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CLOSELY FOUGHT CONTEST KAGURA AND BESSANTA ENGAGE IN SPIRITED DUEL AT THE JUAREZ TRACK. Eermudian Defeats Rochester Easily James Shilling: "Warned by Stewards for Selling Race Activities Jockey N. Taylor Meets with Mishap. El Paso, Tex., December 123. Clear, bracing weather brought out u fine half-holiday crowd to the Juarez track this afternoon, ami it afforded llenty of excitement. The fourth race, for two-.vear-olds, at five and a half furlongs, was the feature offering of the program and produced a corking duel between Kagura and Iiessanta, al though the actual finish was not as close as has been frequently seen here. Kagura was established a strong favorite in the machines, and, while she won, it was hardly in the way the betting indicated she should. She was hurried to the front by Moles-worth and, after taking a comfortable lead, v.-as taken up a little, only to be sent along again when l.essanta was seen to be coming along fast. The leader seemed about to tire as they turned for home, and when Iiessanta made a resolute challenge at the eighth post, it seemed the latter might possibly get, up, but just then Iiessanta swerved over to the rail, losing what chances she might have had and, as Kagura kept going straight from there on, she won by a length and a half. Iiessanta beat Alan three lengths for second place. Jockey X. Taylors foot was so badly bruised yesterday when Hob Nail, his mount in the first race was crowded against the rail, that he had to cancel his riding engagements for today. The speculators picked the right one in the opening race, when they made Iiermudian the favorite, for Crippens good selling plater rushed at once into a decisive lead ami made a runaway race of it, winning by three lengths from Rochester. The latter was hard ridden and held second place throughout. Helen Thompson finished third. Early in the race Lovers Lane, which was fancied by some, was jumped on from behind and injured. The talent came in for a dumping in the second race at three-quarters of a mile. Commendation was made the favorite, but jockey Warren made the mistake of trying to rate the old gelding and kept him back too long and he was never able to overtake Dr. Kendall, which took an early lead and lasted long enough to win by two lengths, with Commendation second and iiert L. third. Prepaid, strongly backed, wheeled at the harriers rise and then started to race the wrong way of the track. Ulaeksheep met with interference. James Shilling suggested to M. Doyle, who had Fiuuigin in the race With Freeman, that if he wanted the horse he had a man who would take him if he would run him up. The stewards called Shilling into the stand and cautioned him to confine his operations hereafter to himself.
