Evening star., 1939-05-07
Favored Black Sweep
Loses Rider, Jars
Eventual Victor
DefIution Runs Second,
Music Mountain Third;
10000 See Races
By ROBERT HENRY,
Star Staff CORRESPONDENT.

wA1NE.N 1oN. va, may u
Holding on with rare courage in the
final few yards, William F. Cockran's
Or Else won the 18th annual Virginia
Gold Cup today before some 10000
spectators gathered on the beautiful
Broadview course. Second, short
head behind, came Walter Wicke S
Deflation, with Mrs. Eva S. Spill
mans Music Mountain third, two
lengths farther back. Black Sweep,
owned by Mrs. Frank NJ Gould, and
odds-on favorite, lost his rider at
the 18th fence. The time for the
i 4-mile timber test was 7:4S45.
While Or Else showed plenty of
gameness in staving off the closing
bid of Def1ation, had he not bumped
Black Sweep the result might have
been more pleasing to the crowd. 1t
wagered heavily on his chances to
repeat his victory of three weeks ago
in the Middleburg Cup Steeplechase,
in which he upset Cog Bruyere and
Faction Fighter to become the SEN
sation of timber racing.
However, the mishap was not the
fault of the horse or his rider, Sidney
Waiter, jr. John Harrison on Black
Sweep was rolling along with a
handful of horse under him. but in
taking the fence the son of Sweep
BY, which just recently was sold by
Mai. and Mrs. Turner Wiltshire to
Mrs. Gould, hit the obstacle and
then veered into the path of the
oncoming winner. Harrison, already
half out of the saddle, hit the ground
when Or Else unavoidably ran into
the swerving thoroughbred Black
Sweep went on minus his rider, but
fell over the next fence. Neither the
horse nor rider suffered injury.
Fails to Retire Trophy.
Mrs. Gould, who owns Ostend,
winner of the race the last TWO years,
was attempting to make it three
straight today and retire the cup,
but her other entry, Postman Home,
failed to finish when he took mean
tumble over the 18th fence with
young A. c. Randolph, jr., up. The
boy, riding in his first race, was
knocked unconscious, and also suf-
fered slight conclusion.
With two fences to 60 Or Else ap-
peared to have the race sewed up
but after losing several lengths
while banging the last obstacle he
~ to or off tho
drive OF Defation, ridden by P. D.
Reid. For flash it appeared that
Deflation would make good his
threat but in the closing drive the
Cochran runner managed to stick it
out for an edge. Music Mountain,
ridden by Henry Frost, jr., also
closed we'll to gain third place about
two lengths away.
Or Else is the same horse which
bumped Justa Racket out of the
Maryland Hunt Cup last week while
running riderless over the fifteenth
Jump. Mr.. Cochran, who acquired
the horse about a year ago. said
much Of the training for today's
race was gained over Maryland
hunting fields, which should en-
courage other owners to follow the
same method of conditioning.
Another odds-on choice went
down to defeat when Mrs. j. C.
Clarke's Little Cottage, I'd, lost
close decision to l.. w. Robinson's
Our Manager in the Virginia Ma
tional, secondard feature on the
four-race program.
Seafarin' Dan Falls Into Ditch.
With Sidney Banks in the saddle
the winner went right to the front
for the Smile brush event. John
Magee, winning rider in the first
and last races, was content to stay
OF the fast pace with the favorite
and make his bid in the last half
mile. However, the winner had too
much in reserve and despite almost
falling over the last fence he man
aged to hold on to win by length.
Loro, owned by Mrs. John Hay Whit
rey and ridden by Dion Kerr, jr., ran
well until the last half mile when
he went lame. but was an easy third.
Seafarin' Dan, owned by Capt.
Ewart Johnston and ridden by Mr..
Frost, fell over the last hurdle and
became wedged in the ditch on the
far side. After several minutes he
freed himself but collapsed few
seconds later. Talk of destroying
him ceased when he was able to rise
and be led back to the stable. Except
for q few bruises Mr.. Frost was I'M
hurt.
The fans poured money on Mrs
Lewis A. Parks consistent Royal
Thomas in the Warrenton Hunt Cup
and were rewarded by a 4-length
triumph. With John Magee holding
back for a turn of the field the
winner soon overhauled the pace
setting War Port when the final test
came and drew away to a handy
win. Mrs. Whitney's Toms Boy,
with W. B. Lawson up, came from
far back to gain second place from
the early leader, which finished
third.
John Feltner on North Hill Farms
Moon Hunter injured an already bad
leg in this event when his mount
suddenly ran out at the fourth jump.
The boy was torn from his horse
when the son of Canter grazed the
wing guarding the fence, and was
lucky to escape further injury.