The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
Gamer Is First
Inhandicap Race
The Creentree Stable Entry
Shows Heels to Hallen-
beck's Great Horse, The
Finn, in Laurel Feature.
M'TAGGART RIDES WELL
BY GEORGE B. MORRIS.

BY GEORGE B. MORRIS.
Laurel. Nd, Oct. 9.-Over a track that
was heavy and holding the Greentree
Stables Gamer accounted for the Wash
ington Handicap. the mile and furlong
feature Of the afternoons sport at the
Laurel track. and worth s., $50 to the win
ner TWO lengths back Of Gamer at the
finish came II. c. Hallenbeck's The Finn
driving hard to save the place by scant
head from J. w. Messervy's Addie NJ.
with Tactics. the only other starter, three
lengths back
The monster Saturday crowd was thun-
derstruck by the victory Of Gainer, as
this performer was well beaten by The
Finn the last time they met. and the Hal
lenbeck 3-year-old was a pronounced ia
'orite In the betting. The performances
OF both the first and second horses were
dlstlnct surprises. as Gainer led from end
TO end and showed no tendency to stop,
while The Finn displayed none of his
weli-known stretch-running ability The
race of Addie NJ was thoroughly good
one. and she would have been much
closer to the winner had not Joe Mecca
hey been guilty of a badly judged ride
AFTER the race she pulled up very lame
and came back to the judges stand nod
ding.
ADVERSE track conditions caused the
withdrawal of August Belmonts Strom-
boil and F1ittergold and Emil Herz's 8
Short Grass OF the seven overnight en-
trants only four faced the barrier John
ny McTaggart had Gamer on his toes as
the webbing was sprung and hustled that
performer to the first turn clear of his
field and all interference. The Finn, who
had been badly bumped at the start.
lHl
IN nice position two lengths back of the
leader. Addie NJ, as usual, was the slow
est to get going and was a trailer at this
stage of the Journey
Going down the back stretch McTag-
gart took snug hold on Gamer and
permitted him to step along in front a
length clear of The Finn. At this stage
OF the race the latter was giving his
hackers no uneasiness. as ne was within
striking distance of the pacemaker and
APPARENTLY going easily. This was the
order rounding the turn, with Addie NJ,
who continued to TRAIL gradually picking
up ground.
swinging into the stretch Gamer was
still breezing in front with no percep-
tible shortening of stride. while Davies
on The Finn was putting forth his best
efforts to catch the leader
Addie NJ. had moved UP to third place
and at this stage it appeared that any
one OF the first three could win. At the
furlong pole Davies had gone to the
whip. but The Finn did not respond with
his usual gameness and when McTag-
CART shook up Gaincr the latter drew
away to win easily jy twp lengths at the
end. The Finn was stopping badly all
through the final sixteenth ana under q
hard drive to stand off Addie NJ, who
was taken the overland throughout.
1t is very hard to account for the per-
formance of The Finn. in view of mis-
known undermining abilities and his
most recent race at the Laurel track
His races of late have been Of the in
and-out order and he is the member OF
an establishment that has never been
famed for consistency
Second in interest to the stake
feature was the six furlong handicap
for all aged performers which resulted
In a handy victory for Peter Sheridan's
Back Bay. a .printer who has always
raced to best advantage over a heavy
track. Mrs. James Arthur's Water
Lady was the one to take the place ,
with r. T. Wilson's Montresor. a dis
tant third. Joe Blair had lost none of !
his early speed in the journey from
Havre de Grace to Laurel and this !
sprinter raced to the front at the rise /
Of the barrier and had quickly opened !
up a good lead on his opponents. Back !
Bay was the closest in pursuit of the :
leader with the others several lengths :
back. Rounding the turn Back Bay
slowly moved up on the pacemaker !
md swinging into the straightway as !
sumed the lead while the tiring Joe ,
Blair speedily dropped to the rear.
Water Lady. who had been badly out
paced during the early stages, moved
Up with rush once the stretch was
cached and finished with a rush to
AXE the place, but never seriously
threatened the leader Montresor had
10 trouble capturing the short end of !,
he purse.
The afternoons racing brought |;
lbout several run-ups. and one claim
n three of the four selling races. Mrs. 1
!. B. Goodman. who secured Noureddin
ia the claiming route on Monday after |
'apturinG yesterdays opening dash !
With that platter. claimed r. T. Will 4
'on's Sarsenet for $1,000 out of the
ame race. Then when H. G. Bed I
Wells Balfron won the fifth number 4
lie was boosted to $500 by Sam Louis,
# Kansas City. and Sam Lewis. of
'wner for $685. This boosting was in !!
etaliation for Bedwelrs recent activi-
les in the selling races y
A. L. Parretto apparently made O. mis-
AXE on Wednesday when he claimed
eagle from Emil Helz as that turfInan
hen secured Marshon by the same route
darshon was a keen horse i'm the night
'ap today over the mile and a quarter
cute and scored very easily. Sam Louis
md A. c. Parretto alternately ran I'D
his platter to LOO. an advance of $500
'ver his entered price. but he was re-
aimed by Herr for the usual s. advance.
The crowd was the largest of the pres
mt meeting and the mutuel machines
we're kept humming all afternoon The
rack. which has been heavy for the past
week. Is gradually improving, and by
londay General Manager winn stated
hat he looks forward to a fast track.
Johnny McTaggart. who had the mount
n Superintendent in the first race, was
brown at the first turn when his mount
stumbled. McTaggart escaped uinjured /
nd finished out his mounts for the day,
The New York special over the Balti-
nore and Ohio carried the largest crowd
hat has ever visited Maryland for the
xpress purpose Of seeing the races run.
was estimated the train carried at
sast $50 persons.
The defeat Of The Finn In the Wash
lgton handicap today was . severe blow :
0 the talent. who had looked upon the
[allenbeck representative a being a sure .
hing. Had he won his price would have
cen to 2.
At least 80 automobilists from wash
ngton motorsd to Laurel today. The ,
pads are excellent al the way, ana the /,
rack can b reached In forty minutes.
Col Chiffon. who has charge Of the
rona box at Ali the cotfraAa In ths Ee.%