Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Opening Day at Morris Park
a Big Success.
GREY FRIAR'S VICTORY
BIG FOOT BALL BATTLES SEIZED
ULED FOR TODAY.
New Golf Champion at Princeton
Grand Circuit Trotting-Lenny
Fights Well Against Corbett.

Worthy in every respect of the excellent
programme presented yesterday, the
opening day of the Morris Park fall meet
ing. was the attendance. By common con-
sent it was conceded to be fully the equal
to the fashionable throngs which crowded
the grounds of the Coney Island Jockey
Club on Futurity day.
When the horses were called to the post
in each race the already well filled grand
stand became packed and the end nearest
the cheap field. which is divided by wire
screen from the other part Of the grand
stand, was damned. as also was the small
wooden stand In the field. Capacious as is
Morris Park, the attendance yesterday was
notably large.
Lovers Of good racing were gratif1ed by
three magniicenty fought contests In the
first three events. By far the most inter-
esting race Of the day was the first part
of the Matron stakes. worth to the winner
$12.33O. The starters were Grey Frtar, Ace
full. Fire Eater. Blue Ribbon, Merry Aero
bat. Invincible and James r. and F. P.
Keene's Surbiton, a colt by Kingston out of
Virginia Water He had never run before
yesterday, and he came very near furnish
ing a colossal surprise. for he led almost
from the start. and it was only the last few
strides that N. Turner on Grey Friar
passed him and won by a head, while the
odds-on Aceful was only head away, fin
ishing between these two. Grey Friar
warmed up rather slovenly, and was at 8
to 1 in the betting. Being a gelding, he
practically conceded to Aceful1 five pounds.
and to Surbiton eighteen pounds.
No other starters ran well enough to make
them dangerous to any of the three placed
like the same weights. Blue Ribbon bolted
half way down the stretch. 1t was N.
Turner's vigor that actually won the race.
If he could have ridden either of the other
two at the respective weights the scale
would have been turned in Its favor, and
this particularly applies to Acefull, as 1t
stands to reason that Cochran is not in the
same class as Turner for vigor or as Shaw
for general nursing ability.
There was a story that Acefun was short
of work. but that is exploded by the fact
that on Sunday morning he outworked any
two-year-old ever seen at Morris Park, The
fractional time being: First furlong. II Sec
onds; quarter, % seconds: three furlOngs,
344 seconds; half mile, 4S seconds; five fur
longs, 1o11a six furlongs, lis; seven fur
longs. pulled up, in 1.2915. These figures are
from the notebook of one of the shrewdest
hackers of the day and are perfectly re-
liable.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that it was to
l on Acefull The same hacker thinks that
1t may be the work that beat Acefull while
Alfred Hennen Morris. who owned the sire
of the colt, told several persons after the
race that Mirthful could not run down the
hill. {
Grey Friar won the Grand Union Hotel
Stakes and the Albany Handicap at Sara
toga, since which he has not run He was
purchased as yearling by G. B. Morris, and
resold at a small profit to F. r. Hitchcock
Needless to say, the colts owner was q
much gratified man at having won so classic
a race with colt who was in receipt of no
weight The time Of the race was Liz
or exactly the same as made by Clarence III
Mackays Heno last year.
Persons at the start saw that Acefull did
not get away any too well, and In addition
was cut on his front feet John E Mad
den, the colts trainer, however, had no ex-
cuses. Asked as to whether his defeat would
make any difference in the announced in
tentlon of sending him to run for the En-
glish Derby. Madden said that nothing could
be said positively until Harry Payne Whit
ney and Herman B. Duryea should return
from Europe. They are to sail today
j. d. Haggins' orange and blue were frs.
Rome on Remorse in the initial event after
a well-fought race, In which, however
OConnor on Emshee. was very unlucky
Tor he was twice disappointed when he tried
to come through next the rail- and rode like
a novice when he found an opening He was
second, and many good judges say he los
on the better horse
Lady Sterling won the mile selling race IL
very easy style. completely turning ths
tables on Boaster, who, when they last met
was her superior. In yesterdays race Boast
e. was on very poorly and Lady SterIins
was very fortunate in getting away we'll
Keynote also suffered at the start. neye,
being able to get agoing until the race wa.
half over.