Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-03
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
General Gossip of the Runners
at Benning.
GOOD CARD TODAY
NATIONALS ARRIVED HOME IN
SPLENDID CONDITION.
Play Fourth Presbyterians This After
noon-Etiquette of the Golf Links
Base Ball Notes.

y tpupIt AlltuSdilu ptOpiS jun ~
the Benning track yesterday, the major por-
ton going out in the morning to witness
the exercise gallops of the horses. The ad-
vance guard went through the gates at
the break of day, and from that time until
noon there was almost continuous stream
of people going and coming.
The bright. cool morning just suited the
horsemsn with stables that are a little
backward in spring training, and of the
100 odd thoroughbreds quartered inside and
outside the grounds fully 500 were given
workouts during the day. The track is
now in first-Class condition, and as result
there were several trials that were eye
openers to the ''clockers,' who never miss
the preliminary running of horses that are
expected to enter races in the near future.
While there was some cause for criticism
in two or three instances in the racing at
Benning last week, 1t Is gratifying to note
that in the main the sport has been clean,
wholesome and free from the faint of scan
dial. The stewards of the meeting have
shown plainly that they are wide awake
and ready at all times TO conserve the best
interests of the sport. The moral effect of
the careful guidance and wise control of the
Jockey club is being felt more and more
each year. Good results are bound to fol-
low in higher quality of sport than ever
before. Form at Benning in the spring
of the year is at best a most uncertain
guide. knowledge of the condition of the
horses in the various stables is now more
easily obtained by the public than in past
years, however, and in consequence the
percentage of winning favorites has been
above the average.
Better Luck for Bookies.
Up to last Thursday the bookmakers
who are doing business at Bennng were
tremendously hard hit. 1t was one continue
al 8
casional break, until the more close-fsted
layers became wary and We're averse to
taking chances. With increased confidence
the racetrack regulars made all kinds of
use of their good luck until they had money
TO kindle but on Thursday the tide began
TO turn in such a manner that on Friday
and Saturday eleven favorites were beaten
and the bank rolls of the chalkers became
corpulent once more. But that is the secret
of the turfs popularity. Its uncertainty
makes the game fascinating for both play
ers and layers
The books at Benning, according to we'll
posted men. never handled so much money
before 1t is said that $250.000 a day would
be fair estimate of the money passed to
the various members of the METROPOLITAN
Turf Association, which, as usual rules the
washington ring. Nearly all of the big fell
lows are making book with unlimited bank
rolls, and are going 10 keep at 1t, they say
as long as the dough bag has something in
side of It,
1t is cause for favorable comment that In
the two-year-old races at Benning the
youngsters as rule, have been breaking
nicely and showing an aptitude at the bar
rler which speaks well for the trainers and
shows that the proper attention is now being
paid to schooling. 1t is true that there have
been cases where horse has gone to the
post so green that his chances of winning
were materially lessened. but. in the main,
the high-strung two-year-olds have caused
hardly more trouble to the starter than the
cider horses. The vital Importance of care
fui and thorough schooling has impressed
itself on owners and trainers alike. 1t took
some time, and at the cost of many bitter
experiences, to convince trainers of the ne
CesSity for barrier instruction, and the Off
ctals even had TO take hand and make the
schooling in some cases compulsory. But
now the youngsters. and older horses too
are schOoled two or three times a week and
II has come to be a regular part of their
early instruction.
Feature of the Week
The most interesting stake feature at Ben
ming this week viii be the Washington Nur-
sery stakes, $1.OOO added, four and half
furlongs, to be run next Saturday. Tiptoe,
Consistent, Martin, Pater, Sunglow and all
of The other wo-year-olds of any conse-
quence will start, with the exception of VIII
Shields Oaklawn, high-class youngster,
who sent to Bound Brook recently to
campaign at Aqueduct and jamaica Shields
has refused big money for Oaklawn, as he
believes he has a consistent colt that will be
more than a good breadwinner for him this
season
With the racing season hardly begun, it is
plain that there Will be no dearth of capable
Jockeys this year Fuller is riding in his
oldtime form, and his reformation seems
complete. Baird, the little lightweight
whose success at Benning last week was one
of the features, will unquestionably be a
welcome addition to the ranks, while Nc
Daniel and AuhuChon, who have been rid
ing with much skin on the winter tracks,
are also likely TO make good when they
come east. Crimmins has improved over
winter. and so has Sperling, and Dreamer,
In the hands of Fred Presgrave, is likely to
develop into a better jockey with greater
opportunities. All of the good boys of last
season will ride again, so that the COMPETE
tion for jockey hOnors should be keener than
ever. There will be more Jockeys riding as
free lances on the eastern tracks this year
than ever before, and Redfern, Burns, Shaw
Odom. Baird and others of equal skill may
be among them.
The public stable trained by William Garth
has won nine races here, an average of one
every day since the beginning of the meet
Ing. Garth raced years ago at Gutenberg
and later handled horses for Algernon Dain-
keTfpll and j Lane