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IMMENSE CROWD AT PIMLICO ♦- Cudgels Victory in Merchants Handicap Is Popular. « Blue Laddie Wins Pimlico Nursery Stakes — Brooks Beaten in the Steeplechase. ♦ Baltimore. Md.. May 4. — All roads led to Pimlico today. Turf enthusiasts from Washington. Philadelphia ami surrounding cities fell iu line with the home guard and in large numbers stormed and captured the stronghold of the Maryland Jockey Club. There was a decided military aspect to the dayN proceedings, with a big representation of men i 1 uniform scattered throughout the immense crowd Society was out in force and among its guests were many officers and representatives of mir allies. The Maryland Jockey Club provided one oi the best racing cards of the present season. While the Pimlico Nursery Stakes was the principal offi ring of of the day. more interest was displayed iu the niuuiii? of the Merchants Handicap, mainly because of the presence therein of J. K. L. Ross great colt. Cudgel. This fine son of Broomstick was asked to concede much weight to a large number of tried and true campaigners. Cudgel not only conceded the weight, but ran a remarkable |K rformance. to win like lie-truly great race horse he is. Lyke kept him under restraint during the early running and when ,Y-called 011 him Cudgel responded in game fashion and simply cantered away from his opponents to tie-Dsoundiug cheers of the big crowd. His owner was warmly congratulated on all sides and the victory of this western champion proved exceedingly iiopular. The Pimlico Nursery Stakes brought together a high-class band of young borVes. wth H. P. Whitneys Blue Laddie the decided choice. This English -bred colt run up to the form he has shown iu his early training and the only race in which he ran. disposed of the speedy The Wanderer at the head of the homestretch and drew away in easy fashioi; at the end. Blue Laddie MOT to Ik alxuit the best two-year-old seen in the east, with the possible exception of his stablemate, Cresson. This was the tenth running of the Pimlico Nursery, the condensed history of which is as follows: Year. Winner. Wt. Jockey. Val. Time. 1909 Tom Melton 104 Scoville ...,675 :5i;-, 1910 Stinger 107 C. Grand .. 2.070 :56i 1911 Overman 117 E Dugan .. l.SKo :55% 1912 Rock View 107 McTaggt .. 1.610 :51% 1913 Executor 104 C. Turner.. 1.6X5 :.V 1914 The Masqnerader.122 J. Butwell.. 1.600 :51% 1915 Ting-a-Ling 112 E. Ambrose. 1.210 :55% 1916 Crank 114 M. Buxton.. 1.-140 :55 1917 Virginia Yell 112 E. Ambrose. 1.655 :57 191S Blue Laddie 112 F. Robson. 1.200 :51and • The Mt. Washington Handicap was the attraction for the steeplechasers and there was more ilia 11 the usual interest manifested in it because the Manlv Memorial winner of last year. Brooks, was a starter. While Brooks fenced cleanly, he apjieared not quite keyed up to the task of carrying his heavy impo-t and tired when challenged by the ultimate winner. Pussy Willow. The baby racers held sway in the opener and Mrs. Kate Leydeckor and Penrose engaged in a hard fought struggle from flag fall until the winning line was passed, the former getting the decision by a small margin. Even closer was tiie finish of the second race, in which The Masquerader got his nose iu front of He Will after a spirited closing drive. He Wills performance was a good one considering it was his first out this year. TRIPLE FOE FRANK ROBINSON. Frank Robinson rode his third winner of th» afternoon when he brought Quietude home a winuer in the fifth. Rut for Robinsons strong finish the filly might have been beaten, as she was tiring fast at the end. Todays attendance at Pimlico was one of the largest that ever witnessed the sport over the his toric course. Speculation was of large volume anil the racing was enjoyed with much enthusiasm. Richard Pending, superintendent of the BMrii course, was a visitor at Pimlico this afternoon. Mr. Pending reports that the Southern Mar land Agricultural Association contemplates many improvements to their plant during the summer, the principal one of which will l»- the erection of a handsome and commodious clubhouse. Two spacious brick stables will also Ik- erected to take the place of the one destroyed by fire last spring. It is the intention of the club to build all of their stabl-s in the future of brick, which will insure them being fireproof and also well adapted for winter quarter.-.. The winter colony at Bowie has been steadily increasing and last winter over 100 horses remained there during the cold months. W. R. Coe was an arrival. He is enthusiastic over the splendid breeding farm he established mi Wyoming and has every confidence that he can raise high-class thoroughbieds out there. Mr. Co--gave a luncheon in the clubhouse to the Italian military committee, and among his guests were Colonel ltinda. Maniuis Spiuola. Lieutenant Secours. V. Fillipposi and Mr. and Mrs. Parmer. T. J. Ilealy. who came over from Belmont Park for the opening, returned to the Long Island track last night. All of the young horses in Mr. Wilsons stable will Is- given trials tomorrow. Camp fire, winner of the 1917 Futurity, is being pointed for some of the early handicaps to In- run at Belmont Park, and is said to lie faking to training in a ma uner that gives .his is-ople every confidence that he will run to li i — two-year old form this year. Charles Lansdale, one of the prominent st.Ti-k-holders in the Cuba-American Jockey Club, came over from Washington to see Cudgel run in the Merchants Handicap. He is a great admirer of the son of Rroomsticl; and witnessed all of the colt.; good races iu Kentucky last year. Mr. Lan -lal:- returned to Cincinnati tonight.
