view raw text
COLUMBUS DAY CROWD Wonderful Holiday Gathering at Old Hawthorne Track. Harry B. Captures Congress Hotel Purse Jockey Petzoldt Rides Three Winners. Columbus Day. a legal holiday, was be-fittingly observed at old Hawthorne yesterday, when one cf the largest crowds of the meeting assembled there to witness the racing. It was a wonderful gathering, num- . bering between 10,000 and 15,000, reminding one of the days when racing was nowhere more popular or better patronized than in Chicago. The Congress Hotel Purse of ,000, fifth and feature race of the afternoon, for all ages at three-quarters, with a field of five superior mud runners facing the barrier, resulted in the third victory of the day for the clever little rider E. Petzoldt when he brought Harry B., five-year-old son of Jim j Gaffney Flying Frances, from the Cain and Sanford establishment, home first with a five-length margin over T. Hofflers Belle of Elizabethtown, ridden by J. Carroll, with V. C. Weants Mary Reigel holding third position by a wid3 margin from Betsinda. Tuscola was a distant follower at the end, after setting the pace to the stretch turn. I The weather showed a decided improve- ment over that of the previous three days j of this week. Fur coats and heavy winter , overcoats were soon laid aside by the guests j after a few minutes in the hot sun of the , afternoon. The holiday pleasure seekers fur- J nished the most enthusiastic gathering of i any day of the meeting to date. The track, I while heavy and holdling in spots, has un- j j dergone a thorough overhauling since "Wednesday afternoon and as shown in the j ! linal time of most of the days races is faster . than even the most optimistic ones had j hoped for. The wind and early morning sun I j worked wonders in drying the sloppy surface of the course. MAXY WOMEX PRESENT. The afternoons gathering showed every evidence of a holiday crowd, beautifully gowned women outnumbering the men by a great majority. The opening race of the afternoons program, for two-year-olds, at five and a half furlongs, with a field of six well-matched youngsters facing the barrier, resulted in a beautiful riding duel between J. Singleton on Carles Enrique and S. McGraw on G. Mohlers Great Lady. The former finished a short length in advance, while Great Lady barely saved second place from the fast-gaining Fernandos, ridden by J. Kederis. My Lorraine, a distant foUower to the stretch turn, closed a big gap on a sensational display of speed in the heavy going, A field of eight answered the call to the post in the second race, a claiming dash for three-year-olds and upward, at five and a half furlongs. Starter Miller sent them away in perfect alignment. El. Petzoldt kept Mary G., the four-year-old daughter of Golden Maxim and Trappist, from the L. M. Reiiter establishment, within striking distance of Batty II., which set the pace to the stretch. When called on Mary G. easily drew away to win, with plenty of speed in reserve. Marie Denunzio, from the. B. F. Mc-Clain stable, held Melody Man safe by two length at the end. Batty H., which shared favoritism with the winner, had her usuttl early speed, but tired badly when the real test came. Rivulet, well up in the early running, dropped back steadily after going three-quarters. MISS PROSPERITY EASILY. Miss Prosperity, a daughter of Jim Gaffney Claxonette, owned by IT. Webb and guided by H. Petzoldt, his second straight victory, took the lead at the stretch turn and proved an easy victor from J. Eckerts Water Willow, ridden by IT. S. Jones, in the third race with M. McPhersons Day of Wrath under L. Gray, a game third after forcing the early running. Cleopatra Boy also ran a good race throughout. Scarpia II. held the lead for the lirst half mile but tired badly thereafter. The fourth race was at one mile and brought a field of seven to the post. Wallin and Bryan furnished the winner in Normandie, the six-year-old son of Star Shoot and Mam-mie Worth, which took the lead at the start and never left the result in doubt. L. Gray had the mount on the winner and kept his charge reserved for a, sudden challenge at all times. Bill Head, from the stable of Mrs. J. McCool, outgamed F. Winters Huzzas by a neck for second money. The Colleen Bawn, with a partiality for this type of going, was away badly, but saved much ground at the turns and was gaining on Huzzas at the finish. After riding three winners and being acclaimed the hero of yesterday Columbus Day racing, jockey 13. Petzoldt narrowly escaped with his life in the linal race of the day. An accident occurred that almost marred a perfect day of thoroughly enjoyable sport. Luckily it did not result seriously. Louis, with E. Petzoldt up, swerved to the outside fence at the start and stumbled when he was boring in at the sixteenth post, throwing the lad clear of the other horses. Anxiety showed in every face as the big gathering feared that Petzoldt would be crushed under the hoofs of his mount. However, Louis jumped over him and the lad "escaped with nothing more than a slightly spraiiied ankle. The winner of this race turned up in Friz, which never left the result in doubt, Tokalon March finishing second and Edna 1. third.
