The Washington herald., 1907-04-14

Proves Easy for Dion Kerr's Essex
Rose OF Dawn, played from s to I down
TO Is TO 8, and running in the eolors OF
J. ". Colt. won the Second Benuing
Spring HaHdicaD yesterday in one Of the
prettiest finishes of the meeting. Billie
Hibbs. from David Dunlop's stable. an
odds-on favorite. took the Jesse Brown
Cup, and Dion Kerr's Essex. ridden by
Mr.. Taylor. and a 1-to-2 shot. was an
easy winner of the eighth Spring Hunters
SteeDlechase.
The three stake events, with three other
overnight races. made up the banner card
OF the Benning spring meeting. and the
crowd was one of the largest that has
been in attendance. The weather was
siil cold and raw but this did not seem
10 have any bad effect on the patronage.
IL is the opinion of most racegoers. how
ever mistaken IL may be, that getaway
day on q race course win see the defeat
of fav9riges and the success OF long shots.
II is true thar only two choices won yes
terday, but the winner in nearly every
race was well backed and it is probable
thar Rose of Dawn. who won the handl-
cap, carried more money than any of
the other starters, though Lord Boan-
erges was favorite. so far as odds were
concerned.
The handicap was a very open race.
Three of the horses carded were
scratched, leaving ten 10 go. Every one
had more or less play. Grazialo, Rose
of Dawn, Slickaway. The Clown. Cam
paigner and Lord Boanerges were the
medium Of piunges and it is probable that
the race was The best betting affair at
the meeting. There was some delay at
the post. but the start was a good one.
Tickle showed in front at the start. but
she was quickly Outrun by Graziallo.
Lord Boanerges. and SHckaway. At the
far turn Graziano had increased his lead
u twO lengths, with Boanerges running
second ana Slicksway third. while Rose
OF Dawn was well up.
Rose of Dawn Winner.
Turning for home Graziallo stHI led.
and was going easily. Strengthened out
there was q general closing up. and Gra-
zialio. when he heard the field coming
behind him. hung ou his usual sign OF
cowardice, and began TO back up. He kept
the lead for few strides and then re-
tired. while Lord Boanerges came along
in game manner. A sixteenth from home
it looked as If he would win, but Rose of
Dawn. who had gradually worked her
way into a contending position. closed
with rush and nailed Boanerges a few
strides from the wire. winning a good
race by d scant length. SlickaWay held
third position safe from the head Of the
stretch home. while Grazialo did manage
TO finish fourth
The cup race was an easy victory for
Billie Hibbs, after he had got the best Of
a poor start
only three went to the post in the
Spring Hunters Steeplechase. These were
Dion k5rr's good reputed half-breed Es-
seX, ridden by Mr.. Taylor, of Baltimore;
j. ". Colts Lysistrata, on whom jay
q Brien mad the mount and Guardian
Ar. LevaTing's jumper, with Mr. Harri-
son, OF Virginia in the saddle. No one
looked farther than Essex for the winner.
and 20 s. the opening price against him.
was eagerly grabbed. Even at ! TO .
there was big play on him, while the
led Tor a half, with Essex under d choking
pull. Then Mr. Taylor let Essex go 10 the
front. but ne still had a strong hold on
him. Lysistrata stumbled badly at the
fifth fence and lost a lot of ground but
he soon afterwards passed Guardian and
ON the last round Essex and Lysistrata
ran Ike a team. They ran thus 10 the
last jump, where Mr. TAYLOR took a two
lengths lead, Lysistrata again making a
bad landing. Essex was going so easily
that AIr. Taylor took a pull on him and
allowed Lysistrata to get to his saddle.
Through the stretch Mr. Taylor was cas-
ing Essex, while Mr.. O'Brien was urging
Lysis;Tata for all he was worth. Taylor
drew a fine finish winning by half q
length, when ne could have made it ten,
Good Betting Race.
A good betting race was the first
in which Greene was the favorite.
with Wabash Queen. Belle OF Jessamine,
Water Dog. and Old Colony liked in the
order named Belle of Jessamine was
pacemaker to the big turn, where Greene
moved up strongly on the outside, and
at the head of the stretch he looked like
q winner. but inside the last sixteenth
ne stopped utterly. and Belle of Jessa-
Queen second and Jack McKeon a head
before Greene.
In the Jesse Brown Cup, Billie Hibbs
was always favorite, but Jubilee had a
smart play. The others were at good
prices. Billie Hibbs got the better Of a
poor start. and this won for him. He
was two lengths OF more in front before
the others got in their stride Jubilee
ran gamely, but the handicap of the start
was too much and Hibbs won Jubilee
was easily best of the others, while Trey
Of Spades was third
A handicap steeplechase was NTH on
the card. j. W. Colt scratched Pioneer
and let Commodore Fontaine run for the
stable honors. The Commodore was al
ways favorite, and though he put up
good showing for his first start of the
season. he had to lower his colors to
DR. Keith, the second choice, whose vic
tory was due 10 better seasoning. The
other two were outclassed
Blue Buck. favorite In the last, was
unplaced. BulwaTk. who was heavily
played, winning from Sally k, Madden s
nlly, by a head Dekaber ran into third
place, while Blue Buck was never a
contender