The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
MEETING A GREAT SUCCESS
Benning Spring Racing Leaves
Many Pleasant Memories.


Many Pleasant Memories.
Clean and Honest Sport the Chief
Feature Records Broken on
Fast Track - COurtesies Accorded
Patrons Aqueduct Opens Today.
The spring meeting of the Washington
Jockey Club. which ended Saturday was
the most successful in its history. Re-
CARELESS of unfavorable weather condi-
lions the average daily attendance was
unusually large, that of Saturday eclips-
all others, in point of numbers, ever seen
at the track. The jockey club may justly
feel proud Of what 1t has accomplished.
The size and character of the audiences
is the best evidence that their efforts to
please, were duly appreciated.
The sport throughout the meeting was
clean. and the best of order prevailed. The
crowd of Saturday is ample testimony, II
any was wanting, that racing has taken
firm hold on the Washington public.
The public has become educated to 1t,
from the endeavor put forth by the jock
ey club In promoting high-class, clean,
honest contests and has become much
interested that from now on the club
need have no fear whatever of lack of
patronage. The public wants first-class
racing, and all the Jockey Club has to do
is to maintain high standard and their
efforts will be sustained.
TO such an extent has interest become
awakened that several well-known bust
ness men have become financially inter-
ested in racing stables, and they had
fair share OF success at the meeting just
closed, pulling down a number of the purses
hung up by the jockey club. Fred Miller.
a Washington boy, won three races with
The Rogue and should have won five, as
in two races. where the horse finished
second, bad racing luck alone beat him.
Speedmas. owned by G.. c. johnson, of
this city. had four wins and one second to
her credit. Red Damsel, also from this
stable, was returned once winner and
several times finished in the money. Local
merchants were fortunate with Gwynne,
Slidell and Albert Edward, as was the
case of NJ. c. Kelly, with Rough Rider
and Bonaparte. Charles Hume with Pas
sale, and r. a. CASTELAR,, with Gould;
enough surely to show that an earnest in
terest in racing has been kindled in Wash
in3ton.
The Washington Jockey Club opens and
closes the season for legitimate racing in
ia
try look to the Benning spring meeting to
earn enough money to start in on the sea-
son. and to the fall meeting for enough to
tide them over the winter.
The class of horses brought to the Ben
ming track is improving every meeting, and
this is especially true of the twc-year-oids'
as some of them are nigh to stake form.
Such colts as The Goldfnder, Tamah Ma
wis. Sweet Glover, Slidell, Honolulu,
Iolce-far-N icnte, Sister Juliet, Righta-
way. William H, Carroll D.. Ganesa, Ora,
Laracor, Atheola Roma. Red Damsel. and
Astery are not often found at one meeting
They represent the highest class, and are
bound to be heard from in the many fu-
ture events for which they are entered
The three-year-o were equally well rep
resented in The Rhymer, Robert Waddeh'
Moor. Isia, and Sadie S.-colts that VIII be
hard to beat in any company Inc oider
horses are too well known to need any
special mention, but the best form shown
in this division was by Knight of Rhodes,
First Whip Alsike, and Lexington PIRATE
The racing throughout the meeting was
consistent, and while a great many OUT
siders at long prices carried on the money,
stiIl that in no way indicates any reVersals
of form. Such surprises are looked ior
and expected at early spring meetings as
II often happens that the best morse rs
beaten by an inferior one who happens 10
a TttIe more advanced in work and is bet
ter seasoned. The racing OF two-year-oius
al this time of the season cannot De De
nended upon some of them making their
first starts. and not until they, get accus-
toned to the barrier and gradualiy learn
what is expected OF them can ohe ioON 80
consistent form.
During the fifteen days of the meeting
there were In all ninety-one races run on
of which thirty-nine were won by pro-
nounced favorites. and twenty by sec
ond fayorites Thirty-two races went 10
outsiders. Frem that 1t Will be reaoiy
seen that the percentage OF WINNERS din nt.a
the first and second favorites was better
than the average shown at other tracks,
and that speaks well for the consistency
of form shown at Benning ..;,,,.
a remarkable thing about the meeting
was the poor showing of the walden ana
Morris strings Heretofore at sprlng meet eel
| ings Walden usually swept all DeIoIe nlih
/ in the two-year-old division, but TINS
snrinp the best the stable could do was 10
win enc race with polce-far- Meme Ior
/ whom IL was said they paid $li,Vvv as u
! vearlinp Rather stiff price Tor a colt
;bat conld only win one race out of three
| starts and speaks well for tne othSt w" W.
| year-olds who all put together uiu ho'
| cost half that sum. 49,. ,,,d
! absolutely fast 1t is no unusual tnIns
| to hear some owner or trainer say, ms i
| track is slow, three seconds. II rs Is,
| how about the time for the handicap on
| Saturday when Moor ran the distance III
| I:ZS +. That speaks volumes alone ior
| the track, and 1t can be SAID, Wlthout NJ
| tending any compliment to the superlh-
| tendent. that it was faster on Saturday
| than ever before. 1t is improving every
year. ,- oo.;,,.,
However, the Benning spring meeting
| of 1891 is over, and there is nothing leIt
| of il but memories. They are pleasant
| memories. too. II is pleasant to recolect
| the courtesies of all the officials, from the
president down to the humble ticket taker
! and the desire of the officials TO please
and entertain everybody. 1t Is really
| pleasant to think of Flanders and Paris
| but above all is it pleasant TO think ana
know that the racing was Clean honest
| and on the level
| The scene now shifts to Aqueduct, L. l.,
where a meeting opens for sixteen DAYS.
| commencing today, and from Aqueduct
| The horse people go through the entire
circuit until they are with us again next S;St
fall 1t is singular enough to nouce, put
YOU go out to Benning next fall you will
| be likely to see the same faces and near
| the same familiar coces crying Pure
| Hevanas imported and domestic; Pro-