Evening star., 1940-03-24
Sague Boots Pono Mdebmg Bowl Triumph Old Time Race
Coincidence a Victor,
But Bows in Ballot
On Best Horse
No Time Kept as Steeds
Cover Smile Course
Laid in English Style
BY ROBERT HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

MIDDLEBURG, Va, March 23.-
In a meet patterned after those held
IN England during the last century,
when they originated, Portnos, a
rangy bay thoroughbred owned and
ridden by Laura Sprague of Middle
burg and Chicago, today easily won
the ladies' event and the Middleburg
Bowl, which annually is awarded to
the best horse at the point to-point
meet here.
Unlike the usual point" events
held In this country, those today
were started from distant spot and
run over a go-as-you-please course,
the only certainty being the finish
line. and even that proved elusive
Both races were about 6 miles,"
and as the start and finish were that
far apart no time could be taken.
In the first race Comedienne, a
flrst-time starter, owner and ridden
by T. Beatty Brown, beat nine others
by city block after several of the
early leaders became confused as to
the shortest way home.
Race at Three Weights.
This race, restricted to men, in
cluded three weight divisions, $50,
ITS and 200 pounds. Comedienne
was in the 2O0-pound division. Lon
gitude, owned and ridden by Gerald
Webb. jr., finished second and led
the 175-pound group. Clifton's Gem,
1889 Middleburg Bowl winner, owned
by Duncan Read and ridden by Dion
Kerr, jr., of Washington, finished
fourth, but was first in the 150-
pound group and therefore became
eligible for the final bowl judging
Reg, owned and ridden by Steve
Clarke, and one of the heavyweights,
ran third.
Trailing Portnos home in the
ladies race was Miss FauQuier,
owned by Barbara Iselin and ridden
by her sister, Nancy. A length back
in third place come Little Duchess,
owned and ridden by Mrs. Robert
c. Winmill of Warrenton. Abality,
ridden by his owner, Mary Maxwell
of Warrenton, finished another
length back in fourth place.
Following the running of the
races, Comedienne, Longitude, Cliff
tons Gem and Portnos We're judged
for the Middleburg Bowl on con-
formation, suitability, jumping per-
formance, manners and style. The
judges were three hunt masters,
Sterling Larrabee, Old Dominion
Hunt; j. r. H. Alexander, Loudoun
Hunt, and William B. Watkins, Blue
Ridge Hunt. After short delibera-
ton they awarded the trophy to
Portnos.
Once Owned by Grayson.
A former race horse and once
owned by the late Admiral Cary T.
Grayson of Washington, Portnos
was purchased two years ago by his
present owner from student Of the
fashionable Foxcroft School for
Girls here He is by John Hay
Whitney's great sire, The Porter,
and is a 7-year-old.
Both races were started at
Mountsville, 6 miles from the finish
line at Delray, home of Mrs. Ray
mond Belmont. Shortly after the
start of the mems race the field
split into two divisions, one headed
by Webb on Longitude and the
other paced by Kerr on Clifton's
Gem.
About mile from home Webb
was far in advance of his group and
figured he had the race sewed up
So confident was he that he took
it easy and in order to abide by
the rules, which stated that no
wheat fields could be travelled, he
added half mile to his journey
Brown, in the meantime, had taken
shorter route with the other group
and breeZed in first from the oppo-
site direction.
In the ladies' race, Miss Sprague
and her winner had some trouble
getting past the judges stand, cars
parked near that point making it
difficult to follow a straight path.
However, the couple was so far out
made little difference. The next
three to finish also experienced
trouble and were forced to retrace
after going outside the flags the
first time home.
Summaries:
Mems event (about 6 miles)-Won by
comedienne, owned and ridden by T. Beatty
Brown; second. Longitude owned and
ridden by Gerald B. Webb, ir; third, Reg
owned and ridden by Steve Clarke. Also
ran-Never Worry, owned by E. w Win
mill, ridden by Francis Greene; Clifton's
Gem owned by Duncan Reid ridden by
Dion Kerr, jr.: Valor King, owned by Fred
erick Warburg, ridden by William Hubert;
Memo, owned and ridden by r. J. Kirk
patrick; Godwal. owned by Raymond Tar
tierre. ridden by Louis Murdock; Mountain
Sweep, ridden by Henry Frost.
Ladies event tabout 6 miles)-Won by
sprague; second, Miss Fauquier. owned BY
Barbara 1selin. ridden by Nancy Iselin
third Little Duchess. owned and ridden
BY Mrs. Robert C. Winmill. Also ran
we'll
Mddleburg Bowl-Won by Portnos,
owned by Miss SpraRue