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BILLY LANES GRAND RACE a Wins From Bobby Allen by Inches After Desperate Stretch Duel. e Five Favorites and Two Second Choices Score and Bring Joy to Their Many Backers. i TIJCANA. Mexico. March 2!.— The jet black jacket of Ceorge Alexandra, the eastern turfman whose thoroughbreds have played ipiite a prominent part in the racing here by their consistent performances, was again much in evidence when it was carried to victory by Billy Lane in the fifth and feature race of yesterdays program. This was a high-ilass claiming race, in which a small but seal -what select field of long-distance runners were | Baked te iiaalay their prowess over a route of a mile and a sixteenth. Alexandras youthful gelding enjoyed the distinction of parading postward the favorite. Indeed, he had many friends, and these backed him with much confidence. Billy Lane made good, but only after a struggle through the stretch which was one that had his admirers on the anxious seat until Hie winning number bad been displayed. His margin at the end was olilv that of inches, as Bobby Allen, which had acted as the pacemaker throughout the contest, engaged him in as desperate a duel as has been seen at the border course in many days. Forcing the above-named two to their utmost was Glen Well, whiih finished in third place, only a neck away. The sight of these three game horses fighting it out as if a kings ransom was at stake, instead of a mere parse, was one that had the most blase turf followers giving vent to vo-iferous encouragement as the trio passed the urandstand. Piedra and Gath. two starters which were expected to give the winners battle for first honors, were never serious contenders. Gath. in particular, raced far back in the ruck. He had the apprentice rider M. Fator in the saddle and perhaps the inexp-rienced lad was unable to do the heavy-headed horse just!..!. The racing as provided yesterday was most form-ful and good to see and the large gathering, their numbers swelled by the fair sex. it being ladies day. seemed to take a keen interest in the sport. This was made evident hy the volume of speculation which poured into the inai bines. The books also did a big business and. inasmuch as five favorites and two well -backed second choices were first to catch the judges eyes, the men who wield the chalk had much the worst of the argument. The day started off auspiciously when Nick Klein, the favorite, took the opening dash of three -qaartata of a mile, from Lady lone and Good F.nongh. The winner led by a wide aaargia throughout and really had the race at his mercy from the time the barrier arose until he passed the judicial stand. ANOTHER FOR CROUPIER. Bittern attracted the bulk of the speculation in the second race, hut he had tiie misfortune to bleed while running in a contending position. This eliminated him and it fell to the lot of Croupier, which. taking advantage of an inside rail opening, proved the best of the others in the final rush. Mary Jay. after racing Meteor into defeat, drew out into "a clear lead when turning for home, but gave way to the winner in the last seventy yards. Bed William, a horse which lias been made the butt of many jokes at the liorder course, showed a surprisingly good effort to finish third. Good, honest horse is Don Dodge. He always does his days work and does it with a will. F.ven though his legs are none too good, for they have frequently been touched by the firing irons." he is often referred to as "the solid horse." It was this way today. Don Dodge earned a rather easy victory over Pugenia K. and Dainty Lady. The chart shows that Don Dodges margin was one-half length, but to the discerning eye it could have been greater had his rider decreed. Incidentally, it recorded the first win of jockey ;. Williams, who returned to the saddle today. The rider incurred the displeasure of the judges early in the meeting for rough riding and had been suspended for the duration of the sport here. The judges, upon the jockeys promise to refrain from further rough tactics, restored him to good standing and he celebrated his return to the leather by tiding Don Dodge to victory. The C. trhy horses, headed by the much-improved sprinter Garden City, will be campaigned at Cleveland. They are expected to entrain April 11. Others in this string which will go eastward ale Frank Fogarly. lenerad Agramonte. Caval.-adour II. and Van Patrick. The latter is owned jointly by Irhy and C. K. Baker, having been purchased from George Van iorden. the California breeder. Van Patrick i- reported to be a promising two-year-old. He is by Ceiieral ltolierts. a native California sire, while his dam is Janice Marian. Therefore he is a brother in blood to Private Peat. Florence Roberts and Carl Bake tie. Irhy this afternoon disposed of the horse Bob Baker to Al Austin at a private sale. The Shafer and Conway horses got under way last night for Kentucky. In the same car Al Austin shipped the two-year-old Mis* F.dna. e —
