Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-29

Exciting Race for the Spring
Handicap SteepIechase.
Nearly a Holiday Crowd
at Benning.

There was almost a holiday crowd at
the Benning track yesterday afternoon.
the grand stand being comfortably filled
and the little clubhouse and lawn In front
crowded The murky weather hurt
the attendance somewhat. but not much.
The throng that surrounded the bookmak-
ers in front of the grand stand was hot
and steaming and the jostling around the
prominent layers was something fierce.
The women were very much in evidence.
almost all of whom braved the threaten
ing weather and appeared in handsome
spring gowns.
With three feature events on the card.
some good sport was looked for. but in
on.y two of the races was there anything
like a contest. the winners In the other
four finishing with plenty to spare. Four
favorites rewarded the bettors, and as
each was heavily backed the bookmakers
certainly quit losers on the day. Work
man, Oracu!um. Kara, and Ferrylandfng
were the winning favorites, and each car
ried big bundles of money, the last named
being played off the boards while the field
was going to the post. The Madden entry
i'm the two year-old event and Bellwether
in the Potomac purse, were the defeated
first choices.
Interest in the Potomac.
Although the fourth running of the
Washington Nursery was advertised as
the principal race on the card, the great
est interest of the afternoon centered In
the Potomac, as it brought together Jubi-
lee and Bellwether at even weights When
these horses met last BeIlwether con-
coded fifteen pounds to Jubilee and was
beaten only half length Yesterday the
pair came together on an even footing and
many of the wfseacreS decided that Bel
wether had something of a ''cinch." There
were only four entries, and. as predicted,
1t proved two-horse affair between Jubi-
lee and Bellwether. The start was poor.
Blember being left. Days Winning Star
was on the rail, and in the first few
jumps showed ahead. Then Bellwether
shot to the 'front.' and the followers of the
Matthews colt shouted themselves hoarse
with glee. Shaw, on Jubilee. rode his
usual shrewd race, and by the time the
head Of the stretch was reached he had
his mount up alongside OF Bellwether.
Then followed pretty race for a hundred
yards down the stretch, and furlong
from home Jubilee went to the front, step
by step. and won, going away. by full
length. 1t was one of the cleanest cut
wins Of the meeting and stamped Jubilee
as something Of horse.
Eleven two-year-olds faced the starter
in the Washington Nursery, Madden hav-
ing three entries and the Aftongreen sta
BILE two. Insomnia Of the latter stable
was an added entry. and the horses name
was not posted until the Jockeys names
were put up on the big board. Mars
Cassidy as usual with big field, got
the ponies away in splendid shape. The
winner turned up in Jimmy McLaughlin's
Personal. at to 1. Personal was the
first to show in front. and led from the
first furlong pole to the head Of the
stretch by three lengths. After the turn
for home Madden's Takahira challenged
Personal. and pretty race followed,
but the latter held on gamely and finished
full neck to the good. Balbeck closed
with a rush in the last hundred yards
and got up in time to take third place by
a head.
The Handicap Steeplechase.
When the bugle sounded in the pad
dock for the Spring handicap steeple-
chase nearly a hundred women, with
their escorts. crowded into the field
from the clubhouse and added interest
to the event. The bettors downstairs
rushed to the grand stand to witness the
running, the usual great interest in the
timber-toppers being manifested on all
| sides. The field was sent away in good
alignment but almost instantly r. Jones
sent Newt Fisher to the front almost like
bullet from rifle. By the time the
first jump was reached Newt Fisher was
leading by fifteen yards, and on the first
time around this had been increased to
fifty yards. Everybody expected the
game little gelding to quit at every jump.
but instead he hung on gamely and still
maintained this big lead as the field swept
by the grand stand the second time. The
spectators quickly recognized the fact
that Newt Fisher was doing something
out of the ordinary and cheered both
horse and rider Justify. Over the big
water jump and then the Liverpool went
Newt Fisher in clean style. and when the
field turned, out for the last three jumps
the Galloway gelding had still lead OF
twenty-five yards
Going over the first jump In the outer
field. Newt Fisher landed poorly and al
most threw Jones over his head. The mis-
hap caused him to slacken up SO much
that Kara and Essex were quickly on
even terms with him. This was the point
where Newt Fisher was expected to quit.
but to the establishment of everybody.
Jones again shook him up and once more
he shot to the front and again led by
three lengths. This game exhibition
aroused great enthusiasm. AS the last
jump was reached. McInerney and Mr.
Kerr sent Kara and Essex up respective
ly, and the three raced almost neck and
neck into the stretch. At this point It
was seen that Newt Fishers front run
ming had told on him. and he gradually
dropped TO the rear, while Kara came on
and won hapdily by six lengths. Essex
and Hubby had something of battle for
second place, the former getting the de-
n.
properly timed and ridden with moro
judgment 1t is more than probable that
he would have given Kara quite contest
down the stretch.
Workman by Half Length.
The first race was a selling affair for
three-year-olds and up, the winner turn
ing up in Workman. The start was
good and Venus was the first to show.
but only for a second, as Workman shot
to the front and led by two lengths into
the stretch. Greene then challenged, but
Workman had enough left to easily stall
him oft and win going away by half
length. .--.
Oraculum finally rewarded his admirers
and incidentally George Odom by captur-
ing the second event. Merrimac broke the
quickest and was the first to show. but
Oraculum quickly went TO the front. led
the field by three lengths going into the
stretch and then won handily by two
lengths. Billie Hibbs. the second choice.
made good run from the rear. but
couldn't catch the leader although he
managed to capture second money, with
King of Bashon third.
Fine Display Of Pluck.
The real race of the afternoon turned
up in the last number Of the card. in
which there were only four starters and
a conceded close fit between Ferrylanding.
Billy B. Van and Grace Cameron After
a good start Billy B. Van was the first
no 1off