The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-19
PONIES RAN UNDER ELECTRIC LIGHTS First Night at Fair Grounds a
 Big Success.
  2500PE0PLEWfRE PRESENT All Seemed to Enjoy the Races, Which Were Fast and cIose-More
 Horses Coming Very
 Soon.
250oPEOPLEWfRE PRESENT

About 2500 people witnessed the lhaus- ,r.l raoas oq the Birmingham Jockey club at the fair grounds last night. Oh- der the electric lights the horses ran well. and the spectators seemed more than well pleased for they stood in their seats and yelled just as they do when Birmingham makes the winning run of a tie game
 The ponies did well and the old familiar .rheyre off, of Starter Phillips rang as welcome music in the ears of many. At least three of the races were won under the whip and spur. and neck and neck the horses came down the stretch. In the other two the winners had somewhat of a runaway. winning by more than one length.
 The time of the various races was good. The fastest four and a half furlongs was when Phillips & Co.'S good little horse Victor came under the wire in 1;o21a. same distance is travelled on many of the larger tracks.
 Jockey Bell rode well last night, pulling every one of his mounts under the wire first. but in the last race he clearly foul ed Shell Bark and the judges set him back to second place. He was riding ct.s skinner, which was considered the fastest horse in the race, and finished q good length ahead but in the stretch he pushed Shell Bark to the rail.
 Brilliant Sight.
 Tha fair grounds last night presented diff e ent appearance from what has ever been seen there before All the fences. buildings, grandstand and Judges stand are in white. and under the glare of about 100 electric lights the sight was one well worth seeing. Added to this the excitement of the ponies coming down the stretch neck and neck makes a fine nights entertainment and sport.
 A fifteen-foot fence circles the track, and around 1t are hung about 100 arc lights These are almost enough to make the tracl. as light as day, and a few more lights e- e back stretch and the bends will ike l. sufficiently light to see every motion of horse and rider.
 The Different Races.
 In the first race last nigAe Wilton got away in the lead, and gained on the
 
 pulled him to Lscp from tiring the little horse. Hazel was equally as easy a win ner in the second race vita Muire in second place.
 In the third ictor won by short half length from Lovers Dream, and almost the entire distance around the track these two animals ran neck and neck. The finish was in {. drive that was good to look at In the fourth race Anzizier had a hard race to win from Haydee, while l.eview and Edna D. fought it out for third place. The first two horses and the second two hore-5 were not more than a length apart at the wire. The start was beautiful, and all the jockeys rode good races.
 In the fifth Otis Skinner. Shell Bark. and European Star finished in bunch in the order named The winner was set back to second place for fouling the sec ond horse, and Jockey Bell was warned by the Judges not to repeat his perform ance.
 Every night f.- several weeks there will be running races at the fair grounds com- mencing at 8:30 o'clock. Within the next day or two a new shipment of horses is expected, anu then ,-l seven to ten will be started in each race. There has been a delay In the arrival of several of the horses.
 If the sport continues to be of the brand wen last night the crowds will continue to go, as all seemed pleased with what they saw. The results of the races last night were as follows
 First race, four and half furlongs, all ages, purse $100-Wilton, III CBelD, first; Hazel Hurst Ill (Green), second; Gowdy, III (Wilson), third. Time, 1:03.
 Second race, four and half furlongs, all ages, purse $100--Hazel, 110 (BelD. first; Mlure. ie5 (Green), second; Varube 105 ,Cirant), third. Time, 1:o5.
 Third race, four and half furlongs, all ages. purse $10o-Vietor, 110 (BelD, first; Lovers Dream 100 Grant, second; Mors- ton, 115 CWilliams). third. Time 1:021a.
 Fourth race, four and a half furlongs. all ages, purse $100-Anzizier. 103 (BelD, first; Haydee, 103 (Green). second Re- view, 103 CWilliams), third. Time, 1:o2aa. Fifth race, four and half furlongs, all ages, purse s100-Shell Bark. 103 (Wison), first; Otis Skinner, 11o (BelD, second; Flu ronaan Star 110 (CsroptA tbfrd Tiroa .ne