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TORONTOS GRAND OPENING BRILLIANT GATHERING MARKS INAUGURATION OF FALL MEETING AT WOODBINE; Men and Women Prominent in Affairs of the Dominion Grace Occasion .with Their Presence Bouquet Wins Cup Contest. Toronto, Ont., September 18. The people of Toronto should feel proud of their Woodbine. Never before did the picturesque - course on the shores of. Lake Ontario look as pretty as it did this afternoon. The greensward that covered the. spacious lawns proved a pleasing background for the handsome gowns displayed by s6me of the leading ladies of the Dominion, who promenaded on the clubhouse enclosure between the running of the raws. It was a grand opening and probably the best the Ontario Jockey Club has had since fall meetings, were inaugurated at this famous race" course. That It will be the greatest autumn meeting ever given by the club goes without saying, if one Is to judge by the brilliant assemblage present. Antong the vast throng were many gentlemen prominent in every walk of life in the Dominion. It was certainly, a lepresentative gathering. In the absence of Joseph E. Seagram, who recently suffered bereavement In bis family. Senator Jlelvin Jones did the honors. Lieutenant-Governor Colonel J. M. Gibson was one of the many prominent government, officials present, and the brilliant social set that alwavs patronizes Woodbine crowded the clubhouse enclosure. The club supplied a splendid program. Every race was a feature, class being well represented in all six of the contests. The Toronto Autumn Cup, with an added value of ,500. and the Woodbine Autumn Steeplechase, with an added -value of ,500, were the principal attractions. Stanley Fav and Howardi Suean were added to the cup contest, but neither of .the pair figured as a contender in the struggle. Tile race was hotly contested from start to finish, with Joseph E. Seagrams Bouquet eventually winning bv a length from Hanbridge. The pace of the race was fast throughout. Guy Fisher showed the way -for the first seven furlongs. He ran the first quarter in 23. the half in 473 and the three-quarters In 1:13?. Rounding the far turn. Guy Fisher retired and Hanbridge dashed to the .front. In the stretch Bouquet moved up with a bold challenge and soon assumed the lead. At the end she drew away without effort and won with something to spare. Back of Hanbridge came . Green. Seal. Howard Shean and Terah. with Pinkola and Stanley Fay among the tall-enders. Neither of these, horses was prominent at anv stage, Stanley Fay.s raceubeing an exceptionally bail one, J. W. Colts Thistledale. proved, an .easy winner in the steeplechase. He was ridden by Tim Donohue, and. after settling into his stride, dashed away from his field to win In a canter. The Woodbine Autumn Steeplechase was first run for in 1907. Its brief history is: Year. Winner. A. Wt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1907 John Dillon... 4 152 Alasnada ...,025 5:09 1908 Pagan Bey ...8 153 E. Heider.. 940 5:14 1909 Thistledale ...8 1C2 Donohue ... ,1.240 4:00 In the opening dash the best field of sprinters that ever started in a race in the Dominion went to the post. P. T. Chinn furnished the winner in Lady Irma, which i came from behind and won with ease from Hasty Agnes, with Pajaroita third a neck in advance of Fort Johnson. The latter was making his maiden effort in the colors of his new owner. It. J. Alackenzie, and performed creditably. He ran a great race, closing a big gap and finishing with a stout stretch run. Amelia Jenks managed to win the second race, but her victory came onlv after sharp contention with The Alonk. which made a determined effort at the furlong post, where he looked to have the filly beaten. Lack of condition told at the end and he tired. That he will beat the filly the next time that he, meets her looks a certainty. . r The third race furnished a desperate drive between Zipango. Fair Annie and Joe Rose, the trio finishing heads apart as named. Zipango came very fast through the stretch and managed to get up in the final strides. An accident occurred in the closing race as the field was rounding the first turn. Ckepontuc stumbled and went down and Robert Cooper stumbled over him. The winner of the race turned up in Vesme, with Harry Richesou a couple of lengths back. J. W. Colt came up from Geneseo to witness Thlstledales race in todays stake and was as pleased as a schoolboy when the big chestnut won. Thistledale is the favorite jumper In the Colt stable, not alone with the owner, but with the stable help as well.
