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LATONIAS THRILLING FINISH Violinist, Fair Phantom and John Finn Are Heads Apart. : L - ! Honolulu Boy Wins After Almost : Falling Blanche Mac Takes the Feature Race Easily. - i LATONIA, Ky., September 27. Close finishes were a feature of the racing here this afternoon and furnished enjoyment for another extensive patronage. Improved weather was present, but tlu track continued rough and heavy and decidedly trying on any but the most pronounced mud runners. The mile and a sixteenth handicap for a purse of ,000 found the underrated Blanche Mac again figuring in a winning performance and she accomplished her task in most satisfactory style, proving the easiest winner of the afternoon. She took the lend when her rider elected !nd had the race safely won all through the ntretch. General Haig, displaying improved form over his last race, stood a hard drive well and outgamcd Peace Pennant for second place. Tlie diminutive Atta Boy II. was highly regarded here and ran well, but Kinburn, the favorite, raced disappointingly and was through after going three-quarters. One of the best contests witnessed during the present meeting developed witli the .running of the sixth race, a handicap for two-year-olds of the bfifter grade. It resulted in a victory for Violinist over Fair Phantom witli John Finn in third place, noses separating them at the end. The trio were under the hardest kind of pressure nil through the stretch. Fair Phantom and John Finn alternating in the lead, with Violinist closely following. In the last sixteenth the three were on even terms with Garner, Pool and Iyke, respective riders of Fair Phontcm, John Finn and Violinist, giving their best skill and for a while advantage resting with neither. In the last stride Lyke managed to drive Violinist up to secure the verdict. Fair Phantom also succeeded, despite her heavy impost, in outstaying John Finn. The. days chief incident came in the closing race, in which selling platers started, with Honolulu Boy an outstanding favorite. His supporters experienced dejection right at the outset when Parke got him away slowly and guided him into a jam on the first turn, almost causing him to fall. He was far back when straightened, but closed an immense gap and, roughing his way through after rounding into the stretch, came with a cyclonic rush and overhauled Repeater in the last seventy yards. Furbelow, a well intended one, finished third. DOUBLE FOR JOHN LOWE. John Lowes colors figured in a double during the afternoon, the first two purses going to his credit by the respective victories of Plus Ultra in the opener and Salamander in the second race. Both yielded hnndsome returns to their backers. Blarney Stone was neglected in the third race, but he proved best of the ordinary band starting here. Gifford A. Cochrans colors made their debut here witli Cimarron the representative, starting in the fourth race. She enjoyed favoritism, but was a failure for the entire race, A. X. Akin winning from John S. Reardon. Black Servant, which has figured in an extensive three-year-old campaign, goes into retirement for this year, a decision to that effect having been reached by his owner, E. K. Bradley, this afternoon. It is hoped that retirement now will cause him to come out in his four-year-old form greatly benefited by a long rest. Charles F. Grainger, resident manager of Churchill Downs, arrived today from his summer homo in Babylon, Long Island. He will depart for Louisville Wednesday night, to give his attention lo preliminary details attending the opening of Churchill Downs. H. E. Swann, one of the leading American business men in Havana and owner of Sea Prince and other horses being trained by U. J. Hak, reached here today for a- short stay. He expects to engage extensively in racing at Havana next winter and while in Kentucky will make a number of additions to his establishment. George V. Barnes left Monday night for Chicago, where lie will meet and confer witli his employer, C. W. Clark. The latter lias just returned from an extended European visit. He will be here Saturday to witness the running of the Queen City Handicap. Former jockey Charles Koerncr has arrived here with the five-year-old mare Leading Star. Behave Yourselfs lameness is of such a grave nature that he will be out of racing for at least a year and no effort will be made to train him until next fall. Jockey A. Claver, whose license was denied by the Jockey Club and who also was denied a license last spring by the Kentucky State Racing Commission, made a second application recently to the license commission, which also was denied approval. Jockey B. Scheffel, who had the mount on Countess in the third race, was suspended for five days by the stewards for cutting across in front sharply soon after the rise of the barrier.
