view raw text
HUNTER BAINES MONADNOCK. Hunter Raino proved himself a horse of more than average merit with light weight up yesterday at Harlem by taking the Monadnock Stakes in a big canter and really making the field appear cheap in the closing strides. Apart from the winners splendid effort the clever adjusting of imposts "brought at least five of the field in close juxtaposition at the finish and, taking the race all in all, it was about the most exciting and closest of this years racing. Of the sixteen nominated to start, two ware absentees. Frangible and Death, leaving a well balanced field of fourteen to face the barrier. Argregor. on his good record in the Young Handicap, was made first choice, but even at that as good as 3 to 1 could be had against his chances at one time. Hunter Raine was as good as 15 to 1 in the betting and was backed by a "wise few." After a short delay at the post starter Holtman got the field off to an equitable start, with Ethel Wheat showing the way for the first quarter, closely pressed by Hunter Raine, Otis and Scarlet Lily. Turning into the backstretch Scarlet Lily moved into the van and soon opened up a gap of two and a half lengths on Otis, while Aladdin displaced Ethel Wheat in third position. Hunter Raine was taken back along here, receding to eighth position. Turning for home Scarlet Lily still maintained her advantage and held it until nearing the last eighth post, where she began to show signs of tiring. Otis and Ethel Wheat also began to hang, as did Aladdin. It appeared for a moment as if Scarlet Lily might be held together long enough to win, but just before reaching the last sixteenth Hunter Raine came through with a rush and passed her rapidly. He kept gradually moving away in the closing" strides, winning as his rider pleased by three and a half lengths. The fight for second and third places was spirited, but Scarlet Lily just managed to last long enough to keep her neck in front of Argregor when passing under the wire, with Hermencia and Aladdin lapped in the order named. Argregor came with a belated rush at the end and finished fastest of them all. Hermencia also finished with determination and ran to his best form. Otis tired badly when just opposite the last eighth post. He pulled up very lame and it was reported he had broken down. Flying Torpedo was never prominent and really ran a dull race. He can do better. The value of the stake to the winner was ,800. The days opener brought a field of good two-year-olds together. Collonade and Linguist divided honors in the betting, but the winner turned up in Shooting Star against whose chances as good as 7 to 1 could be had. Linguist and Collonade ran as one horse to the head of the stretch, where Shooting Star moved up fast and passing them with ease won by a length. Collonade gave up the struggle for second place when a sixteenth out and was beaten five lengths by Linguist. In fact, Collonade had all he could do to take third place from Tom Cogan by a head on the post. Gold Bell ran an indifferent race and probably runs to his best form in the mud. Albemarle showed early speed. Waswift had an easy time of it in annexing the purse of the second race to his owners credit. He led all the way, running well within himself and won eased up by one and a half lengths from Bragg, which beat Little Scout two for second place. Talpa showed well for six furlongs. Cougar was the best of a mediocre field of fourteen that faced the barrier in the third race. He laid close up to Golden Scepter andtMaBter Mariner for the first six furlongs and then easily passed to the front, winning by a length from Chorus Boy, which finished two and one-half lengths before Royal Penny for second place. Chorus Boy unacconnta. bly fell out of the contest after the first half had been run, but rallied in the final quarter and came at the end with a great rush. Master Mariner and Golden Scepter ran well for almost a mile. Harry New, long overdue, finally found an easy spot and had little trouble in taking the fifth race by one and a half lengths from Eva Rice, which just lasted long enough to beat Hoodwink a neck on the post for second place. Fatalist was made a 6 to 5 favorite in the last race, a dash of one and a half miles, but appeared stiff and sore when going to the post and ran an indifferent race, finishing a beaten-off fifth. The lightweighted Hayward Hunter, which J. H. Graham was scheduled to ride, but who was displaced by J . Walsh, carrying four and one-half pounds over, proved an easy winner, virtually running away from the field in the last eighth and winning by four lengths from Compass, which outstayed Lady Chorister in the last sixteenth struggle and beat her to the wire by a half length. Tammany Chief closed up much ground in. the final quarter and showed great improvement. An unusually large gathering, augmented by the half-holiday crowd, was on hand and witnessed an excellent days sport. The track was fast and, in case no rain falls between now and Monday, will be at its best.
