The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-22
mack NUMBER AND JOE BUCKLEY
MATCHED FOR A PURSE.
FIVE FURLONGS THE
DISTANCE TO BE RUN.
CROKER WIRED HIS ACCEPTANCE
OF THE TERMS YESTERDAY

All Horses That are Fit VIII BE
Sent to the Post Friday, and the
Fields Will BE as Large MS They
Were During the Fair Races
Etrst Race VIII BE OF Promptly
al O'clock and the Card VIII BE
Get Home In Time for Christmas
Dinner.
The three-year-old championship for
horses now quartered at the Savannah
race track will be decided at the
Christmas races Friday morning when
Joe Buckley and John r. Croker's
Rack Number will be matched for 5000
a side at five-eighths Of mile.
The management has been trying
for some days to get the two owners
together and have the horses matched;
hit Mr.. Croker was not willing to key
his crack three-year- up for hard
race unless there was side bet of
5000. Mr.. Croker is now in Washing
ION. and when he was informed by
wire yesterday that Buckley would be
matched against Back Number for
5000 a side the following telegram was
received by Mr.. Harry Schultz who
has charge, of Mr.. Croker's horses
while he is away. Match Back Num-
her against Buckley for 5000 a side
and as much more as they will take.
I send check by this mail. Signed,
John r. Croker"
This will be one of the features of
Fridays excellent card. Mr.. Schultz
said yesterday that he had already
commenced preparing Back Number
for the event and Joe Buckley is also
receiving his final prep for the match.
In his last race Joe Buckley made
a show of his field just as Back Num-
Der did, and much discussion has been
entered into over the merits Of the
two horses. A better match could not
have been arranged as both horses
have negotiated the five furlong route
in the same time on the same kind of
track.
No doubt Buckley will be made the
public choice as his performance was
more creditable in that he made his
excellent showing on a heavy track.
If he wins it will be by neck, or per-
haps a nose, and there are many who
believe that he win not win at all.
Among the horses that will start
Friday, which did not go to the post
during the matinee races, will be
Moorhen, Welsh Girl, Queen L., Dusky
Secret, Dick Ripley, Golden Rattle,
Economic, Red Spider, Sky Blue, Ten
nesseean, st. Juvenil and others.
The announcement that the races
will be commenced at II o'clock in the
morning has met with popular ap-
prevail as every one will have time to
see the finish of the races and go
home for dinner and get back out to
see the football game, which will COM
mence at $3.50. The races will be fin
ished by 12:45.
In addition to the match race there
will be four other well filled events,
bringing out the best horses in the
stables at the track. Mr.. Schultz said
yesterday that Mr.. Croker had left
him instructions to start all of his
horses if he saw fit. All of the horse
men are getting their charges ready
and just as good a card will be pre-
scented as any day during the fair,
when the racing was pronounced by
all present as being as good as that
seen at New Orleans and other places.
A general admission of so cents will
be charged, with no extra charge for
the grand stand and it is believed that
with the change in hours a record
breaking crowd will be in attendance.