Hilarious Takes Travers: James R. Keenes Colt Gives Conclusive Evidence of Class, Daily Racing Form, 1909-08-11

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HILARIOUS TAKES TRAYERS JAMES R. KEENES COLT GIVES CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF CLASS. Fayette and Practical Furnish Keen Opposition in Historic Stake Grasmerc Shows Improve-mcnt and Is a Winner. Saratoga, N. Y August 10. Hilarious won the forty-second running of the historic Travers Stakes today in -a supreme and convincing test of class. James 15. Keenes colt, with 121 pounds up. was opposed by Fayette, carrying 122. and Practical. 10S, and his margin of victory was small. The top weight had not raced since his niemorahle defeat by Fitz Herbert in the Advance Stakes at Sheepshead Hay. Sinister and unfounded rumors concerning his condition had been current of late and the public was accordingly Influenced to hack his supposedly most formidable adversary. Fayette, at the heginning of speculation on the nice. The Helmont colt was considered a neglible quantity at all stages, yet he split the pair at the end after enjoying all the good luck possible in the ruuuing at the expense of his stake class opjioncnts. As far as Practical was concerned, the result of the Travers was ti tlnfco. pure and simple. After the opening Hurry. Hilarious resumed the place of honor in the market, closing finally at 9 to 10 as against 11 to 10 for Fayette and 13 to 1 on Practical, -which was also backed extensively for the tluce at 2 to 1. From start to finish the struggle letween the trio was enthralling. A processional order, with Hilarious in the lead. Fayette second and Practical third, obtained for half of the journey and seemed likely to remain so to the end. Suddenly Hildreths candidate moved up and deprived Hilarious of the lead. Tills was done witli snclr surprising ease and celerity that the onlookers gasped witli astonishment and mentally decided that the issue was over as far as lirst money was concerned. Most of the onlookers even went so far as to predict Hilarious defeat for the places The favorite had lieen sharply crossed in the clumging of positions, but almost immediately gave the crowd another thrill by gathering hini-sclf together and regaining the lost ground witli even-stride until on the last turn he partially lapped layette. Through the last spectacular quarter the H.U00 spectators were treated to n .succession of thrills. Hilarious had heen forcibly carried wide by Fayette, leaving n yawning gap on the rail for Practical to come through. Dugan. alert to seize tlie opportunity, was quickly aligned with the leaders. From there on to the finish Powers. Dugnii and Scoville rode their respective mounts with extraordinary vim and skill, the result being in doubt until nearly the final stride, when Hilarious superior class told and be drew away to win by nearly half a length from Practical, which saved second place by inches only. It was one of the most dilli; cult finishes to judge ever seen on the turf. The trio of horses were thirty feet apart when they missed the wire. James Rowe ordered Scoville to make a complaint to the stewards about Powers foul riding. The latter was reprimanded by Messrs. Andrew Miller. Schuyler Parsons and T. C. McDowell, which closed the incident. This was McDowells initial service in the stewards stand on .Tockey Clnb tracks. Sal Volatile, fresh from triumphs across the border, defeated a big field of ordinary class sprinters in the introductory dash. The uniquely conditioned selling handicap had twenty-two eligibles. Wholesale withdrawals reduced the number of starters to seven, all of moderate class. Dorantes presence in the race, to be sold for ,000, evoked much comment. If the intention of the owner of the great horse was to enter him for the purpose of scaring out other entrants, he was eminently successful, for the race was robbed of much interest by the withdrawal of all the horses of good class. Sir Cleges scored a ridiculously easy win over Tony Faust, with Taboo, the favorite, a distant third. Grasmcre qualified impressively for the Hopeful in the two-year-old maiden race at five and a half furlongs. The Kcene crack was sent on a sixteenth after t - finish, the full. three-quarters being covered In 1:15! in preparation for Saturdays rich juvenile stake. The Sanford pair. P.aron Dieskau and St. Kegis. were nearly eliminated from serious contention through poor breaks and subsequent interference in the running. The last race developed into the weirdest kind of a fiasco. Yama, ridden by Glass, lucked for a fortune and seemingly the greatest certainty of the afternoon on paper, bolted the .course when in the lead and apparently in absolute control of the running. This left Krikina. at 3 to 1, to come on and romp in by nearly ten lengths. KHz Herbert and Maskette are handicapped at even weights, sex allowance considered, at 119 and 114 respectively. In the Merchants and Citizens Handicap, to lie run Jicxt Saturday, weights for which were announced today. The distance of this race is a mile and three-sixteenths.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1909081101/drf1909081101_1_2
Local Identifier: drf1909081101_1_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800