view raw text
CHIAVETTAS GOOD RIDING Feature of the Racing at Oriental Park Yesterday. Weights for New Years Handicap to Be Announced Next Monday. IIAVAXA, Cuba, December 25. IV. C. Weants clever apprentice rider Cliiavettn, who has come to the front with, rapid strides since the meeting b-Ban. added two more winning mounts to his credit when lie won the first race with Buckhorn II. and the fourth with Magnet Land. He also finished sec-, ond with Currency in the third race. Chiavettas effort on Magnet Land was in a great measure re-spojihlblH for the success of that three-year-old in what was the most pretentious offering of the day. Magnet Land was saved to the stretch and, responding gamely when called on. quickly disposed of Ijiriut, the pacemaker, and under a powerful finish was drawing away at the ond. Tin? attendance was surprisingly large Considering that yesterday was a holiday. The program was made up of a series of claiming races and heavily hacked horses won most of them. The track was fast and tins winners of the majority of the wees hud something In reserve at the finish. Legacy did nothing In the second race to warrant the siipiwrt accorded him, while Uierman, which did nut lack admirers, led all the way and held his opponents safe nt all stages, finishing three lengths ahead of Deckhand, with Robert L. Owen securing the short end of the purse. The six-year-old mare Sister Susie won her second straight victory of the meeting when she accounted for the i hird-Tace.-Bhe was an odds-on favorite, displayed fine speed in setting the pace and held, Currency safe when the latter threatened In the Inst eighth. The fifth race was a complex affair and anybodys race to the final eighth. Pollyanna was the early pacemaker, but after leading to the far turn quit arid dropped back to the rear. Snyeth then assumed the lead, but only held it briefly, as Higli Tide, after being cut off on the turn out of the back-stretch and pulled up. finished Avith rare courage arid a grand burst of speed that landed him in front and gave him the nice by three lengths. Burlin-unme nosed out Lamp Tost for second money, while Frederick Miller, the medium of a heavy plunge nt post time, ran iworly all the way and never improved his position. CRACK FIELD IS ASSURED. The weights for the New Years Handicap, which will be the second stake feature, to be run January 1, 1020, will be announced on Monday next. Sec-retnry Martin Xnthausou anticipates an unusually good field. Among the prospective starters are Cromwell, Orestes, Hank ODay. Grundy, Walnut Hall, Lackawanna, Diversion, Buford, Dick Williams. Iolite, Berlin. Ellison and Legal. Trainer Hal Booker js bewailing bis lack of foresight In not nominating the Jamaica stables crack two-year-old Fort Churchill for the ten thousand ikllar Cuban Derby io be run on the closing day of the meeting. Fort Churchill is the colt that G. W. Wingfield once priced at 0,000, but who subsequently sold him for a much smaller amount witli the belief that his wind affection would impair his usefulness as a nicer. The colt started for the first time on Christmas Day and "won in hollow fashion, alniost equaling the track record. The Cuban government has tendered an offer for the nine-year-old Tokalon stallion Gordon Itussell through judge C. J. Fitz Gerald. Jockey J. G. letz had his first mount at the meeting when he rode Robert L. Owen in the second race, but came to grief when he was suspended for five days for rough riding and was blamed for the defeat of Legacy, which was the favorite. Orleans Girl refused to start In the third race and was placed on the schooling list, Homam was also added to the list. Until the last turn was reached in the opening race It appeared as if Hes a Bear would be returned an easy winner. He showed the most speed from the start, but was crowded back entering the homestretch, and then, tiring, dropped back. The winner turned up in Buckhorn II., which, displaying sudden improvement, easily beat Steve and Major Bradley, the latter, however, being crowded back , on the last turn when his chances for viutory were good.
