Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Best Jockeys Of the World to
Ride at Benning.
TRACK DRYING OUT
EVERYTHING IN TIP-ToP SHAPE
FOR THE OPENING DAY.
Manager Lotus Arrives = Sullivan
Whipped Daly-Good Bowl
ing Battles.
TRACK DRYING OUT

ing Battles.
Wit the almost hourly arrival of horses.
the constant galloping Of thoroughbreds in
training at the track and the schooling of
the Jumpers over the steeplechase course
the Benning racing plant has taken on
that air of exciting activity that betokens
the beginning of the racing season in the
east The season, which promises to be
one of the most prosperous and successful
the turf has ever known, will be inaugu-
rated next Thursday when the bugle calls
the horses to the post for the first contest
of 1904 under the auspices of the National
Jockey Club. The opening event will be a
six-furlong dash over the Columbia course.
The race has been designated the open
ing Purse of 1904 and in addition to the
added money the stewards of the meeting
will present three silver mugs, one each to
the owner. trainer and rider of the winner.
This happy custom was begun several
years ago. The winning OF the mugs is
looked forward to by owners, trainers and
jockeys with no small degree of rivalry.
Last spring the opening purse was won by
Billy divers crack horse Lord Badge, rid
den by Jockey Arthur Redfern. 1t was
conceded several days in advance that
Lord Badge had the race at his mercy, and
Redfern was in high glee over his roseate
prospects of possessing the cup. The race
year there is no such advance assurance
of a winner. The number Of horses at the
track is larger than in the spring year
ago. and the entry list Of the first race Is
problematical.
All races at the spring meeting at mile
and forty yards and under will be run over
the Columbia course, which is several sec
ondS faster than the old track.
First Baby Race.
The second race of the opening day will
be the Arlington purse for two-year-oids,
the first baby race of the year in the east
The distance will be half a mile and a live
ly tilt among the youngsters is expected
The Benning handicap, the feature of the
day. will be run as the third race. instead
of the fourth, as formerly. This change Is
due to the fact that at this meeting and in
the future the jumping races over the
steeplechase course will be run late in the
day, in most instances as the last event
on the program. This arrangement is in ac-
cord with the practice of the metropolitan
racing associations. 1t is to be tried here
as an experiment. Jumping races are more
popular in Washington than at any other
racing point in the country. and the stew
ards are interested to know how the local
devotees of the sport will fancy the late
running of the events.
. The fourth race of the opening day will be
for three-year-old maidens, at fourteen
pounds under the scale The nOn-winners
meeting in this race will have journey of
seven furlongs before Them, and the winner
will take down 500 purse. The fifth race
is selling event at one mile and forty
yards for three-year-oids and upward, with
SG0O in added money.
The sixth and last race will be the open
ing steeplechase of 1904. 1t will be run over
the two-mile course. The book program of
the meeting contains the interesting an.
nouncement that gentleman interested IN
steeplechasng will present three mugs. one
each to the owner, trainer and rider Of the
winner of this the first steeplechaSe of 1904
under the rules of the National Steeplechase
and Hunt Association.
All the First-Class Jockeys Coming.
One of the most gratifying facts con-
nected with the coming meeting Is the
probability that all of the first-class jockeys
of the country will meet here to try their
spurs and contest for the first riding hon.
ors of the new year. All of the boys who
have leaped into prominence during the
winter meetings will be on hand to cross
whips with the celebrated jockeys of the
eastern turf. There is as much interest in
the performance of these youngsters in the
saddle as in the running of the horses
themselves. In the matter of riding ma
terial the Benning spring session will
eclipse by long odds any meeting hereto
fore held under the auspices of the Wash
ington Jockey Club. The list Of riders
who have announced their intention of
competing on the local track contains the
names of practically every star licensed to
wear silk.
Among the boys well known to Washing
tonians there will be the eyer-popular
Tommy Burns, who has spent the winter
in the saddle at Oakland and the other San
Francisco tracks. Burns is ready to
ride in the mastery manner of which
he is capable. Little Arthur Redfern.
wv fn har into frntr 10
at Los Angeles, is back in the east in good
standing, and will be at Benning the OPEN
ing day. George Odom. it is reported has
been engaged by Father Bill DAILY to ride
Himself in the Benning handicaps so it is
safe to predict that he will be on hand to
accept any other mounts that may be Of
fered. Odom has spent the winter at his
nome In Brooklyn. pullman Is another boy
wei. known to local followers of the turf
and he is slated to ride at the coming
meeting Grover Cleveland Fuller is en-
gagged literally at Benning. and If he has
fuily recovered from his st. Patricks day
ceiebration viii be ready to begin anew the
rivalry with the eastern boys which was so
keen throughout last year. There Is no
better boy in the saddle than Fuller. but he
requires a strong hand to guide him In the
paths of righteousness
y Nell. who made such a favorable i'm
preston here last fall when he rode the
Drake h0Sses. will be on hand according to
reports from Sheepshead Bay. He is riding
this year for Fred Burlew. and the latter
It is stated has given his permission for
ONieil to ride at the local meeting. J.
Martin. star at Oakland, has been en-
gagged to ride in the east for W. B. Leeds
and Andrew Miller. and 1t is expected he
VIII begin by taking mounts at Benning.
Shaw to Ride for Burch.
Willie Shaw. an exceptionally clever rider
has been granted a license by the Jockey
Club and Is already at Benning. He will
ride for Mr.. Burch and others, and is ex-
pected to show up in his usual brilliant
style. Callahan comes back from New Or
leans. where he rode Tribes Hill in many a
hard-earned victory E. Walsh. after a
campaign at Los Angeles and New Orleans
VIII be at Benning. as will be Feicht Nc
Caherty. Cochran and H. Michaels. Sailing
Is coming, and 1t is expected that Cannon
who was seriously injured in a fall at New
Orleans, will be in condition to accent
mounts. ROmanelli. the youngster who il
expected to ride some of the Belmont and
Whitney horses this year. also returns from
New Orleans w. Hicks the crack negro
jockey, one of the biggest winners of the
winter, will be on hand. He is very popu-
lar at Benning. and as a hustling rider
has few superiors. In a two-year-old
race he is a good boy to bet on, for
he will get off well and have his