Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-15
ALL READY AT BENNING.
Good Weather All That is Needed tc
Make Tomorrow's Opening a Success,

The scenes around the railroad sidings
and on the road leading to the Benning
track in that vicinity reminded one this
morning OF circus coming to town. some
fifteen carloads of thoroughbreds having
arrived from Baltimore at daylight The
little colored boys attached to the different
stables. with the rubbers and other follow
ers of the track, made up a noisy group as
the horses were being led from the cars to
the stables controlled by the Washington
Jockey Club. Superintendent Strahan has
been taking things easy for the past week
or so, but starting witsSunday he has
been kept on the jump, >dnd it has been a
night-and-day struggle with him to get all
the horses located correctly. The Balti-
more contingent was all housed by noon
and the excitement subsidized for the time.
but Will be renewed tonight, when fully
twenty-four carloads of the runners are
expected from the New York tracks.
Immediately after the noon meal the ey
erctsing business was given a great boost.
as FULLY twenty horses were on the track
at one time. Several Of the runners were
out early for their exercise gallops, but
there was nothing like the number that will
work out tomorrow morning The leap
ers' were also out in goodly numbers and
many went over the jumps in impressive
style. There was big consignment Of
jumpers in the Baltimore train, many of
them very good, but at Benning there Is
the class that will take the stiffest and
gamest running and jumping to head down
to the WIRE
The entries for tomorrow's races were
given out at ! o'clock. and there was quite
a large crowd hand to get the sheets
and distribute them to the papers, east and
west. The weights of the Columbia handi-
cap having been given out yesterday took
some of the cream off the list for tomor-
row. but still there was considerable inter-
est to see what ponies would go to the post
on the opening day.
Superintendent Strahan had out a big
corps Of helpers this morning and Cleaning
house took several hours. At noon the
Bennng Enclosure had spick-and-span
look about 1t, everything being in readiness
for the opening bugle call tomorrow. Mr..
Strahan still stands by his prediction or
fair weather for the opening day. and at
the present writing 1t appears as though he
would make good"
The horsemen around the secretarys Of
fee. waiting for the entries at noon, passed
the time away talking about the chances of
the different horses in the Columbia handi-
cap tomorrow. Some half dozen of the
ponies had their following, and, from pres
ent Indications, with the track holding
good the event should be very open bet
ting affair
Bad News race in the overnight handicap,
which fell to the erratic Jack Young the
day before yesterday at Aqueduct, was his
qualifying effort for the Columbia handi-
cap. Edward r. Bradley made up his mind
some time back to take In the Washington
meeting and TO prepare Bad News for the
Columbia The Flying Dutchman geding
is not, Mr.. Bradley thinks, in as good con-
dition as he was last season. The Florida
turfman does not believe he has yet fully
recovered from an attack of catarrhal fe-
yer last spring which came near putting
him permanently out of business. It may
take winter to straighten Bad News
out. But MIR. Bradley considers the geding
about as clever horse as the eastern ma
ture division boasts of just now, and he be-
lieves that Bad News will go well at Ben
ming. Bad News Is not muddy track
runner, but he does not mind deep going
when II Is dry and safe. Seven fxrlongs Is
News Is not in any OF the distance spe-
cials. but IL he does well In the handicap
he will be raced In overnight events. There
are number on the program that will
suit him.