The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-02
.ELECTIONEER WINS
GREATEST IN YEARS
Pope Joan is Second and De-
mund Third
KEtNE HORSES FAVORITES
Lakeland Entry Heavily Backed In
Last Five Minutes Made Victory
the Most Popular In
Years.
KEtNE HORSES FAVORITES

New York. September down lane of
gray-brown earth, which had all the soft
ness of velvet beneath the tread of the
flying thoroughbred hoofs fifteen of the
fieetest 2-year-olds the American turf has
ever produced raced madly today to a goal
three-quarters of mile away, where lay
a purse rich enough to pay the ransom
of a king. It was the nineteenth run
ming of the Futurity at beautiful Sleeps
head Bay, and as a roar from nearly 49,
900 threats rent the air, Electioneer, a
well-named colt. by Voter-Quesal. flashed
under the wire a winner by quarters
of a length.
Another champion had been proclaimed
and William Lakeland. a horesman by
profession. who trains his breadwinners
himself. and sleeps in the barn when
necessary, had snatched the richest prize
of the year from half score of million
aires, who race for the pleasure of the
sport.
Pope Joan Close Second.
Back of the winner at his quarters was
Pope Joan, the fastest fllly of the year,
and the best of the trio which James r.
Keene sent to the post TO De played as
favorites by the public at the short price
of to s. Demund the Goldfnch colt, for
which Paul ]. Rayner paid $4,000 early
in the season was third. beaten for second
honors by the shortest of heads. He had
run most creditable race. Next came
Yankee Gun. an added starter. Peter Pan.
to which the frantic players of the Keene
stable had pinned their faith; Yankee
Girl owned by c. r. Ellison Ballot,
,fa1, II 10
take the place of Zambesi, who was
scratched; Conville one 90 the most wide
ly tipped horses in the race; Horace E.,
the famous western colt, bought by Roy
Rainey for $25.OOO with the idea of win
ming the Futurity in view; Don Enrique,
the Belmont representative: Kentucky
Beau, backed down from an opening price
of 20 to l to u to l. Old Honesty, the
only 100 to l shot In the stake; Altuda
Oran, played by few because Miller had
the mount. and last of all Purslane. who
opened at so to and stayed there.
Was Truly Run Futurity.
It was one of the besr and most truly
run futurities horsemen who have fol- |
lowed the stake since its inception have |
ever seen. So we'll punched was the field |
throughout that furlong from home any |
one of the fifteen had a chance to win. |
But Electioneer was best He never fall |
tered for an instant under a gruelling |
drive which began at the head of the |
stretch and lasted until the finish line |
was crossed. Jockey Willie Shaw was in
the saddle and never did boy give
more skillful exhibition of Workmanship
An old hand at the relns, he judged his
pace and timed his winning rush to the
fraction of a second He piled the whip
without mercy throughout that last flu
rious sixteenth of mile and won race
which called forth a thunder of cheers
for both horse and rider
EIectoneer Second Choice.
Electioneer was second choice at to l. |
When the prices were placed upon the
bookmakers states, to / was chalked
up against the Lakeland colt. In the first
mad rush of the favorite players to place
their wagers on the Keen entry, Eec-
tioneer was overlooked and his price
heightened to eight's. When there follow
ed a scene of excitment in the betting
ring such as has been seldom witnessed,
If ever at the historic Sheepshead Bay.
Eleetioneer money seemed to pour in from
every SIDE. First there came the heavy
wagers of the stable connections and the
friends of the owner who had been ap-
prised of a wonderful workout Electioneer
had shown. But 1t was not long before
the general public seemed to become con-
WINGED that this horse could not lose.
Peter Pan, Pope Joan and Ballot, of the
Keene entry, were forgotten and neglect
ed Glamor faded from the $4,000 Demund
and the 5000 Horace e. The millionaire
owners were passed by in hurry to hack
the horse of a practical horseman.
From to 1 the bookers cut point by
point until just half that figure was the
prevailing odds at post time. Even then
the Electioneer followers were not con-
tent and they kept hammering away at
the men on the high stools until to 1
was hard to find before the field was sent
away.
Delay at the Barrier.
There was a delay of nearly eight min
utes at the barrier. Then the webbing
was sprung and away jumped Pope Joan
with the speed of deer. Peter Pea fol-
lowed her for few hundred yards, but
the pace she set was too swift for her
stablemate. Yankee Girl got away third
and Horace E. was fourth to show.
Electioneer had been bit unfortunate
at the break, though the start was good
for all. He was ninth as the timers flag
went down. Shaw took In the situation
and acted with swift decision. He pulled
Electioneer well to the outside and began
a race which will live long In the men,
DRY of those who saw 1t.
Clear of interference, Electioneer set to
work to overhaul his field. AT the turn
from the Futurity chute into the home
stretch of the main track he was still
lengths away from the fast flying Pope
Joan, who was sailing along in front and
already being hailed as the winner. De-
mund was second fighting the Keene FLY
every step she took. Peter Pan was third
and Yankee Girl was fourth. while Horace
e. and Ballot were yet to be dealt with.
Jumps Into Quicker Stride.
Shaw pulled his whip and at the first
lash Electioneer jumped into quicker
stride. Horse after horse succumbed to
his heart-breaking rush until at last, just
a few yards from the wire, his game lit
tie muzzle showed in front of the brave
ly struggling Pope Joan. The record
breaking crowd roared Its encouragement.
Shaw piled the whip once more and then
the race was over. 1t seemed that In the
| last fifth of a second Electioneer had
gained the margin of victory by which he
won As Shaw returned with the winner
to the judges stand to weigh in, he was
greeted by a remarkable demonstration.
1t was unquestionably one of the most
popular victories of the year and the blow
the racegoers dealt the bookmakers was
singing one.
The time of the race, lib 80, was not
fast The Futurity purse this year con-
tained exactly s46.770 OF this amount $751;
go went to Mr.. Lakeland the owner OF
the winner Mr.. Keene received $3.50 as
the share for the second horse, and Paul
Rainey drew $1,000 for Demunds third