Evening star., 1904-03-28
Twilight Won Popular Victory.

No more popular victory In a local rae
ing event has ever been recorded than that
which on Saturday last at Benning was ac-
credited to Mr. g. Prentiss Knut I'm the
third running OF the Chevy Chase handicap
steeplechase. Mr.. Knut was a warm ia
vorite for the event. especially among those
who had witnessed the schooling of his
half-bred Ceiling Twilight during the days
preceding the meeting. These folks knew
that Twilight. once the greatest horse com
edian of the steeplechase world, had given
up his erratic ways and settled down to a.
good, consistent and speedy jumper They
also knew that Mr.. Knut had his heart and
soul In the running Of the race and would
strain every Eerve to capture the maRniA-
cent silver punch bowl offered as the first
prize.
Mr.. knut has been striving for this an
nuat event for two years His popularity
has added much to the interest In this pink
coat struggle, and his well wishers on Sat
urday were numbered by the thousands
Parading to the infield at the call of the
bugle Mr.: Knut received something Of an
ovation. But the cheers then were as moth
ing compared to those which greeted this
knight of the saddle when a few minutes
later he urged Twilight under the wire
Lepida- Despite the fact that Claren e
Moore's pair OF racers, Montrip and The
Hawk. went to the post the betting favor
ties, knowing horsemen generally conceded
the race as lying between Mr.. Knut and
young Kerr. They knew Mr.. Knut had the
advantage of speedy horse, but many
pinned their faith to Dion Kerr because Of
his cleverness in the saddle and his COM
paratively ripe experience in racing mat
terS.
Mr.. Knut rode a race on Twilight which
could not be beS ten. He had his horse well
up throughout the journey and helped him
materially In taking the jumps Twilight
did not falter once. He went at the obsta-
cles with graceful. swinging gallop and
cleared them prettily as ever a cross
country thoroughbred accomplished the
task. Twilignt's dam is. unknown. but after
his clever races here horsemen are ready
to acknowledge that the royal blue blood
of the equine world must have flowed in the
veins OF the obscure mare.
Twilight in order to give a touch of the
unusual to the event, took leap over the
paddock fence after passing the winning
wire. He was evidently as elated as his
owner over the victory that had been
scored. Mr.. Knut rode the journey over
the tall paddock fence as gracefully as he
had taken the brushes in the infield and
when Twilight was once more led onto the
track to appear before the judges Mr..
Knut sat smiling and comfortable In the
saddle.
The silver bowl was presented to Mr.
Knut I'm the presence of the multitude and
amid deafening cheers. Dion Kerr who
rode the second horse, received a handsome
cup, and Mr.. Clark, who made the journey
on Roger X. Wetmore's La Touraine. also
found a cup awaiting him in the judges
stand. Mr.. Clark was thrown once during
the race. but pluckily remounted and fin-
ished comparatively good third.
An open selling steeplechase closed the
days sport Gum Honey winning easily,
with Manillian second and Boney Boy third.
Captain Hayes and Harrow fell, the latter
being out in front and going nicely, when
he took a cropper and went to the ground
pitching Mara over his head.
Donor Of the Cups.
ceived- some weeks ago, three mugs. to be
donated to the owner, rider and trainer of
the winning horse I'm the seasons inaugural
steeplechase. the donor was not known.
ard the announcement was made in the
stake books that they would be given by a
gentleman interested in steeplechasing But
The secret is out. The donor was John d.