The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-29
-FOUR FAVORlfES IN FRONT
The Opening Day at Benning a
Good One for the Talent.
Knight Of Rhodes Wins the Spring
Handicapped Large Crowd and N
Good Trnck-A Fall in the Maiden
SfeepIcchnse Entries for Today.


The spring meeting of the Washington
Jockey Club, inaugurating the racing
season in the East. opened yesterday at
Benniug under conditions which promise
to verify the prediction that II will be
the most successful spring meeting ever
held at this track. Never at this season
of the year was an opening day so largely
attended Notwithstanding the chilliness
of the weather, fully 5000 persons were
present The grandstand was fairly well
filed with handsomely gowned women,
and. all enjoyed the sport. Perhaps the
winning of four favorites had something
to do with their cheerfuIness, or perhaps
it was the strains of Haley's Orchestra
that helped them pass, away the time SO
agreeably, but at all events everybody
seemed happy.
The sport was clean and interesting
throughout. and the racing was all that
could be desired. The finishes were well
contested and the best horse won in
every event Not hitch occurred The
starts were prompt and good. and there
was nowhere feature TO mar the enjoy
ment of anyone. The jockey club is to
be congratulated on so auspicious an
opening.
The pavilion was crowded and II looked
as though every turf follower of New
York was there. 1t was hard to get
into the ring and was just as diff
cult to get out of 1t. Withal there was
the very best of order. No one seemed to
mind the jostling or crowding Instead,
all were good-natured and attending
strictly to the business that brought them
there. Money was in abundance, and the
twenty bookmakers who weighed In had
all they could attend to. As four pro-
nounced favorites won. the talent had
much the better of the argument, and
good many of the penciiers came away
with depleted bank rolls. Benning seems
to be unlucky for the bookies. and there
were quite number of them on the
ground who were afraid to make book.
as they remember the drubbing they got
last fall.
Horses run truer to form at Benning
than at many other tracks, from the sim
PIE fact that in and out running is not
count enanced and the stewards are very
watchful that Benning patrons are pro-
tected
The opening race found Sadie S. warm
favorite, the best price being even mon
ey The money went in on her in bundles
and the price was soon cut to I to 10. at
which it closed. She fully justified the
confidence of her hackers by winning in
u romp. The Rhymer was also heavily
played for place and to show. and as he
finished second the race broke badly for
the pencilers. TO add to their troubles
Magic Light. on whom there WAS as good
as 4 to / to show, and on whom all the
pikers were down to a man, finished third
so that this race alone gave the bookies,
to say the least, a rude shock.
The Harris McGovern-Sullivan contin-
gent won heavily over the victories of
Sadie s. and William H; in fact, there
must have been ton of money taken out
of the ring on the wins of Sadie s., Sweet
Clover, Knight of Rhodes, and William
II. Following is the summary or yester-
days racing:
Firet -ace-Far three year-elds and up
ward; ST, furlongs.-Sadie 5. 81. Slack.
TO 10 and out. won; The Rhymer Ct.
Burns), 4 to and even, second: Magic
Light Miles, 40 TO l and 10 to l. third.
Time. 1:15.
Revonah, Lady Padden, Choice. and
Frank Morrison also ran
The start was delayed by Frank Nor
risoD, who ran away a mile and half.
and the field was sent of without him.
The start was good, with The Rhymer
slightly in front. followed by Choice,
R.vorah. and Sadie s. Around the back
stretch Sadie S. went to the front and
was never headed, winning with ridicu-
ious ease by two lengths, The Rhymer
second by four lengths, Magic Light
third. The rest strung out.
Second race-Tbe Arlington Purse: for
two-year-olds; hair mile-Sweet Clover IT.
Burns), to and to s. won; Doice-far-
Niente Ct Walsh, even and out. second;
Kossair tMitchelp, TO l and to l, third.
Time. 0:50s..
Tamah Nawis Darlington. Miracle III,
Honolulu, and wait-a- Minute also ran
Start good. All together Sweet Clover
started out to do the running, and won
all the way. Walden's entry WAS best of
the others. but. the race was run, was
false fayorite. Sweet Glover is a grand
looking MY; and seemingly outelasses
anything at the track. She Is level head
ed. and has plenty of speed. Her owner,
w. j. Smith. has in this filiy the making
of another Queen of Song, whom he raced
with so much success. Rossair ran a good
race from where she got of. She is a
good filly
Third race-Maiden steeplechase; for
four-year-oids and upward. Queenship
(Houlahan). 10 2 and out. won; Prince
Midas tMonohan), even and out. second.
Time. 4:2s 2-5.
Emory and Flarsaway also ran.
Only two finished. Flareaway fell at
first jump and was so badly injured that
he had to be shot Emory refused and
did not go over the course. The race be-
tween Queenship and Prince Midas was a
good one, but at the end Queenship won
easily.
Fourth race-The Benning Spring
Handicap; for three-yesr-ods and up
ward: six furlongs. knight OF Rhodes
IT. Burns, to l and to 5, won; Alsike
(Brennan), 20 to ! and to l. second;
Charentus q. Slack, to l and = to /,
third Time. liz.
Gold Fox. Intrusive, Gertrude Elliott
Speedmas, Obliged, and Gautama also
ran.
The start In this race was the best ever
seen at the track. as every horse was in
motion and in actual line when the flag
dropped. Knight of Rhodes was first TO
60 to the front and lead all the way,
winning cleyerly by two lengths, Alsikc
second, Charentus third by head, Gold
Fox fourth, Intrusive fifth, Speedmas
sixth. The time for the race WAS very
slow, considering what the first race of
the day was run in. Alsike ran a bang
UP RICE.
Fifth rlce--For two-year- Odds: four
iurlongs. H. slack, tn . and
TO 5, won Fiiform walsh. To ! aud
to ., second; Red Damsel tHensonJ, -
to and to l, third. Time. 0:5l.
ItighIaway, The Stewardess, Carol D.,
Irivol. Prayline, and illuminate also ran.
Tedious delay at the post. The flag
fell to a good start. illuminate first to
the rest close up. When 1t came to rae
ing there was nothing to it but William
H., and he won eased up. F'iliform was
easily the best OF thelothers. Red Dam
sci ran a good race, but is bad actor
at the post.
Sixth rdce-For four-year- and up
ward. one mile and fairy VA r1s IgaIgryJ.