shot,
made matters very interesting. The win
ner's time for the distance was AS, max
ing it a creditable performance. Water
cure was last around the turn after the
start, and of course had to take his
chances after that. With clearer sailing
he might have won
This was not the only spill, though, for
a favorite. There were several others, for
in fact Homestead alone saved the tai
ent from utter ruin. For those who
picked them Afghan, FavoTito, Sunello,
Position and Byron Rose gave splendid
returns for the amount invested. One
form student picked the card and he is
now commander of the army of the
Queen Of Bavaria.
Winnie O'Connors hardness in leaving
the barrier with Herculean in the opening
sprint worked the favorite's defeat. By
the time the head of the stretch was
reached Winnie had little Willie" nearly
up with the leaders and appeared to have
the race in hand. Mounce on Afghan,
however, got through next the rail, beat
ing the favorite head. The scale of
weights in this event was raised fifteen
pounds above the scale and the winner
covered the six furlongs in 1:14H.
Apparently the jumping horses are i'm
proving, for the mile and half hurdle
event was a pretty affair, resulting in the
win of Favorito, a to / chance, ridden
by Matter and carrying 142 pounds. Be
fore taking the last obstacle it looked as
as if Phil Archibald, the favorite, piloted
by Peters, would land, but Favorito out
jumped him, winning almost easily at the
wire from Sam Green. The favorite ran
into the show.
On form it looked . as if Artilla was
the best of the six starters in the mile
and a quarter selling run, and, a 4 to 3
favorite, the brown mare finished second.
Sunello, with Birkenruth in the saddle
and to l. led from start to finish. Burns
ast1'ide the favorite did not furnish one OF
his best efforts, for after z;gzagging about
lost by a length. Compass, 80 to l shot
ran third and FL Mido fourth.
Green Morris colt Homestead was COM
PEELED to step a mile in 1:40 to win the
two-year-old handicap, and then he only
laid Lapidus away by a head. O'Connor,
who rode the favorite, was cut off by
Royalty about three furlongs from the
stand and only led the Jennings entry
out in a hard drive. The stay of Botany
out in front was postponed after two
thirds of the distance had been traversed.
To get out the losers all unloaded on
Autolight to take the last event, sending
the Morris horse to the post a 7 to 5 ia
vorite. Slow, as usual, to get moving, the
brown fellow ran third. Byron Rose, an
8 to 1 shot, having Ransch in the saddle,
never relinquished the lead, downing
School for Scandal, another outsider,
half-length.
Tra01r NOfaa