view raw text
HAWTHORNE RACING. Despite the mediocre card presented to the patrons of Hawthorne yesterday the days sport was redeemed considerably by some close and exciting finishes, and in several cases none bat the judges were in a position to place the first three past the wire. In the fifth race four of the field finished in very close order, the judges placing Thurles first, but the usual crowd of dissenters congregated about the stand and shouted for Lake View Belle. It was a close decision, but the right number was certainly placed first. The angle at Hawthorne is still very deceptive, and unless a man is on a direct line with the wire he is in no position to say what horse finishes first in a hairline finish. None but the most foolish spectators congregate about the judges stand and dispute boisterously the bulletining of the first three horses. When numbers are put up they are there to remain, ana all the ill-advised exceptions taken by unthinking spectators are a waste of mere words. The most pretentious affair yesterday was the fourth race, a free handicap purse of 00, at six furlongs for two-year-olds. Sidney C. Love was made first choice by the talent, opening at 7 to -5 and receding to 9 to 5 by post time. He ran a fair race, but had to succumb to Au Eevoir, held at 4 to 1 in the betting. To a good start Coburn was the quickest to get his mount, Au Eevoir, in motion, andibefore a sixteenth had been run he had a lead of one and a half lengths over Sidney C. Love, on which Lady Jocelyn was lapped. Au Eevoir, running well within himself the entire distance, displayed much speed, and at no time of the dash; was he ever in danger of being: headed, SHe won easily by two lengths. The struggle for second place between Sidney C. Love and Lady Jocelyn lasted all through the final quarter, the two disputing every foot of the distance. The former outstayed the latter, getting the verdict by a short head. Lady Jocelyn displayed much gameness under a gruelling ride. Gold Bell, badly outrun in the first half, closed up ground fast in the last quarter and finished with a rush. Bheta tired slightly in the last sixteenth. Topsoil was always thoroughly beaten and showed scant speed. He probably needs a soft or heavy track to run to his best form. An unwialdy bunch of fifteen maidens faced the barrier in the days opener, a six and a half furlongs dash for maiden three-year-olds. Starter Holtman got them off in perfect alignment. Ban After darted to the front at once and held command until the head of "the stretch had been reached, where Bissett, which had always lain well up, moved up fast and passed into the lead, winning in a big canter by ten lengths. Leneta finished second a length before Ban After. Bissett simply played with the field aud could have won among higher class horses. Wild Oats, backed generously for a "good thing," ran an impressive race. He was trailing back of the field while going down the backstretch, but after the first half had been run began to pick up ground rapidly, finishing with a great rush in the closing strides, TrustandDeed showed a flash of early speed. Headwater finally ran to his best form and made the field look cheap in the second race, a dash of six and a half furlongs for three-year-olds and upward. To an excellent start he at once showed a pair of heels to the other three starters and, displaying keen speed for the entire distance, won as his rider pleased by three and a half lengths. Zyra finished second, a half length before Scintillant II., on which Gonfalon was lapped. Zyra stood a long drive through the last quarter without flinching. Scintillant II. began slowly, but picked up ground rapidly in the last quarter, and under a vigorous ride finished with resolution next to the inside rail. Gonfalon faltered when the hard drive came, j Flocarline, heavily backed in the third race, a dash of six furlongs, proved to be an easy winner, assuming an immediate command at flag fall and maintaining it without much trouble to the end. She won easily by three lengths from Whiten, which outstayed Lampoon in the last eighth struggle and beat her to the wire by a neck. Pericles put up a dull performance, but probably needs a soft or heavy track to show at his best. Pennant showed early speed and bears watching. Prince of Endurance appears to have trained off entirely. Thurles, displaying sudden improvement over his last effort, took the fifth race, a dash of one mile and seventy yards, by a head from Lake View Belle, which beat Reseda a half length for second placa. The last named beat Leviathan a nose for third place. Thurles, always well up, finished determinedly under a hard drive and wore down Lake View Belle in the closing strides. The latter ran to her best form, was ridden faultlessly and had no mishaps. Eeseda swerved slightly under punishment in the last sixteenth and, was slightly cut off by Leviathan at the end. Birdie D. ran well for a half mile only. The last race of the day resulted in a victory for Hayward Hunter, which won in hollow fashion. The race was a dash of one and a half miles for three-year-olds and upward. Hayward Hunter allowed Emathion and Leo Newell to alternate in the lead for the first six furlongs, where he went to the front without much trouble and simply ran away from the field, winning well in hand by three lengths from Leo Newell, which finished a head before Edith Q., on which Lady Chorister was lapped. Leo Newell appeared to be badly beaten when a furlong from home, but rallied in the last fifty yards and finished with a display of speed. Edith Q. was coming stoutly at the end. Lady Chorister hardly ran her race, but even at that was probably unable to concede the weight. The usual large crowd was present and witnessed a good days sport. The track was at its best. The no-recall flag system worked smoothly and there was little, if any, delay at the post.
