Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
HEAVY GOING MONDAY
PRESIDENT ROWLAND PREDICTS
A HIaH-CLAss MEETING.
"DeP' Must Play in Washington-New
Orleans Races-Fast Bowling by
Jolly Fat Men.


down in a torrent and continuation Of
the downpour appeared certain. Calcula-
lions for the Benning handicap. the chief
event of the opening day, were knocked
into splinters. and at the present writing
guessing contest. A hot sun all day to-
morrow will do wonders with the track,
but there is no question that the going
will be hard. Several Of the top-weight
horses will assuredly be scratched and the
ponies with light weight will have a good
chance for the money. About the only
spots where glee was to be seen at the
track were in those stables where horses
kept Many of these bottom horses would
have been scratched out but with heavy
track the ponies up at the head Of the list
will do the retiring act.
Yesterday the wise people around the
track could see nothing but Demurrer in
the big race. but this morning Himself,
Honolulu. Tugai Bey and several others
had their admirers.
Superintendent Strahan was out early
this morning and ordered all entrances
trainers who wanted to exercise their
horses had to go to the little course on the
hillside. Mr.. Strahan was naturally disap-
pointed over the rainfall, but he Is a vete-
tdH dt -tuo-TdCluS game anu taxes Things
as they come. He said a good hot sun all
day tomorrow would do wonders with the
track, but of course. fast going is out of
the question.
Present Rowland at the Track.
President Rowland Of the Washington
Jockey Club visited Benning track yester-
day afternoon for the first time in three
| weeks. He was out early and. in COM
pany with Assistant Secretary Algernon
Daingerfield and Track Superintendent
Strahan, made a careful inspection Of the
steeplechase course. After completing the
inspection Mr.. Rowland said: THE Wash
| year than ever before. The jumps have
been raised to regulation height and are
of the required stiffness We improved
I them because the Jumps around New York
have been raised and stiffened. It is best
| for the steeplechase sport that the jump
ers learn what they have to do in the be-
| ginning They will not have to unlearn
anything after reaching New York.
II am delighted with the outlook for the
coming meeting. We have better class
Of horses in the handcaps than Benning
ing, and the 2-year-olds are far above the
standard. Mr.. Belmont and other promi-
nent eastern horsemen are sending us
shiftier young material than has been their
ened to the realization that we are giving
first class racing and to understand that
la few preliminary efforts here greatly help
| along the preparation OF first class horses
| for the big meetings around New York.
Ivan Falls on His Jockey.
saffel got an ugly fall yesterday. He was
schooling Jim Halls Ivan. when that ac-
complished fencer came a beautiful CROP
per at the bank and hedge. Saffel fell under
the horse and lay still after Ivan struggled
to his feet and galloped away. 1t was
thought at first that the man was injured,
but Saffel was on his feet before any one
got to him. He was merely bruised.
After a chase he caught Ivan and re-
mounted. Nothing short Of broken neck
feazes the average steeplechase Jockey.
This was Ivan's first fall. Mr.. Halls
horse Is a beautiful fencer. but overreached
at the bank and hedge. Last fall. 1t will
| be remembered. he won more steeplechases
rnan any chaser at Benning. Ivan is
| the best cross-country horse that will race
develops something particularly good
John E. Madden's chaser. Auto, has
! not gone through the field as yet. He is
| big. fne-loolking horse. He galloped
| Gentleman Riders on Hand.
| Half dozen gentlemen riders who ex-
pect to take part in the Chevy Chase hunt
ers race. one OF the features Of the Ben
| ndng meeting. schOoled their horses yes
terday Among them were 8. A. Knut, d.
K. Kerr. Mr.. Dunnell Mr.. Spencer and Mr.
| Mordecai. Mr.. Mordecai had a fall early
| In the forenoon. Virginia Bradley's Drago-
man went down with him at the Liverpool.
Mr.. MordecA fell against wing and
bruised his shoulder.
Namtor. August Belmont's Benning han
| dicap candidate. was kicked at the race
track yesterday by ]. o. Gray's old mare
Alice Farley. and an ugly cut was made
in his right shoulder just over the joint.
The wound. which was about two and a
half inches long, bled profusely. and the
horse limped painfully for ten minutes. He
gradually walked out OF his lameness, and
John Whalen. Mr.. Belmonts trainer. ap-
piled arnica to the wound. but it is not
certainty that he will be able to run
on Monday. The cut itself on almost any
other part Of Namtor's body would not
amoun6 To much hut the shO,Ilder ia q had