The San Francisco call., 1905-08-05
MEET
At PORTLAND
Although Captain Spencer
Wants to Stop the Game,
BOOkies Are Sure to Win
BY FRED f. MULHOLLAND.


! PORTLAND. Aug. S.-while racing has
been hanging in the balance awaiting the
decision of Judge Frazier as to whether
or not the management of the Multno-
nah Fair Association shall close the
I gates of Irvington Park, the racegoing
public of Portland has enjoyed seven days
of excellent sport. Like the man that
started for the North Pole attired in a
, lawn tennis suit. Captain Spencer feels
as if he had been frozen out. The cap
tain, who is agent for Mrs. Ryan. owner
of Irvington track, and N behalf of his
client Dixon, the latter a nephew of Mrs.
Ryan. asked for 80 per cent of the bet
ting ring. He was proffered 20 per cent
which met indignant refusal, and Their
began the crusade Of the steamboat man
Ito have the lid put on" Apparently
Captain Spencer is alone in his tight. Ths
town itself is closed. and the gambler
capable of making a short deck look Hks
a dry goods box has no more chance Of
making a living here than a cobbleF
would have down on the Solomon Islands.
There is considerable loose change float
ing around. the possessors Of which
manifest a marked desire to do some
guessing. Under such existing conditions
it is not difficult TO see why Captain
Spencer ct al. have so few sympathizers.
Five regular and one combination book
accommodate the wants of spectators at
Irvington Park. The prices paid are not
as high those at the first second and
third class hotels here. but are big
improvement over the Seattle freeze-our
game. Hughey Jones again figures the
ring odds. while George Oxnard, the
overnight quotation king" presides over
the destinieS OF the combination stand.
Johnny Humphrey is another well-known
Frisco layer on the block.
Frank ST. D. Skinner of San Francisco
presides in the stand with Robert Leigh
ton of Vancouver as associate Horace
H. Egbert ably fills the position OF handi-
capper. Sam McGibben makes an ideal
clerk Of the scales and needless to say
Jack Dinue, another California Jockey
Club employe, acts as paddock Judge
and announcer with his accustomed ef-
f1cacy. Frank Cusack. the well-known
turf writer, was appointed patrol judge.
Dick Williams reached Portland on Fri
day last from Buffalo with a string of
fifteen good performers, Reservation and
Silver Sue being among the numOer.
Jack Atkins and Fred Jackson (Big
Jack) are also recent arrivals They re-
port a raft OF horses, turfmen, bookmen
and bookmakers clerks as participating
at Latonia, but say money was not
plentiful. II the outlaw ruling Is re-
voked by the Western Jockey Club Cor
rigan claims he will rule the Middle West
next year-and ruin 1t too.
Although great things were claimed for
Laidlow, as .sprinting wonder, Flying
Fox, the star Of the Denver meet could
carry 175 chauffeur and easily take his
measure.
Emmett League heads the jockeys with
eight winning mounts, closely pressed
by Benny Powell, T. Clark, ]. Clark and
Graham. Powell is an arert youngster.
and has a chance, 1t would appear, to
make frst-class rider.
Before the thermometer hits another
high spot and the pencil Is melteS.. IL
might be mentioned inferentfaIly thar the
Seattle syndicators washed out s43O
during their recent summer clean-up And
this without the use of a diamond drill
rocker or wine press. Guess that was a
bad jam to get caught in.
Sam Jones Is out of luck Mfsty's Prfds
failed to earn a set of brackets at Seattle.
The mare finished second 10 H l., Frank
at Irvington on Tuesday, and pulled IN
with a badly bruised foot
There is lull In the sellfng-race war
The best tilt occurred on FRIDAY. When
foreman for Charley McCafrerty ar Oak
land last winter George Strate gave DIR.
Rowells Best Man a boost When Dun
dreary won last Friday the veterinary
evened up things by taking the gelding
away from Strate for s4OO>
Al DobSon'S rehabilitate. racer Epicurs
has on two occasions finished second at
the meeting. On Saturday. in the mile
handicap, he was an extensively backed
TO choice, and Judge won In hollow
rasnion. The latter horse seems to have
regained his best form.