The Washington times., 1901-11-29


crowd ever seen at Benning fully TO-,
O0U people entering its gates and filling
every portion of the grands;and, lawn,
and betting ring to overfowing.
1t was a goOd-natuTed crowd. The spec
tators came for an enjoyable afternoons
sport, and had it with full measure.
The new grandstand was Simply pic
ture Every seat was occupied by hand
someIy -gowned women and well-dressed
men. representing the best people of the
District and the neighboring States of
Maryland and Virginia
Betting Ring ConEested.
If the crowd in the grandstand was
great. that in the betting ring was sim
ply mass Of struggling men. 1t was hard
work TO get into the ring-harder still to
get out. and speculators had as much diff
Guilty in placing their commissions as the
bookmakers had in taking them.
Every horse in each race was played,
favorites and outsiders alike. Holiday
players as rule do not take kindly to
favoTites, preferring long shots where
they can get large returns for small in
vestments, and as luck often favors the
one who knows least about what he is
speeulating on, some long shots won.
\ Day for the Pencifers.
The talent fared badly on the day, six
straight favorites going down to defeat.
BY the time they got to the seventh race.
where Unmasked won, it is doubtful If
they had enough left TO recoup their
losses.
The programme opened with hurdle
race at a mile and three-quarters, for
which there were eight starters. 1t was
won by McFonso, owned by F. R. keyes'
a practicing attorney in the District OF
Columbia. The last time McFonso start
ed he was ridden by a colcred jockey
named Crimes Yesterday he was ridden
by white boy named Houlahan.
McFonso's Improvement Suspicious.
The horse showed startling improve
ment over his last performance, and won
in easy fashion by three lengths. The
stewards were not at all satisfied with
McFonso's in and out running. keyes
was called into the stand and told that
his entries would be refused during the
balance of the meeting. and his case re-
ferred to the National Steeplechase and
Hunt Association.
The feature of the days racing was the
fifth on the card, the Washington Cup, at
two and one-quarter miles. 1t was won
by Warranted. with great pull in the
weights. After loafing behind the leaders
all the way until the last turn for home
he came away easily, beating the favorite,
Carhuncle. one and one-half lengths.
Verify at 20 to /.
OF the many upsets of the day. the
greatest was in the third. Verify. a rank
outsider in the betting won at closing
odds against him Of 20 to l, beating the
fayorite Delmarch a neck. Verify opened
in the betting as good in some books as 40
and so TO L entirely out Of line, as this
horse has been always considered good
selling platter in the West.
The second event also went to an out
slider in The betting at Y to !. Meister-
singer, ridden by J. Slack turning the
trick a supposed good thing in this race
vas Adelaide Prince, opening at 10 10 !
and closing at TO >. She ran a good
race, and was coming very fast at the
end, finishing third.
The fourth race, an attractive feature
OF the card, was steeplechase G. W.
Jenkins, at to I with a big pull in the
even money layorlte Connover.
The sixth race went 10 Bijou heating
Rose OF May q candidate from the J. J.
McCsGerty stable. McCafferty played his
flly heavily, forcing her price from to
] TO II 10 8.
FaVOrfte Wins.
The seventh and only race OF the day
won by favorite went TO Unmasked open
ing at 7 20 S. closing at even money. I'm
masked and Fonsoluca we're coupled in the
betting as the entry Of ]. Grant Lyman
Just before the last race was run of, F. r.
Keyes, the owner of McFonso. called upon
The Times man in the press stand, and
requested him 20 state through the col
umns OF The Times his version OF the
suspension Of McFonso. Mr. Keyes stated
that the last time Grimes rode the horse
the race was so unsatisfactory that he
asked Grimes for an explanation and
that his reply vas that he lost his head
and could not control the horse from run
ming out, and that this LOST him the race.
4 have had this boy in my employ for
ten years. said Mr Keyes and have al
ways found him honest and trust worthy.
] had 10 be satisfied with this explana-
tion. The suspension came hard upon me,
as ! am entirely innocent Of any attempt
at dishonest racing and wish the public TO
know that l am trying TO win every time
] start"
The card for today is a good one and
has the usual number Of six good races.
The fields are all large and the contests
should be close and interesting Only
two more days left. today and tomorrow
winding up the fall meeting OF 1901
The Summaries.
The following are the results Of yester-
days races:
First race-Hurale; selling, handicap;
four-year-olds and upward; one and
three-quarters miles. McFcnso CHouIa-
ham, to and to 8. won; Oracle q.
JohnsonD. to I and to l. second: Mr.
Stoffel fHeideTi 9 to and 10 T. third
Time. 1924 %.
Tankard. Tamerin. Roysterer Very
Light, and Passport also ran. Passport
pulled up first time around and did not
finish. The ride on McFonso was far diff
ferent from the one ne got the last time
out. r. R. Keyes, his owner. was called
into the stand and notified that all en-
tries from his stable would be refused
during the balance Of the meeting and
that he is suspended pending investigation
by the National SteeBlechase and Hunt
Association.
Second race-Maiden two year-olds; five
furlongs. Meistersinger u. Slack. y to
and TO l. won; Longloye tRedfernD. to
] and to !, second; Adelaide Prince
(Worderly) 10 s and 3 to >, third. Time,
1:O4 2-5.
Hot. Justice, Gayhilda, Augury. Chiron.
Alack, The Bandit. Lcmoyno, Wagram
Miss Patsy. Francois. and Sunny Port also
ran. ScratcBed-Little Arrow BrufI. Mis-
sile. Sinecure, Drop Light, Mary Gate
wood, Mollie Morris.
Third race-Three-year-o -olds and up