Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-19
9A(....l.N.-..l..l 70. -
ny Ed MnRIARTY

A speedy track-fast time--Classy
horses-not the crowd that there should
have BEEN but an enthusiastic one
were features that attended an aus
picious opening of the Harness asso-
ciation's meet at Agricultural park
yesterday afternoon.
When Cuckoo, M. y. Sweeney's bay
gelding, stepped a half at a 2:05 gait
in the second heat of yesterdays 2:12
pace lovers of the side-WheelerS sat
up and took notice. Evidently there
had been deal of solid preparation for
the meet when such a pace was en-
tailed and anything in the nature of
fast time was expected after the
Sweeney horse had demonstrated that
1t ranks among the fastest PAGERS on
the coast if not the speediest.
Welcome Mac went down to defeat in
three straight heats any one of which
would have done justice to metropolis.
tan racing. Surprises are what lend
zest to the racing game and while
Cuckoo won from the local favorte
the trick was turned in such a thor
Roughly satisfacto manner that no
lone could dispute the ability of the
:. swift going entry.
Lohengrin Wins
Lohengrins victory in the 2:19 pace
was no great surprise though the
Ward horse required five heats in
= (which to prove its supremacy. Lohen-
grin was evidently held back in yes
Gterday's race, pending the remainder
: of the weeks sport, and the fact that
K two heats were lost do not detract
I from the gelding's racing powers.
4 The Blonde was a good thing from
= the start and although the mare was
I, contented with fifth place in the open
Ning heat Alex Wilson had small trou-
+ BILE in plotting the animal first to the
( wire during the remaining three heats
:. following the warming up process.
. Yesterdays racing at Agricultural
reflects credit upon Southern Cali
fornia steppers and Harness associa-
tion manag cement Instead of the ca
pacity stands which have marked past
i meetings where admission was free,
yesterdays gate records were not up
to a standard in keeping with the
quality of sport offered, but the fact
that complete satisfaction was dem
onstrated by those in attendance gives
ample evidence that future harness
racing conducted along such lines as
distinguished yesterdays sport is bound
to receive unqualified support from
Southern California racing enthusiasts.
Clever driving was a distinguishing
feature of the opening day and the
manner in which Durfee handled Miss
Richnut in the three-minute mixed was
a spectacle that might cater to the
most fastdious. With Silk Jim in the
lead, Durfee held Richnut back in
mastery fashion till the half had been
reached during the opening heat, ana
then slipped to the wire an easy win
ner after careful nursing in the back
stretch.
The Blonde proved the class, how
ever and won on merit in the three
following heats.
The fastest quarter of the day oc-
Cured in the second heat of the PIP
pace, when Cuckoo reached the fourth
in :91&.
Three Straight for Cuckoo
Shortly after the schedule time,
o'clock, Cuckoo, Welcome Mac ana
Victor Platte got away in the 212
pace. Platte was given the pole, with
Cuckoo in the center and Mac pacing
on the outside.
Mac assumed the lead before the
quarter had been reached, with Platte
coming close behind. It was a pretty
race down the back stretch, the geld
ings going neck and neck to the half,
when Platte drew away. Immediately
after the half Mac appeared to falter.
and in the stretch Platte led by three
lengths, with Cuckoo in the same po-
sition behind Mac.
Cuckoos early going was life
had been reached the Sweeney horse