Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-02
JOCKEY BARELY
ESCAPES DEATH
KUNz'S LIFE SAVED BY RARE
PRESENCE OF MIND
Turtle and stragsler Go Down In a
Heap on the First TuHn-Three
Favorites Win at
Ascot
BY FOREST LOWRY.

Had il not been for the good luck
that generally goes with racing there
would have been little in the program
Of sport offered yesterday afternoon
to lift it out Of the dull monotony
which seems to be inseparable from a
long continued race meeting.
Jimmy Booker gave splendid exhi-
bition of those essential qualities which
secure success for a jockey-courage,
cleverness and that promptness of
decision that betolens a keen, active
intellect. These are the qualities
which often win races but Booker put
them to a grander and nobler purpose
yesterday.
Turtle Falls
OF the seven starters for the mile
and a sixteenth race, second on the
card, Montana Peeress was made fa-
vorite at the almost prohibitive odds of
3 to S. Varro was next in demand
at to 2, with Freesias third choice at
5 to 1. Montana Peeress, with Kent
in the saddle, broke half and a length
behind F'reesias, but before the first
turn was reached she was running
stride for stride with Wernberg's mare.
At this point came the most thrilling
incident of the season. At the seven
eighths pole Kent, on the outside, cut
in toward the rail and crowded Free
sias out of it. Taylor pulled the mare
up with sharp turn and she seemed to
want to bear out. Turtle, piloted by
Kunz, was running in on the rail and
when Freesias pulled up the gelding
crossed his legs and fell to his knees.
Little Adele and Headstrong were on
the outside of the field and escaped
the spill. Straggler, with Jimmy
Booker in the saddle, trailed the bunch
and before he could pull his mount
up he found himself in a position which
required quick action. Booker saw the
danger ahead of him and tried to make
Straggler jump over the fallen Turtle
but failed, and horse and rider fell.
Had he pulled up and gone to the out
side he would have trampled to death
Jockey Kunz, who lay prostrate in
the center of the track.
Bookers Rare Judgment
Booker forgot the singing disap-
pointment of defeat and all that goes
with it and the thought of danger to
himself and in the one manly impulse
to save comrade tried to make his
horse hurdle the writhing form of the
fallen Turtle. Booker's rare presence
of mind was all accomplished so
quickly that few were able to realize
what had happened.
Everybody knew that two horses
and two jockeys had gone down in a
heap but few knew that Booker took
his own life in his hands when he at
tempted to hurdle Turtle in order to
save the life of Jockey Kunz.
Those in front went on about their
business and the race settled down to
a three horse affair. Freesias caught
both Varro and Montana Peeress in
the stretch and soon wore them down,
winning by a scant head. Varro out
gained Montana Peeress for the place.
a selling affair for four-year-olds and
upward, drew out field of nine. My
Gem was the opening favorite at to
and despite the play on her receded
to u to at post time. She ran ex-
actly as the betting Indicated and fin
ished second to Elfin King and Susie
Christian. Elfin King was as good as
to 1, while Susie Christian could be
had at 10 to l. Happy Chappy, Sec
ond choice at 3 to 1, ran disappointing
race and finished out of the money.
Blue Coat, at to and on a track
not exactly to his liking, won the third
race from Ralph Reese, second choice
in the betting and Sweet Kitty Bel
lairs, the to favorite. Why Kitty
Bellairs was made favorite is mys-
terry, yet hundreds of dollars were
strung along on her when on figures she
did not seem to have a show to be
better than second.
Old Watercure Wins
Johnny Millin's old campaigner
Watercure, at to /, and favorite, wor
the fourth race on the program from
Blissful through the clever riding OF
Jockey Fuller. He made his move or
the far turn and saved ground by
skinning the rail. Blissful bore ou
a bit and finished on the extreme out
side. Fuller urged the old Watercres'
gelding keenly the last sixteenth anl
fairly lifted him in a winner. Water
cure got up just in time and won by {
good head. There was some dissatis
faction over the pacing of the mum
bers as many were of the opinion tina
Blissful got the wire first. Watercur
was going fastest at the end and go
the verdict beyond question. Ralpl
Young was third, with Briarthorpe ant
Bugle Horn beaten off badly.
DaIVay Pulls Up Lame
NJ. II. Tichenors good four-year-olC
DalVay, at the prohibitiVe odds of L