Evening star., 1904-03-25
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Opening Day at Benning a
Gratifying Success.
POOR CARD TODAY
TRAINERS HOLDING BACK HORSES
OWING TO LACK OF CONDITION.
Senators Get in Good Days Practice
Atlantic City's Golf Tourney
Tonight's Fight.
POOR CARD TODAY

One of the poorest cards that the WASH
ington Jockey Club has ever had the mis-
fortune to offer is on today at Benning
With the number of horses uuartered at the
track it was not thought possible that small
fields would materialize early, but the
training season has been so backward that
a great majority of the thoroughbreds are
not in condition to run, and the owners re-
fuse to take chances. A reporter of The
Star interviewed several of the owners, and
every one seen admitted that their horses
were backward. The rain this morning
made matters still worse, as a few bright
sunny days would do wonders with all the
runners. The track is almost as good as it
vas yesterday, the morning rain hurting
but little, but it will require several warm
sunny days to make it fast. Superintendent
Strahan has his corps of workmen out on
the track at every opportunity, and every
endeavor is being made to improve the con-
d:tions
There a big decrease in attendance
today from the large crowd of yesterday,
only the regulars being present. The specials
from Philadelphia and Baltimore came over
very light
Yesterdays racing WAS very ordinary but
one good finish being furnished during the
afternoon, and not a favorite went under
the wire first. The Bcnning handicap fur
nished the most interest. but was won in
such hollow style by Snrine- as to dampen
all the enthusiasm. Good horses like Mas
terman, Monte Carlo an Himself were back
in the ruck. Starter Cassidy got the large
field away in splendid style, but Shrine
romped along in a good position until the
turn and then came away and won as he
pleased. Pa DAILY mad to stand for con-
siderable joshing' from the other trainers
after the race. as the veteran felt very con-
tdent of winning with Himself
Only One Good Finish.
The real sport of the afternoon came to
the fore in the fifth race. Honolulu was
scratched out of the handicap for this event
and went to the post to favorite. The
start was poor Honolulu getting away
about sixth, and in the mix-up was shut
off several times before the stretch was
reached. At the turn Cormack got Homo
lulu in next the rail and he came toward
the wire like the wind. This speed evident
ly made COrmack over confident, as he ap-
peared to ease Honolulu up somewhat when
near home and when challenged by Rough
Rider, could not get going again, the latter
winning out the wire by short head
Rough Rider has been wintering at Ben
ming and his condition was not known to
any one but the stable connection. His finish
was something startling as he appeared to
run away from the other horses as if they
were standing still. Very little money was
bet at the track on Rough Rider, but there
was a report current last night that big
stable not betting al Benning to keep
the price up in the out-of-town books.
The first twO-year-old race of the season
in the east was as the second event
called the Albemarle purse on the program.
The distance was four furlongs and the
talent made II. r Griffin's Sweet Pepper
the filly that caused much trouble at
New Orleans, a favorite at 9 to ). The
Columbia stables Dulcibella, a filly by
Tithonius-Duchess. was a hot tip and car
ried big money at threes Redfern took
Sweet Pepper to the front without delay,
and she ran head and head with Tony
Aste's Modredlaw and X. C. Bates Mas
ter Douglass TO the head of the stretch,
where the last named fell back. R. w.
Waldens Filigree, colt by Filigrane-
leaders and in a fierce drive Sweet Pepper
was run off her feet. 1t was a hot duel
after that to the end. Modredlaw beating
Fiigree by three parts of length. the
latter being length in front of Dulcibella.
r. ". Waldens Queen Elizabeth proved
a genuine good thing in the fourth race, at
seven furlongs She picked up at
fives, and after making all the pace, with
Burns on her back galloped home two
lengths to the good Mammon. to 2. took
the place from Gen. Stewart, the lukewarm
favorite. by a scant length.
The first steeplechase of the season was
run as the sixth event. Gum Honey.
played literally at threes, made all the
running and won by ten lengths from
Boney Boy, s to !. Trinity Bell, in T.
jumps and finished third. all of the other
starters, including Billy Ray. the favorite,
falling.
Summaries