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CHOICES SOUNDLY BEATEN BIG FIELDS AND MUCH CROWDING AFFECT FAVORITES AT FORT ERIE. Bergoo Wins Closely Contested and Spectacular Steeplechase Betting Coup Successful with I W. A. Leach as Medium. Buffalo, N. Y.. July 10. Threatening weather did not cause any decrease in the attendance at Fort Erie this afternoon. Improved track conditions prevailed and good racing resulted. The linishes were close and aroused much enthusiasm. The steeplechase, which featured the program, was one of the best races of the sort seen in this section this season. Six of the nine starters went to the first few jumps in almost perfect alignment. The purse went to Bergoo. on which 3IcClniu put up an excellent exhibition to wear down John Dillon. The latter had leen the leader most of the journey and appeared a certain winner approaching the last few jumps, hut tired at the end. The race was not minus mishaps. Salt unseated his rider at the lirst hedfe. Harrington at the seventh and Purslane took a nasty fall at the twelfth fence while seemingly going well in hand. None of the riders suffered injury. Form players and those with a penchant for short odds had an unprofitable exiierienco. their choices being downed in each instance. The big fields brought much crowding ami this contributed to the defeat of several of the lest horses, including Chief Kec, the shortest-priced favorite of the card. John Marklein and his connections put over a good one in the mile and a sixteenth nice, in which V. A. Leach took the measure of a fair band. lie displayed keen speed from the start and held his opponents safe throughout. John A., under a hard drive, took second money from The Minks. Kennedys bungling effort on Old Honesty wis mainly responsible for that horses disapiiointing showing. The frequent crowding was responsible for several spills, hut luckily there were no serious results. C. W. Kurt and Cassowary went down in the closing race soon after the barrier was released and Kollins. rider of Cassowary, had his collar lone dislocated. J Milly Maddis also came to grief at the start in the fifth race. The narrow track is chiefly to blame for the frequent spills at the throe-quarters starting point. The Canadians again miscalculated when they installed Canute .Maid favorite in the race for Dominion-, hreds; Caper Sauce, her recent conqueror, again led her home. Mystllier had to be in ills best form to take, the purse In the third race, for which Uagniau was the favorite, as lie was crowded soon after the start and had to go around all the others to get up to win from Tremargo. After the iinish of the fourth race, in which Gallant Pirate was the winner, the colt was bid up 00 over an entered price of 1909.sh00 and was sold to .1. It. Wainwright. P. 31. Civlll claimed Chief Kee out of the same race for 00. Jockey Davenport was in rare form during the afternoon, piloting four winners. He promises to become this seasons jockey find1. Jockeys Brooks and .T. Howard were each fined 5 for rough riding. John Ferriss received word today that Olambala had shipped in line style to Saratoga, where he will lie rested until the beginning of the racing there. James Johnson will in future look after the rid lug engagements of jockey Gilbert. Jockey A. 3Iartiu, who is under contract to James Kohiusoii. has taken French leave, and his employer warns other owners not to harbor the missing rider. Starter Dade suspended jockey Deverich for four days for disobedience at the post. For similar oi-fenses, steeplechase riders Lynch and Iliggins were suspended for the remainder of this meeting.
