Evening star., 1940-05-05
Or Else, Co-Favorite,
Second in Defense
OF 1899 Honors
Five Starters Tumble
Or Lose jockeys on
19-Jump Course
BY ROBERT HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY ROBERT HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.
WARRENTON, Va. May 4.-De-
spite q rank display of jumping that
had 10000 fans gasping, Mrs. Frank
M. Gould's rags to riches horse,
Black Sweep. today retired for his
New York owner the 81, 500 Virginia
Gold Cup by winning easily the 10th
running Of the famous 4-mile tim
ber test on the beautiful Broad
view course near here.
Mounted by the crack amateur
rider, John Harrison, Black Sweep
finished three lengths ahead of Will
liam F. Cochran, jr.'s Or Else, win
ner last year and only other entry
to finish. Both carried 165 pounds
The other five Starters either fell
or lost their riders over the 19-jump
course. The victory was the third
in four years for Mrs. Gould, whose
great Ostend won in 1887 and 1898.
Race True to Form.
The winner and runner-up were
split favorites at 2 to l and after
taking the 17th fence battled it out
alone, the only other horse still in
the race falling heavily at that Jump.
The winners time over slow course
was 1925.
In winning, Black Sweep helped
make it a happy day for those who
kept busy flock of bookies, as he
was one Of four favorites to make
good on the four-race card. The Vir-
ginia National, secondary feature,
was won easily by F. Ambrose Clark's
La Touche with John McGovern up
and the Warrenton Hunt Cup went
to George H. Bostwick's King John
I'd under Jockey Fred Slate, who was
astride Chase Me five years ago
when that unbeaten horse broke
leg in the Metropolitan Handicap
at Belmont Park. The first race,
the Fauquier Plate, also was won
by Clark color bearer, Balalaika.
with Francis Bellhouse up.
The gold cup Black Sweep re-
tired was the third donated since
the race was inaugurated. The late
Mrs. Katherine Elkin Hit of Mid
dleburg won the first in 1925 and
the Flying Horse Farm the second
IN 1888. Strangely enough, horses
flying the colors Of woman owners
have won 10 of the 10 runnings
OF this race, one of the toughest
in the country.
Victor Trained by Street.
Black Sweep was trained for his
victory by William B. Street of War
renton and it was this former rider
who started the Gould triple aboard
Ostend four years ago. Harrison
rode Ostend the next gear and had
to be at his best today in order to
stay on his poorly jumping mount.
While Black Sweep repeatedly
raped fences he managed to stay
upright, which is more than can be
said Of several Of his opponents.
Raymond Guests Tiger Lane fell
with Robert Ridgeway at the 14th
fence, Lewis M. Aliens Gulfelano
toppled with William Leonard at
the 18th and Mrs. Eva S. Spilman's
Postman Home went down with
Henry Frost, jr., at the 18th while
running close third.
The other two horses which failed
to finish lost their riders. Mrs.
Amory S. Carhart's Sir Romeo tossed
Louis Murdock at the 18th jump
while battling for the lead and Mrs
Gould's other horse, Hold Forth,
dropped Arthur Scruton at the Sec
ond fence. None of the fallen riders
or horses was injured although some
were shaken up severely.
Black Sweep, which recently be-
came the first double winner of the
Middleburg Cup Steeplechase and
was purchased a year ago by Mrs.
Gould from Turner Wiltshire of
Mddleburg, was restrained off the
slow early pace of Sir Romeo and
Tiger Lane and was running we'll
back with Or Else, ridden by Sidney
Waters, jr. Neither was jumping
well and several times Black Sweep
cracked the fences so hard it seemed
he was certain to fall.
Or Else Moves to Front.
Passing the crowd the second and
last time the two choices began to
improve their positions, but Or Else
was the first to show in front at
about the 3-mile mark. Black Sweep
was closing in, however, and gained
command for the first time at the
18th fence. A poor leap lost two
lengths at that jump and Or Else
again went to the fore. Postman
Home, winner of the Sandhills Is.
c. Cup six weeks ago, was making
strong bid here but took off too close
and fell hard.
That left 1t up to the favorites
and for q moment 1t seemed a close
finish would result, but Harrison let
out a wrap and Black Sweep, half
q mile from home, drew away as
Or Else, under the whip, tried des-
perately to keep up. Nearing the
finish and safely over the final fence,
Harrison eased up and his lead of
six lengths was cut in half in the
last few strides.
Eauquier Plate uh miles over hurdles)
won BY Balaika, owned by r. Ambrose
Sir Roster. owned by Mrs: qeorge watts
Hill, ridden BY g. Rifles; third. Betty Tour,
owned by Thomas B. Gay, ridden by
John Harrison. Also ran. Palm Stone,
Goodvorth. Glory Maker, Danny Byrne,
Pl1ydems and Lancashire. Time. 3:52as,
Won BY Black Sweep, owned BY Mrs.
Frank M. Gould. ridden BY John Harrison:
Cochran: jr., ridden By Sidney waters.
T. lonfy two horses Finished. Also ran.
Gplielanc and Tiger Lane. Time. e:32?s.
virginia National (2h miles over brush)
won BY Ia Touche, owned BY +. Ambrose
GSrk. ridden by John Mcocyern: second
Gen BY I. Smith: third, Houseman. owned
Turner Wiltshire. ridden BY w. Leonard:
Big March. Time, 5:21.
warTenton Hunt Cup t1M miles over
hhnrdles1-Won az by King John "a: owned
second; Deserter. owned By T. :. Stoddard
r.: ridden by Louis Murdock: third Hor-
ridden BY Sidney waters, jr. Also ran,