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BIG DAY AT JACKSONVILLE. SOCIETY TURNS OUT IN FORCE TO VIEW THE GENTLEMEN RIDERS IN ACTION. Countermand Wins the Chief Race of the Afternoon —Two Winning Favorites — Judge Murphy-After the Crooks. Jacksonville. Fl.i.. April 1.".. — Today was society day at Moneroif Park and a brilliant MWHUt gathered at tin- course in witness tin- racing. The attraction thai drew out the tremendous crowd iv; a race which railed fee gentlemen riders and this proved tie- most popular feature of the meeting. Long iK-fore the horses were called to the post for tin- opening race, the grandstand was tilled. There was not a vacant chair and the overflow crowded Ihe aisles and stairs anil the lawn along the rail. It II by far the liest crowd of tie meeting and thl-too in spite of a strong counter attraction iu the opening of the hxal baseball season. All of the retail stores in town closed this afternoon in order to give their employee an opportunity of witnessing the opening game al the ball park, but a majority of ihein elected to take in the races instead. The ■part was excellent and a majority of the race* fu •• nislied interesting contests, with the finishes daw enough to arouse enthusiasm. The program was hi ke.ping witli the enasion. Two of the races wore at one mile and another at one mile and a quarter. The gentleinen"s rare resulted iu a nose ttnish between Countermand, ridden by Mr. Kelly, of Savan-null, and Paul, ridden by Mr. Mcluerney. a hull man. This pair fought it out in a desperate drive which lasted all through the homestretch in which Countermand just managed lo last long enough to reach home ill front. Don Hamilton was on his bad behavior and when the start came he winded :. round and refused to move. Fancy Dress And Miss M.irjono were the winning favorite*, and young jockey Keid rode two winners Before the races the judges had a busy session. There was a steady stream of owuers. riders and oihers into the stand for an hour or two. The in estigatiou concerned the running of the fifth race yesterday, which was yvon by Silverskin. It is al leged tiiat W. S Bi iimfiold. who is carded as the trainer of Silverskin. got a local man to wager heavily on St. Valentine iu the race, telling bin lhat i! was fixed for the latter to win. and that Wood, who rode Silverskin. would not try. Willi connection W. E. Wood and jockey B. Wood 111 I with the case could not he learned Another parly named F. T. Jackson was also mixed up in tie-inntler. It was given out from an official source thai a decision in the case would be made tonight, when tin- matter would lie gone over at the niticc. ■■ the club, and that the four men mentioned would * probably be ruled off for offensive touting and for Mactiots detrimental to the liest interests of Ihe turf. It is also intimated lhat the following horses. ■which run under the name of W. II. Healey -Silverskin. Artful Dodger and Alex Granf — wotii 1 ! e suspended pending an investigation as to owner iship. It seems that some of the horsemen rai inhere will finally realize that Judge Murphy will MM tolerate any infraction of the rules, and that if the. are to save their necks I hey had better con duct their end of t lie business in a legitimate man Jler. Previous to the races a sale of horses in training was held In the paddock, in which a number of selling platers were disposed of. Among those sold were the following: Zulu. $ •" . H. M. John son: Batsman. 0. F. Berner: Odd Ella. W . Y. M. Martin: Merrigo, 05. Ben Jones: Etal. 2". John Trainer: Star Spangled Banner. 40. Ben Maia: Relne Kegente. 40. William Burbridg-. She Woif. *150. Ben Catlett: Fresh. 52. J. V. Glrvin: Arawaka. «5, H. P. Mc-Noal: Prince Alert. 75, J. Trainer, and Select II.. . II. MoCarreii. Jr.
