Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-20
FAST TINE
CAUGHT IN
WO RACES
TRACK RECORDS LOWERED AT
SANTA ANITA
CHARLIE PAYNE GIVEN victory
IN CLOSE FINISH
Last Race of Day Won Because of
MlIIer's Vigorous RIde-smirIker
Scores in the Opening
Number

fElWO track records lowered, one of
the closest finishes of the season
Il and three favorites rewardins
their hackers all served to make the
sport at Santa Anita yesterday enjoy
able to a large weekday crowd, and
several little side issues in the betting
ring and around the judges stand
added to the doings.
Aunt Aggie in the baby race was the
first to bust into the timekeepers'
pagoda with a better mark for four
furlongs than any other youngster has
made at Santa Anita since the track
opened. In a fierce drive with Mad
rileno. Aunt Aggie won by a head, ne
gotiating the distance in As seconds,
tearing Achieves name from the pro-
gram for the performance of As 1-b
MADE by that filly for the half mile.
Marster was the other bird to pull a
few fractions off the best previous
time. and he won the mile and three
sixteenths race from Tony Faust and
Iivius in comparatively easy fashion,
the time being 1853 3-5 for the long
trip. This was four-fifths of a second
better than First Peeps record for the
tourney, and was made with compara-
tive ease.
About the hottest finish of the season
occurred in the last race, and no one
but the judges could decide whether to
give the victory to Charlie Payne or
Teddy Hodge. Payne was a heavily
played favorite. and his number on top
proved exceedingly popular, but there
were many who held tickets on him
who commented on the condition of
Judge Hamiltons optics.
MIIier's Ride Vigorous
And according to the way the race
was run no other boy but Miller could
have come even close with Charlie
Payne. Teddy Hodge broke clear of
interference and led the bunch of thir-
teen other maidens away from the six
furlong pole at merry clip; Charlie
Payne hung on well in second place,
but at the paddock it appeared as
though To-day could win by himself.
Miller went to the bat with all his
might and drove Charlie Payne through
on the rail. putting up such vigorous
and close finish that the judges sighted
him in front when the pair went by the
wire like team. Miss Himyar ran a
featureless race and was third.
Jack Bennett captured his second race
of the season when Molesey, second
choice to Roalta, won the Glendora
handicap. Bennett has been losing with
such regularity that he bet only 200
bucks on his crack, and when Molesey,
coming from behind in unusual fashion,
beat Roalta half length the owner
was ready to quit.
Molesey is known as front runner,
and when he failed to be with the first
three In the early stages of the race
it looked as though either Roalta or
Wexford would cop the change. Burns
persevered with the gelding, and in the
stretch he responded nobly, getting up
in time to beat the pace making Roalta
half length. Wexford was close up,
but could do no better than third.
Marster and Tony Faust were both
scratched out of the fourth number and
strated in the fifth, running one-two
ahead of Livius. The talent fancied
Tony at less than even money, while
Marster could be had at "a to l. First
Peep, played steadily and knocked
from IS to Az to l, ran disappointingly
and was absolutely last. There was no
change in positions from the time the
barrier was sprung, Marster taking the
lead at once and holding 1t to the end
Dugan's finish on Tony Faust was woe
fully weak and proved conclusively that
the boy is way off his feed
Smirker Takes Opener
Smirker rewarded the talent in the
opening number, and when he won
Jock Lloyd broke his Santa Anita
maiden. The Regan trick began in his
usual leisurely fashion. but picked his
field up one by one and turned fol
home in second place. At the paddock
he caught Billy Bowlegs and won by a
length. Sparkles was third, just beat
ing Grindstone for the small end OF
things. Ed B had a lot of early speed
but dispensed with it before 1t became
Of real use.
A struggling start sent the field of ter
babies away from the half mile station
La Paladin being particularly unfor-
tunate In being almost left. Antioch
the favorite, led Aunt Aggie and Mad
rileno into the stretch. but here the
early effort told and she was passed
by the two in back. being four lengths
behind Madrileno at the wire. Schil-
lings swell ride put Aunt Aggie over
by head, the track record for the dis
lance going at the same time.
Ida Lytle and Black Dress had nice
humping match when they both began
to tire at the paddock in the third race
but Dugan managed to keep Lytle or
,,a,. faaf and SCORED a head victory ove,