Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-30
Four Favorites in Front Re-
Warded Benning Bettors.
STEEPIECHASE FEATURE
Mr.. Evans on Gamecock 0utrode Mr..
Kerr on Dunseverrick.
THE FINISH VERY EXCITING
Rain Chases in the Nationals-Bos-
ton Won Racquet Honors-
Bowling Battles.
THE FINISH VERY EXCITING

! -~s~
Bowling Battles.
Those fair-weather patrons of sport that
remained away from Benning yesterday be-
cause of lowering skies and occasional
drizZle missed the treat of their lives by not
witnessing the Chevy Chase Pink Coat
steeplechase. At none Of the northern race
tracks, or western for that matter. are
there any events quite like the Chevy Chase
steeplechases. with their gentlemen riders
in long pink coats, black caps and pictur-
esQue attire generally.
Here in the District, where these affairs
are entered into heart and soul by enthus-
lasts from the old dominion. Maryland and
this vicinity. they have always drawn out
the very best class of patrons. And while
yesterdays unpleasant weather kept many
away there was a fair sprinkling of the So
cety element on the club house balcony and
grand stand.
Mr.. and Mrs E. r. Thomas, Mrs. Nicholas
Longworth Harry S. Page. Sydney Paget
Edward Weed, ]. T. Gwathmey, s. T. Knutt
DR.. James Kerr, the brothers Kerr, II. j.
Morris, Fred Dixie, Howard Dixie, ]. T. De-
vlne H. T. Oxnard. Samuel Ross, s. 8. How
land, Ed Mitchell, George Howard, e. a.
Saportas, Jos. L. Rhinock, II. Rozier Du-
lany and many others well known In the
District sped the gentlemen riders on thelr
| Journey and warmly applauded their gooo
| work in the saddle.
| Heretofore regarded as somewhat of
Joke, In which there was little pace and
mediocre ability shown, yesterday s CHEVY
Chase steeplechase will effectually dissi-
| pate any further opinions of this sort Inc
pace yesterday was fast from the first jump,
| and all four gentlemen, Messrs. Evans,
Kerr, Smith and Dixie, did yeoman service
In the pigskin, showing fearlessness, ability
and Judgment.
Chevy Chases Exciting Incidents.
Partisan feeling ran high before the race
and in the arena OF speculation all four
gentlemen were warmly supported by their
respective factions The bulk of the trans
actions favored Game Cock and Red, White
and Blue, the two older horses, but Oleroso
and Dunseverrick, the younger timber top
pers, also had sanguine hackers
Mr. Dion Kerr, who had Dunseverrick In
charge, bred Game Cock, and knowing that
| horses peculiarities of temper, etc, he was
very confident that he could keep his horse
so close from Game Cock from the outset
as to make the latter show his prediction
to sulk But Mr. Lee Evans, who rode
Game Cock, said Catch your bird before
you cook him" ETC., sentiment which was
Mr. CORTLAND Smith had much of the
track talent support, as his mount, Oleroso,
had shown well in his schooling, while
Mr. Dixie and Red, White and Blue were
considered a moral by most of the best
judges of cross-country work. The layers
of odds said that 1t was the warmest spec
ulation they had seen on any Chevy Chase
steeplechase yet decided, it being possible
to make a round book, so strongly was
| every horse played.
It was a Virginia race all through. The
horses were from the old dominion and so
so were the riders, Messrs. Evans and Kerr
| being members of the Warrenton Hunt
Club rM CORTLAND Smith rode his own
horse. OIeroso, while Mr.. Okie's mount, Red,
White and Blue, is the property of g. H.
nj. 1SoJN1 ITr-on 9nI
| that sectional feeling ran high, with all
| these interests represented.
Neck-and-Neck Finish.
No better exhibition of ability and pluck
| on the part of both horses and riders was
ever seen in any professional steeplechase.
| Turf veterans present were forcibly re-
minded of the work Of gentlemen riders like
]. c. Cheever. who rode his own horse Bar
rometer to victory from eighteen others at
Pelham, n. Y. of the late Harry Har-
wood on Warrington and others, or OF
| Swami Latrobe on Tenkaway, Certainly,
| none of these crack gentlemen riders of the
past could have improved on the work
shown yesterday by Lee Evans and Dion
| Kerr.
From the outset Mr. Kerr took Dunsever-
| rick out with Game Cock, the two being al
| ways close together for the first two miles.
But when the horses left the field for the
main course at the end of the backstretch
| Dunseverrick was on new ground to him,
the field. At the two jumps the main
track Dunseverrick "bobbled' a bit, losing
| precious ground.
| But the hurricane fashion in which he
| closed on Game Cock between the next to
the last jump and the final hurdle brought
the stand to its feet In lusty recognition of
| the game efforts Of horse and rider Up the
| long homestretch the two horses ran Tapped, |
| Mr.. Evans bareheaded. and as one wag ex-
pressed IT. those long red coattails almost
straight out from the wind and the energy
| If the riders efforts.
| Foot by foot Mr.. Kerr closed up with Dun
severrick until they were within fifty yards
Of the goal. Then Mr.. Evans who is the
heavier man. put forth a bottled-un Ink of
| strength and held the other horse at his
saddle skirts So they finished, amid shouts
| that could almost have been heard at the
| Capitol, so earnest and worked I'D were
the applauding spectators
Silver Trophies to the Riders.
1t was a race worth going thousand
| miles to witness, and the efforts of ell four
horses and riders were most creditabIe
Oleroso and Red White and Blue ran well
| for two miles. when they were beaten.
After the race each OF the riders of the
| three placed horses Messrs Evans Kerr
and Smith, were presented with piece of
plate.
Mr.. Evans won this same race last year
| with Montrfp, owned by Clarence Moore
But the class of horses then contesting was
1
| OF the four that yesterday would be
| backed to win q professional cross country
| race
| or the races on the fat decided yesterday
| first choices won three times and we'll
backed horses each of the others While
| as Game Cock. the Chevy Chase winner
| was favorite the public had the best Of the
| layers on the afternoons business. Jockey
Shaw rode two winners and Miller none
The feature event. the two-year-old race.
| went to the New Orleans performer Al
Powell. who ran SO fayorably on the open
| ing day that his hackers were justified in
accepting short price about him yester-
day The colt, of st. Maxim, made
| show OF his company. Jobstown, bred
| near the Jersey town of that name by
r. McCarter Potter. manager OF the famous
| Rancocas farm. furnished the sensation of
| the race by strong second after being
| backed from so down to 20 to l at post
time Blue Bottle the California performer,
| beat the others, of whom the fast closing
Flip in fourth place would have been In
| the money, but for g bad break at the