The Washington times., 1903-03-23
BENNING RACES OPEN
IN DOWNPOUR OF RAIN
Track a Sea Of Mud-Many
Scratches EnSue.

All roads led to Benning today. and
long before 3 o'clock. the starting hour
steady stream of lovers OF the thor
Cushbrcd journeyed TO the track, and
despite the elements. a large sized
crowd sought shelter in the grandstand
to witness the six events scheduled for
the day Dame Nature never frowned
more ftfully upon an opening than she
has today. The fine, warm. and clear
days o. the earlier part of last week
buoyed up the hopes of the Jockey Club
officials and owners and trainers into
the belief that the Inauguration OF the
racing season in the East for 1903 was
10 be auspiciously attended by excep-
tional weather conditions Yet all
these hopes have been ruthlessly de-
stroyed and a deluge Of rain has fallen
almost necessarily since early Friday
morning
Track a Sea of Mud.
As was 20 be expected. the track is n sea
OF mud, and The mudlark will be in his
element. Yet one CLEAN OF hope is held
out 70 ali interested in the racing game
a ritt in the clouds. as IL wei-e The
light. sandy nature Of the Benning track
viii enable it to quickly dry out. and
one day Of sunshine will restore /, to
It's normal condition. Preparations pro-
ceeded merrily. however. this morning.
and the officials. nothing daunted, posi-
tiyoly assert that Notwithstanding the
iuauspicious opening. the present meet
VIII far eclipse anything in the previous
history OF Benning
1t is pretty much the same old crowd.
today at Benning, with a sprinkling of
new blood. since there are always new
recruits attracted by the fascinations
OF track and turf. The booiies are mer-
riiy chirping their odds and the same
army OF nervous justling spectators
are fighting their way TO the layers
sides TO place their rolls on their re-
spective choices. The card IL an attrac-
tive one, but viii be necessarily at
tended by a long list OF scratches. All
eyes are centered on the Benning Spring
Handicap. the fourth race OF the day.
Speculation has been rife as to the
winner Of this handsome event since
the entries were first announced.
His Annual Threat.
Father Bill DAILY. the sage OF Hart
ford" has already claimed it and thinks
there is nothing to it but one OF his
pair. Himself or Daily. That there are
several who viii dare dispute the
"saEe's" declaration Will best be at
tested By the substantial bets that are
being placed on other choices. Demurrer
a.
that Syrlin. the top weight horse. and
Namtor. who was kicked. will be with
drawn. Either one OF this trio. under
favorable conditions. would have had a
good chance 10 land the money
The probable starters and jockeys in
the handicap. revised to meet the wealth
er conditions. are: Himself (Odoin). DAILY
tcreamer]. Ahumada CRedfern). Honolu-
lu IT. Walsh. Alan (HaackJ. Athelroy
Murray. Clonmell or Marshall Nell
tGannOn). April Shower &C. Sloan). Cir-
Gus CPhillips), Tugai Bey Fitzpatrick.
All day yesterday the usual Sunday
crowd of visitors surged through mud
and rain and took peep at the horses
at their morning work on the track or
shed. or comfortably installed in their
we're recorded as a result OF the morn
ing's work. although two two-year- oIds
covered a half in O;50. Tugai Bey
breezed three-Quarters. as did Daily and
Himself
Dick Thompson Dead.
Frank Hitcncock's stable Of sixteen
horses arrived yesterday Dick Thomp-
son. a fine big chestnut hunter. was
taken sick en- route and died shortly
after his arrival at Benning. The other
horses in this lot are: Good and Rea1y.
P0get. Fred Ackerman. Tankard. Sui
tana. Jouca King. Black Friar. Sir Pat.
Martin Burke. and the two-year- olds
Royal MILDLY. Avenger. Head over Heels.
The Buck. and Gray Knight.
Late Saturday night two carloads
G. me In from New Orleans. the property
Of LIger a. Brown, Daniels Brothers. u.
T Dauaher. James Dumas. J. Mack
essey. and j. ". Pangle. In the latter
string is Mrs Frank Foster. which was
entered IN the handicap. but the late
ness OF the arrival made IL inadvi5able
10 send her 20 he post today.
About sixty turfmen left New o.
leans Saturday Immediately after the
last race. among them Stewards Nc
Dowen and Bryan and Judge Hall, Al
bert Simons. and Jockey Cannon. 1he
last two remaining to win the louisiana
Stakes with Major MaDir.
T. b. boswell the well-knOwn owner
OF the Bullfeld track. in Hanover coun-
". Virginia. reached Washington today
with a string Of twelve promising racers
Lsocket. OF the DAILY string. breezed
six furlongs in :25 under a wrap ali the
way.
Ben Howard went a slow mile in a
two minute clip.
TRANSPORTATION ana Brown Monarch
went a half in 05l. both all out at the
finish
Calsiy. did six furlongs IN 1:26ia and
was ridden out at the finish
knight Templar was in good form and
reeied of six furlongs in I:23iz breath
ing easily at the finish
carcus went mile in 1891 and seems
81 and ready.
All fha fumuorc did some roaFuvorly