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NORFOLK FINISHES CLOSE SIR JOHN JOHNSON CARRIES TOP WEIGHT TO VICTORY IN MONTICELLO HOTEL HANDICAP. Mclos and Ragusa. Figure in Nose Finish in Steeplechase Maxims Choice Wins Two-Ycar-Old Handicap at Long Odds, Norfolk, Va., November 22. The Jamestown Jockey Club provided for its patrons this afternoon what was easily the best program ever "run over its track. The card, which was made up of seven races, had as a feature the ,200 Monticello Hotel Handicap, a dasli of one mile. Additional attractions were the Ocean View Handicap, for all ages, at six furlongs, the Hopeful Handicap, for two-year-olds, six furlongs, and the Rose Tree Steeplechase Handicap, over the two-mile course. Well-balanced fields went to the iiost hi all cases and keen contests resulted. The .Monticello Hotel Handicap brought out an especially god lield and in a stirring finish the top weight. Sir John Johnson, beat Carlton G. a neck. The race was one of the best ever run over tin; track. Sir John Johnson, despite the 120 pounds he shouldered, made all of the pace and hung on with rare gameiicss in the final drive. There were nine starters and the first live finished in a compact bunch. lt was a close thing for second place and Carlton G. got the decision by a nose from Guy Fisher. Melos won the steeplechase by a nose from Ragusa, with Syosset a half length back. The three fought it out all through the homestretch aud it was hard to tell which would win. In fact the winner remained in doubt until the otlicial placing was displayed. In the Ocean View Handicap, a little over two lengths separated six of the eight starters as the winning mark was passed. Honey Bee was staggering to beat lvabel by three parts of a length, witii the next three heads and necks apart. Tile Whalen stable also furnished the winner of the Hopeful Handicap in Maxims Choice, a two-year-old that iias shown fair form at times. In todays race Maxims Choice responded with a rusli In the homestretch and won going away. There was only one run-up during the afternoon and it came after Spellbound won the closiug race, for which he was entered tobe sold for 00. Joer Knight did the bidding, but the Tyson interests-retained the horse on their bid of 05. Just before the horses went to the post for the opening race trainer James Blute received a telegram from Joseph Marrone notifying him that there had been a death in the family and that lie wanted to scratch the three horses that had been entered for today from the Marrone stable. It was too late to withdraw El Mahdi. The colt made a runaway affair of the race and won by a length from Behest. The other Marrone horses. Salon and Sir Denrah, were excused from starting. A. C. Blume purchased the three-year-old Mr. Slices from W. H. Karrick this morning. He will probably put the colt to jumping. The attendance this afternoon marked a record one for the Norfolk track. The management have been encouraged to such an extent by the present meeting that Bob Levy has already announced that no purse- of less than 00 would be given at the spring meeting next year. William Walker purchased at private sale of P. Hyams the racer Serviccnce. A party of race-goers left for El Paso tonight made up of G. McNutt, M. Moses, Ed Hodgson. J. Lissak, Joe Ilammerslag, L. Kraft, J. Shiinmel. F. Verder. G. Omer. George Masters and W. Collins. On Saturday next the following will leave for the same place; Ed Jones, II. Weant. J. Russell. W. Travers. Eraser Lewis, O. C. Christ. Horace Paul. W. Hall. Elijah Brewster, Roscoe Troxler, jockey Johnny McTaggart, jockey W. Ward and Joe Cooper. Larry Carey, who is looking after the Beverwyck Stable horses here, announced that Sir John Johnson would be shipiied to Charleston during the coming week and would be a starter in the Fort Sumter Handicap on the opening day of the Palmetto Park meeting.
