The Washington herald., 1917-10-02

LnrAE NHdse lnEOuSu lne Hclu.
Each incoming train unloaded its
eager thrOng. and soon the lawn OF
the clubhouse, as well as the YER
andas, represented a gathering fully
representative of the most exclusive
social register of the more Southern
cities, where the racing of the thor
oughbred, with its accompanying
thrills, far surpasses other claims to
their Indulgence.
Under clear skies and spring-like
weather, the largest crowd ever as
sembled at this popular course was
present. Long before the sound of
the bugle for the first race the grand
stand and clubhouse were packed
with feminine beauty. and every
available inch Of ground was a mass
OF humanity.
The attraction was the running of
a card bubbling over with CLASSY"
thoroughbreds, and all those that
were present voted it to be an epoch
making event in turf history. Society
folk from Washington. Richmond.
Baltimore, New York. Philadelphia and
other contiguous points were on hand.
That the now famous Laurel course
has come to take the place Of the
historic Benning track there can be
no doubt. The boxes were filled with
richly gOwncd women, and the beau
tiful clubhouse was packed to its
capacity.
Washington sent over the largest
contingent that has ever witnessed
races in these parts, and all the old
familiar faces that have made racing
in this State famous were on hand.
At least one thousand automobiles
went over from the Nations Capital,
and the large and spacious parking
site was a mass of machines. Balti-
more sent large crowd while a great
number OF turf enthusiasts mOtOrcd
down from Philadelphia.
II was a days racing that was well
worth going hundreds of miles to see.
and the maScment deserve great
credit in bringing such a large num-
her OF high class thOrOushbreds to-
getheT.
The track was like a piece OF card
board and was as fast as lighting
Many army officers with their wives
and sweethearts were seen in the club
house and with their CAV decora-
tions presented a most picturesque
scene. y roTGh estimate at the at
tendance was in the neiChbOThOOd of
ten thousand persons. The train SER
vice to and from the course was eX-
cellCnt.
The better class of jockeys who have
been riding in New York was present
and the card was well contested
throughout.
At the course at the present time
there are quartered about 100 thor
Oughbreds and outside of the track
there are about 400 horses quartered.
SO great was the demand for stable
room that the management acre
compelled TO turn stable after stable
away.
With this great number OF horses
at Laurel. racing for the month of
October will be of the highest order,
and when such great horses as Hour
less. the Belmont star, and Omar
Khayyam. the sensational 3-year-oId,
meet in the match race which will be
run during the meeting. lovers of
king Horse" will see a contest that
will be worth going hundreds of miles
TO see.
The feature OF the afternoons card.
the Laurel Handicap at six furlonss
was easy for the Viaux colt. Westy
Hogan. who set a fast early pace
from the start and was going away
at the end. Tea Caddy moved up
stOutly when rounding the far turn
for home, but faltered when she got
to the leader. Star Gazer tired badly.
Tom McTaggart was away to a poor
start. and made up a lot Of ground.
Westy Hogan is all that his owner
claims him to be. and it will take
a horse of considerable class to give
him a beating.
John Farrell put over his yearly
good thing when Firing Line beat
a classy lot of horses in the seventh
race, and incidentally he paid Si7 for
a s. ticket. Viewpoint, the hot IA
vorite, ran way below his form and
finished in the rear. Firing Line
was taken OF the early pace by
Jockey Mergier. who perhaps rode the
best race of his career. taking his
mount back until the last furlong,
where he moved up with a rush and
beat Burglar a half a length, while
Courtship was a neck behind. Court
ship set a fast pace until the stretch
was reached. but weakened right at
the end. Had Collins laid off the
pace and given his mount a breathing
spell he probably would have won.
Inc OlQ rogue ROBERT Bradley ran
one OF his good races today and led
his field home from start to finish,
but was doing his best right at the
end to stall off Copper Kings rush
The latter ran an excellent race and
would have won in another stride
q. VI. Miller was right there at the
nnish and was only beat a head for
the place. The defeat of War Ma
chine in the opening number was
severe shock to form players. Ruth
Law was returned the easiest kind of
a winner. while Delvale was second
and War Machine third.
Walnut Hall ran an excellent race
in the third number when he beat
Gloomy Gus three quarters OF a
length. while Assume was third. Wal
nut Hall was well in hand until
Strengthened out for home where he
drew away in a galIop. Sunfiash III
ran very disappOintingly. She went
TO the post at to ., but failed ut
terly.
Hank O'Day breezed all the way
to win the fifth number from Candle
and Whimsy. The race was no ef-
fort for him and he was the easiest
sort Of a winner.
The card for today is an excellent
one and no doubt will be a magnet
for a large crowd.