The sun., 1908-03-24
RACING BEGINS AT BENNNGS
BELLWETHERWINS FIRST SPRING
HANDICAP IN THE MUD.
Smoker Runs second and Berkeley Third.
with Oraculum, the FayOrite, No
where sugar Pine, 100 TO I, Wins
-KNal the First Winning TwO-Y ear-Old.

HmOhcf huilh NftUuu hilu bNEhNNy Amiht
with Oraculum. the FayOTite, No
where sugar Pine, 100 10 I, Wins
-KNaI the First Winning Two Year-Old.
WAsHtNGroN. March 23.-The Eastern rae
fog season was inaugurated at Bennings to-
day under rather unfavorable weather con-
dltions. 4 drizzle fell all the morning and
the track was turned into sloppy going. In
spite Of the threatening clouds however, a
big crowd turned out TO see the sport, horse
men from all over the country being on hand.
There was no interference with the specula-
tIon and about fifty layers walked about the
enclosure accepting wagers. They we're under
the control Of the Pinkertons and John q.
Cavanugh, and many OF them reaped harvest
on the days business,
The clubhouse was magnet FOR many
notables, including society and Government
dignitaries, who came 10 the track In auto
mobiles and private turnouts. Before the
races began the paddock was alive with
veteran turfmen including many New YORK
ers, who INDUCED in continual handshaNng
bee and discussed the incidents Of the winter
The feature Of the programme was the
First Bennings Spring Handicap, at six fur
longs There were several scratches, while
teen 10 face starter Mars Cassidy The form
plavers 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 10 to favorite. The
Beyerwyck Stables Berkeley. " no had worked
well for this race, was coupled with Banyah
at to /. The Matthews boys. however.
had real good thing In their Woolsthorpe
colt Bcllwether, who recently won at the
Crescent city with odds Of 50 to / about him,
and as they impaired this information to
select few the odds we're gradually reduced
from 10 to &.
The start was excellent and Simple Honours,
40 10 shot, cut out the pace, closely fol-
lowed by Belwether. Berkeley, Banyah,
Belle Of the Ray and WOODLAND while 0racu-
mm. with Mcdaniel UP, left the barrier so
slowly that he was far back in the ruck before
the horses had gone a quarter OF mile.
Nearing the half mile pole little Walker went
10 the front with Bellwether, with Simple
Honours as the runner up, closely followed
by Smoker 10 10 /. one OF j. +. Madden's
good things who was making NJ ground
rapidly. In the homesretch Bewether
seemed 10 have the race well IN hand, but u
Smoker continued 20 close. Walker went to
a drive and Bellwether 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
some hat interiered with In the last quarter.
Sam H. Harris, 70 TO /. came from nowhere
and was only hail a length out Of the money.
Oraculum suffered a dsgraCeful and un-
accountable defeat
the Arlington Purse at half mile, was the
second event on the card and the talent erred
again John J.. Madden started two Miles,
Clef and Court Lady, and the word was passed
around that the entry could not lose, AC-
Cordngly the Madden pair received enough
backing 10 drop the price from TO T. the
entry closing an equal iavorite with 4. G..
Westons Mexican colt PoCotaligo. Mean
while Frederick johnson had successful
coup framed with a son OF the noted Banastar.
named kivar, who. with Willie Shaw up, was
played from 10 down TO g. Tommy Burns
made a hot pace with Willie Shields's Al
Busch. 10 /, until he reached the middle Of
she hOmestretCh, where the colt weakened
under pressure. Then Shaw moved up with
kyar and the Banaster gelding fairly rolled
home three lengths in front of Clef, who ran
game race and beat Al Busch a head for the
place The time was 05i as
There was as much as 100 TO quoted against
Sugar Pine at one period Of the speculation
on the opening event, for three- -year-olds
and upward at six furOngs but the closing
price was 80. sugar Pine was rushed 10 the
front just after the start, set fast pace and
lasted just 10 x enough to win by head
from Giles, 20 TO / shot Father Bill Daly's
Winning Star, ~ TO /. was full of running,
and hanging on gamely finished third, half
a length back. Royal Lady, S to favorite.
was beaten easily, while Flrebrand. IS to 5,
was evidently short The time was iI7 3-5
Madden furnished another losing favoTite
In the third race for maidens, at seven fur
longs. in Call Boy, who was backed down
TO 2to l. Frank Herold's Kingsessng, stol,
won. ridden out, by a length and half from
Billy B. Van, backed from 10 TO 5, The latter
had two lengths over Ferry Landing The
time was .33 2-i.
j. W. Colt won the first steeplechase OF
the season with Prince Of Pilsen, hot
favorte at 10 >, who took the fifth event
At about two miles by half a length. Huddy,
q 10 I, ran well and easily beat Goldheur,
: TO with MIR. Dion Kerr up, for the place
The time was 4:2l 2-5
Another heavily played favohte. p. n.
Sullivan's Animus. reduced TO wen money,
went over the plate in the last race for platers
At mile and forty yards lvanhoe beat
lally, 10 to /, a length and half for the
place.
Four favorites were defeated and the
books as a rule had much the better Of the
argument. Joseph MaTrone, who was ruled
on the Bennings track last fall and who has
since brought suit for $50 900 damages against
the Washng gton Jockey Club, was permitted
to pay admission to the track to-day. IL is
said that the free list has been cut down 10 a
minimum. The summaries:
PIRaT