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B R lii m he b, ! of u ■ all E J; s|k g B. : ■ J , • J s . . : I j J J • I j j j I BELLWETHERS FIRST BENNING HANDICAP. Racing Begins at the National Capital with Big Mi Attendance and Heavy Track. Washington. D. C. March 23.— Except for cloudy _ skies and a slow, deep track, the eastern racing season opened witli a good ileal of enthusiasm ami a |U. tine attendance, all things considered. Washington and showed that it likes tlie sport by turning out gen- _ erouslv in spite of much energetic knocking by some local papers, and the feeling that there Blight , some interference with the betting, regardless J a late decision in the associations favor. There „ was no trouble of any kind, and the big crowd had tlie Chance to bet it cared for. Speculation was rS good. too. for a first day when no one knows any- 71 tiling. Sugar Fine, on which 100 to 1 was -■ laid in some Ux k . sheared the uncertainty of tlie 7, rt at. this stage by winning the first race. Kwai ;_• took the second after having been at 1ft to 1. J.hn - Madden showed a fine-looking pair of fillies in -;■ Clef and Court Lady. Clef aright have won with a better start. Bellwether won tlie First Benning Spring Handicap like a shifty three-year-old *and at a good price, s considering ids New Orleans form. He was ham- i, ptred a bit on the home turn but got through ami won in tlie easiest way. Smoker ran a goo 1 race, s;, Oraculum was tlie heaviest backed horse, but ran poorly. Some Rapport was given to the added -starter. El Dorado. Berkeley ran well, but was not ip sufficiently ■eaeoned. 1 The condensed history of the First Benning Spring Handicap is as follows: !i Year. Winner. A. Wt. Jockey. Yal. Tim . lftt 0 Bonev Bov....4 Ma Mtchell ...$ 74ft l:l«i ISM K11. of* RlhMlest 115 T. Burns .. BK 1:17 1902 Himself 4 !»•. Womlerly . N2i 1:14?. 1908 Himself •"» 112 Odein l.M» 1:18 I!ift4 Shrine 4 lft." Cormaek .. 1.300 1:17 1905 Toscan 5 12o Shaw 1.110 1:17 l.tftft D. of Kendal. « 10b Helges 11 .. 1.490 1:171 7: FHI7 Malacca 3 !M J. Johnson. 1,280 1:161 1906 Bellwether . . .: 10! W.K.Wker. I.MS 1:18 Bellwethers winning was a triumph for a young trainer. Bobbie Shannon, who beat out his tutor. Jetton. Madden, who trained shoker. Mr. Hitchcock was down to see the latter run and probably ex pectcd him to win. Kingsessing and Animus won their races easily. There was a report that a bill had passed in congress today which would prevent betting at Benning. but there is little idea that there will be interference with the present meeting. " John Madden ran up and bought Animus after * » his winning for .100 from his old enemy, Albert Simons. :1 It still threatens rain and the track will hardly be good tomorrow. ■
