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■*«. I, WARTE NICHTS HANDICAP. Despite the off-day card presented to patrons of Hawthorne yesterday, the usual good crowd was in attendance. Apart from the excellent contest in the third race the sport was somewhat tame. The track was in excellent condition. Warte Nichts mile in 1:40| clearly showing that the top covering of sand placed on the course before the season opened had thoroughly been compacted with the under soil. The most important race of the day was the third, a handicap purse of ,000, for three-year-olds and upward. The adjustment of the weights gave the race a very open aspect an 1 the result proved it, as the two rank outsiders in the betting, "Warte Nicht and Ahola, ran one two respectively. The betting in this race was heavy, Schwalbe being backed into favoritism by post time. Toah, however, was generously backed, while a number thought well of Lucien Ap; »bys chances. To a good start the Iight-wei lited Ahola, closely attended by Bragg, we: it to the front with Lucien Appleby bringing up th° rear. Down the backstretch there was little change in positions, but when turning into the last quarter there was a general closing up. Nearing the last eighth post Warte Nicht gradually forged to the front and remained there to the end, winning easily by one length from Ahola, which finished a neck before Toah for second place. Ahola tired slightly in the closing strides after showing much speed. Toah lost some ground by turning wide into the homestretch, but finished going fast in the deep center of the track under a powerful ride, just getting up in time to nip Bragg on the post for third place. The latter ran his usual honest race and showed much speed, but could not concede the weight and was tiring fast at the end. Lucien Appleby was taken next to the inside rail after entering the last quarter, but tired badly when a furlong out and was well spent long before the line had been reached. He appears to have trained off and runs nowhere near to the excellent form he showed as a three-year-old. Schwalbe displayed her usual speed, but faded away in the sharp last sixteenth struggle. Huzzah ran a dull race and was never a serious contender. The opening race of the day, a four and a half furlongs dash for maiden two-year-olds, brought an unwieldy field of fifteen to the post. The winner turned up in the well backed Martius, which opened at 4 to 1 and receded to 11 to 5 by post time. Martius, closely attended by Wm. Wright, showed the way to the final eighth post, where the latter faltered and the former had little trouble in moving away and winning by one length from Instructor, which finished a neck before Wm. Wright for second place. Instructor ran a good race, showing much speed and outgaming Wm. Wright in the closing strides for second place. The steeplechase over the short course proved an easy thing for Ceylon, which jumped cleanly throughout and came away .at call after taking the last Jump, winning easily by three and a half lengths from Arius, which finished the same distance before Alma Girl for second place. Arius jockey lost his stirrups after taking the tenth jump and this hampered him somewhat in making his stretch run. The horse jumped well but appeared to lose a little ground after taking each obstacle. Spurs fell over the seventh jump and Slap Dash lost his rider over the last The fourth race, a dash of one and one-, sixteenth miles, was taken by Bard of Avon, against whose chances as good as | 5 to 1 could be had. He displayed keen j speed throughout and tiptoeing the field all the way won much as his rider pleased by j four lengths from Kilmorie, which finished a neck before Louisville for secohd place. Kilmorie came with a rush at the end just ! getting up in time to nip the tiring Louis-1 ville on the post for second place. The : latter appears to have trained off somewhat and is not near as good a mare as she was last year. Anna Beall showed much early speed and Zella Knight ran a good race for six furlongs. ; Trompeuse, coming with a sensational I rush in the closing strides, took the fifth race. Blumenthal, closely pressed by My Gem, showed the way to the head of the j stretch, where the former retired. Opposite j the last eighth post it appeared as if My I Gem would win, but in the final sixteenth J Trompeuse came with a great rush and • easily passing into the lead in the last • hundred yards won going away by two • lengths from Sweetie, which finished a head j before My Gem for second place. Buccaneer j finished a bang-up fourth. j The last race of the day, a dash of one i mile for three-year-olds, went to Postmaster j Wright, but not in the easy manner expected. Galba closed up on him in the final eighth and brought him to a hard drive, , but he gradually drew away in the closing j strides winning by a short length, Galba j finishing three and a half before Sir Hugh ; for second place. Galba showed great game- ness under punishment and probably ran I the best race of his career.
