The Washington herald., 1908-03-24
Heavy Going Causes Defeat
of FaVOriteS at Benning.
BELLwETHEa WINS HANDICAP
OracuIum, Hot Tip from George
Odom's Stable, Unplnced in Feature
Race of Opening Day of Spring
MeetiDe--Seventy BoOLmnkers Reap
Harvest When Outsiders Win.

rated at Benning yesterday under rather
unfavorable weather conditions The
track was turned into sloppy going by
steady drizzle. In spite Of the threaten
ing clouds, however, a big crowd turned
out to see the sport, horsemen from all
over the country being on hand.
There was no interference with the
speculation. and about seventy layers
walked about the inclosure accepting
wagers- They were under the control of
the Pinkertons and John c. cavanaugh,
and many Of them reaped a harvest on
the days business. Before the races the
paddock was alive with veteran turfmen.
including many New Workers, who in
dulged in continual handshaking bee
and discussed the incidents OF the pass
ing winter.
The feature Of the programme was the
First Benning Spring Handicap. at six
furlonss. There were several scratches.
while El Dorado was added. making a
field Of fourteen to face Starter Mars
Cassidy. The form players figured that
George odom's good sprinter Oraculum.
fresh from New Orleans, was the best OF
the lot, with the result that he was
backed down TO 5-to-2 favorite. Banyah
also got liberal play at TO l. the same
price quoted against Berkeley. who had
worked well for this race The Matthews
boys. however. had a real good thing in
their Woolthorpe colt. Bellwether, who
recently won at the Crescent City with
odds OF so to 1 about him, and as they
impaired their information to a select
few. the odds were gradually reduced
from 10 to G.
Simple HOnOurs First.
The start was excellent, and Simple
Honours. 40-to-l shot. cut out the pace.
closely followed by Bellwether. Berkeley.
Banyah. Belle of the Bay. and Woodlane.
while Oraculum. with Mcdaniel up. left
the barrier so slowly that he was far
back in the ruck before the horses had
gone quarter Of a mile. Near the half
mile pole little Walker went TO the front
with Bellwether with Simple Honours as
the runner-up. closely followed by Smok-
er, 10 TO !, one OF John Madden's good
things. who was making I'D ground
rapidly
In the homestretch Bellwether seemed
10 have the race well In hand. but as
Smoker continued to close up. Walker
went 10 a drive, and BeIlwether passed
the Judges a winner by a length, in lis
Smoker was well extended TO take the
place by three parts OF a length from
Berkeley, who was somewhat interfered
with in the last quarter Sam II. Harris.
% 10 !, came from nowhere. and was only
half length out OF the money. Oracuium
suffered a disgraceful and unaccountable
defeat
The first two-year-old race of the sea-
son, the Arlington Purse, at half a mile.
was the second race on the card. and
the talent lost again. John z. Madden
started two FLIES. Clef and Court Lady.
and the word was passed around that
the entry could not lose Accordingly
the Madden pair received enough back
Ing 10 drop the price from s to 4. the
entry closing an equal favorite with AL.
Weston's colt PocotaIigo. Meanwhile
Frederick Johnson had q successful coup
framed with a son Of the noted Rana-
star, named Kwai, who. with Shaw I'D.
was played from 10 down to s. Tommy
Burns made a hot pace with Willie
Shields ~. Busch. s to l. until he reached
the middle Of the stretch, where the colt
weakened under pressure Then Shaw
moved up with Kwai, and the Banastar
gelding fairly rolled home, three lengths
in front OF Cief. who ran a game race
and beat Al. Busch head for the place
Spencer Wells, lowered from Is to c. closed
with a rush that landed him just out of
the purse. Time. O:5l 4-5
Sugar Pine Long Shot.
There was as much as 100 to quoted
against Sugar Pine at one period Of the
speculation on the opening race for three
year-olds and upward at six furlonRs
but the closing price was 90 Sugar Pine
was rushed to the front just after the
start, set a fast pace, and lasted inst
long enough to win by a head from Giles
2O-to-1 shot Father Bill Dalv's Win
ming Star. z to I, was sull of running
and, hanging on gamely. finished third a
half length back The form players went
down hard on this race, as ROYAL I.adv
5-to-2 favorite. was beaten easily. whfle
Firebrand. Is to s. was evidently short
Madden furnished another losing favor
ite in the third race, for naidens at seven
furlongs. in Call Boy who was hacked
down TO TO l. Call Boy could not raisA
good gallop and was nowhere. Ferry
Landing. once owned by Z. r. Thomas
and well backed ct 10 l, was raced into
submission by Kingsessing. s 10 !. who
won, ridden out by q length and a half
from Billy B. Van. backed from 10 10
The latter had two lengths over Ferry
Landing Silver Ball ran a fair race. but
was probably handicapped in the going.
j. w. Colt won the first steeplechase of
the season with Prince Of Pnsen. a hot
favorite at 10 o, who took the fifth race
at about two miles by a half length. He
went to the front when MnTparpex, 80
readyto call upon him. and was well in hand
at the wire Huddy, 6 to l, ran well. and
easily beat Goldfeur. with Mr.. Dion Kerr
up for the place. Yama Christy, in spite
or Mr.. Pages efforts, fell and so did
Calenda, a l5-to-1 shot
Another heavily played favorite. AMI
mus, reduced 10 even money. went over
the plate in the last race for platers He
ran over Ivanhoe, the early pacemaker ar
the head Of the stretch and breezed home
with a couple of lengths to spare. in la
Ivanhoe beat Lally a length and a half
for the place.
-Four favorites were defeated, and the
books, as rule, had much the better of
the argument
Joseph Marrone. who was ruled or the
Benning track last fall, and who mas
since brought suit for $4,000 damages
against the Washington Jockey Club. was
permitted to pay admission to the track
to-day.
It is said that the free list has been cut
down to minimum.
The Summaries.
FIRST RACE-sx f1rlongs Sugar Pine. los 20.
Brncyl. 50 TO l. won; Giles. IS tQuar7inatnul 20
TO /, second; Winning Star. 80 Workel. IL TO l
third Time, III 2A Royal Lady. Trey Of Spades
Seryile. ard Frebrand also ran
ST(,OND RA(tF,-E11-r frrrlorcz Tc,r,f no fcl.--,