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BIG TURNOUT AT HAMILTON OPENING DAY CE0WD GBEATEST IN HIST0BY OF THE TBACK. Detective Captures the Derby — P. T. Chinn in Hard Luck — Giles Equals Kecord for the Turf Course. . Hamilton. Ont.. June 22. — Tlie spring meeting of the Hamilton Jockey Club began today with the largest crowd in attendance that ever witnessed racing over that course. Every available hit of space in he grandstand was occupied and standing room was at a premium during the running of the different events. Secretary London had provided an excellent program for the occasion, the bright particular feature of which was the Hamilton Derby at a mile ami a quarter with a guaranteed value of . XMi. There were six starters and the race resolved itself into a duel between Detective and Piute, in which the former managed to get up lu the closing strides and win going away by a scant half length. Piute was probably the better horse and. with a more judicious ride, would have won. Preston, in his oxeranxiety. rushed Piute into a loug lead iu the early stages and opened up a gap of six or eight lengths oa his field. The earlv pace was entirely too fast and it is little wonder that Piute tired as he did in the stretch. The complete history of the Hamilton Derby Is as follows: Year. Winner. Wt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1907 Tourenne 117 Kunz ,450 2:10* IOO8 Uncle Toby 114 Nicol 1.450 2:07. ttm Detective UO 1. Mel" thy 1.450 2:08 j P. T. Chinn lost another race by a narrow margin when, in the opening dash. Bed River was beaten out a head by King Cobalt. Bed Biver was unfortunate in that be struck several soft spots during the running and repeatedly sprawled. Inder the circumstances his showing was commendable. Only one favorite won. Osorine lieing the sole successful choice. PheV SJ as the best backed horse of the day and beat Smoker out a length. Occidental, winner of the second race, was ridden by C. Phair. an apprentice who is under contract to Willie Shields. It was Phairs first winning mount. The lad is a son of Charlie Phair, the old-time steealeehsse rider. Detective, winner of the Derby, was purchased this spring from Matt Allen by Charles Bovle. The j latter, some years hack, while in partnership wilii Charles I.ittlefiebl. camimigned a powerful stable on the metropolitan tracks. John Schorr, of Memphis, was a visitor at the course this afternoon. This is Mr. SchorTs first visit to Hamilton and he was more than pleased with the racing. The Schorr horses are here in charge of Albert Simons, who is just able to get about, after having been on the shelf with a broken leg. sustained during the meeting at Baltimore. Judge Murphy got in from Latonia this morning and starter A. B. Dade arrived from New York. Judge Murphy expects H. I. Brown here from Florida some day this week. Mr. Brown has been busy at Moncreif Park since the legislature ad-jounrned and. according to reports from Jacksonville. lie has done much work in improving the plant of tlie Florida Live Stock Fair and Racing Association. A. R. Mills, local secretary- of the Niagara Racing Association, was a visitor from Buffalo this afternoon. Mr. Mills reiiorts that the stakes offered bv his association tilled exceptionally well and that some great racing will be witnessed at Fort Erie • li is- summer. Applications for stable room ltavo been received from turfmen prominent in all sections, ami the class of horses participating in the meeting will show a decided improvement over previous years. Several new stables have been erected to stasias accommodations for the horsemen, besides many other improvements. It is understood that a list of the officials will be announced by Sunday. A. B. Dade is expected to do the starting, ami Francis Nelson and Horace Lerch probably will lie In the judges stand. Giles, iu winning the sixth race, equaled the track record for a mile on the turf when he ran the distance in 1:39$.
