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HILDRETH IS KEEPING IT UP LEADING AMERICAN OWNER WINS HIS DAILY STAKE AT GRAVESEND. Winning of Speculation Stakes Little More Than an Exercise Gallop for Firestone Kings ! Daughter Scores in Handicap. New York, September 15. Wholesale scratching reduced the two principal raws on the card at Gravesend today to two and three-horse affairs. The Speculation, at a mile and an eighth, because of its selling conditions, became an owners handicap, and S. C. llildreth entered his 0,000 horse. Fiiv-stone, for ,500. This undervaluation secured for him the light impost of 111 pounds. Wise Mason, entered for ,100, was Firestones only opponent for the ,500 purse. The vagaries of race-track speculation were strikingly illustrated by the market on the race, which had the Newcastle representative favorite over his immeasurably superior adversary. The public, however, was not beguiled into supporting a favorite of the ring-made variety, but backed Firestone at the more lucrative odds. This good horse never had an easier task assigned to him than to beat Wise Mason. It is getting to be a daily occurrence to see llildreths colors in front in the feature events, but until today the public had lieen debarred of late from profiting by his victories, lieeause of the generally prohibitive prices laid against Ms invincible pair. King .lames and Fitz Herbert, llildreth was modestly content with maintaining the one stake a day average this afternoon and did not send a horse to contest the mile and an eighth handicap, although he had live eligibles in King .lames, Fitz Herbert, Moiwctto. Woodcraft and Firestone. The presence in the race of the leniently-weighted Kings Daughter at. Ill pounds may have caused him to dodge the issue. The McDowell man- was opposed only by Miss Kearney and Dr. Iiarkley. ami as neither one of these racers had speed enough to make Kings Daughter extend herself beyond a canter it became a one-sided affair. The winners closing odds were 1 to 5. The two selling dashes were respectively won by Spooner and Hildas Sister. The latter was one of the outsiders in the betting at 1.1 to 1. A. G. Blakeieys apprentice. Glass, suffered a bad-looking fall from Obdurate in the introductory sprint. The accident occurred in the stretch in plain view of the spectators. Glass was completely knocked out. but revived in live minutes and re-t. covered yutlicientir to till his remaining- engagements during the afternoon. The appearance of Prince Imperial considerably iihnneed the importance of the two-year-old race at rive and a half furlongs. It was marred by a bad Mart, onlv three of the seven horses getting away from the post. Starport and Rustem. the former heavily backed, were absolutely left. However, there was no lack of keen contention at all stag. Barleythorpo only led the staunchly-supported Canadian crack for three furlongs and held on so persistently at the last turn that the backers of the favorite liegan to have misgivings as to the ultimate iHltcomo. Then J. E. Gaffneys 5,000 gold brick iuit suddenly, both Prince Imperial and Charlie Margrave sweeping past him as if he were standing still. The change of positions was so sudden that the spectators fairly gasped with surprise. . Another fiasco took place at the start of the last race. Turiey, the favorite, was the principal sufferer. J. P.. Respess three-year-old. while still a maiden, enjoys a great private reputation. In his preceding race at Saratoga he was backed for a fortune, but Van Den beat him in a fast race. Today thousands of dollars were again wagered on him and he again finished second, this time being leaten by Practical. Interference at the start ruined his chances. The inadequacy of E. Martin to handle such a heavy-headed horse was also a contributing factor to his defeat. After the race he broke down, the result of ringbones. Jack Atkin is an illustrious example of a great horse surviving two and three-year-old infirmities of this kind and there may be a great future in store for Turiey. His owner says he is one of the best horses he has ever trained, and he owned Dick Welles, the sire of Turiey. A crowd gathered about the stewards stand expecting a claim of foul of some sort at the finish of this race, but the placing were speedily confirmed; in fact, the confirmatory signal was displayed before Turiey weighed out. Philip J. Dwyer himself saw to it that his weight was correct. Joe Rose, the California bookmaker, has returned from a trip to Europe and was a visitor at Gran-send today. Candleberry is receiving a special preparation for the Junior Champion, to be run next Saturday. His best recent gallop for the stake was three-quarters in 1:10. Jack Follansbee. who officiated in the stewards stand today, is exceedingly optimistic concerning the coming winter meeting at Juarez, Mexico, which commences Thanksgiving dav. Half Sovereign will be laid up for a few davs owing to the rough tactics of some rider in the first race yesterday. She received three or four bad cuts. Race-goers have seen the last of Sweep and Hilarious for this season, both having been retired. W. H. Fizers Sempronius colt. Boca Grande, which made his debut on the turf today, is said to le a real clinker and he looks the part. The filly Fulfill was claimed out of the third race for ,210 by J. Garson.
