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IN DESPERATE FINISH Mabel K. Outlasts Ferguson in An Exciting Contest. Whirlwind a Big Disappointment J. Dawson Rides Well Gossip of the Meeting. HAVANA, Cuba, Jan. 3. A nose finish between Mabel K. and Ferguson in the fourth, race was the outstanding incident of todays racing at Oriental Park. This contest also furnished the biggest upset of the afternoon in the failure of the odds-on favorite Whirlwind, which finished absolutely last after a brief display of speed. Mabel "K. quickly raced Finday into defeat and when Whirlwind challenged, held him safe, but the effort told and in the closing strides the filly tired suddenly and Ferguson, in a terrifia rush that brought him from the rear in a few strides, just failed to get up in one of tho most sensational finishes seen here this year. Followers of favorites began the day auspiciously when first choices were successful in the first two races. In the opener tho odds-on favorite. Humorist, scored impressively. Brothers kept him under restraint, but in close pursuit of the pacemaker, Clay Allen, until the last eighth, when Humorist a.uickly moved into the lead and drew clear at the end. Clay Allen tired after showing the way the greater part of the race. Tho veteran Ed Garrison closed a big gap to finish third. In the second the Capfire filly, Wee Dear, was. the popular.choijce and, made, good, practically in the same manner that -Humorist did inthe. first. . -She "was restrained from the early pace, w;hile Cloporte raced along in the lead. When the latter tired in tho final drive Wee Dear assumed command and earned the verdict by a half length. SECOND FOR DAWSON. J. Dawson, who rode Wee Dear to victory in the second race, came back in the follow -ing contest and landed J. A. Parsons Gloom home first a length in adfance of Armedee. The winner set a good pace from the start, but Dawson was forced to ride hard at tha end to enable the mare to retain her advantage. Armedee closed an immense gap after being outrun during the early running, but the effort told near the finish when gaining rapidly on the leader. Jockey George Williams has been something of a sensation, but he threatens to lay off for a while and return to his home. His work in the saddle down here has surpassed the majority of the other boys. Jockey Granneman, who recently was graduated from the maiden ranks, has severed his connection with the Eastman stable, which is being trained by J. L. Paul, and Avill ride as a free lance. O. Pernia; the pride of the Cubans, hast found himself in difficulties lately and was forced to spend several days on the ground. Pernia, in his eagerness and anxiety to win races, has caused jams in which soma crowding occurred. The young juvenile racers here have been well schooled at the barrier under the eye oC starter Dean. The majority have shown impressive trials and Irvine has a pair for Edward F. Whitney, the New York sportsman and breeder, that have done all that has been asked of them. E. L. Fitzgerald has shown a handsomo filly which set the dockers and watchers to talking recently Avhen she worked a fast three-eighths from the barrier. DEPENDABLE SPRINTER. Eastman and Brown have in Right on Time the most dependable sprinter on tho island. The son of Jack Atkin Susan Lennox is a four-time winner and the first liorso to achieve that honor at this meeting. Neptune, one that raced for-J. S. Cosden last summer and was sold at a weeding-out salo at Pimlico in the fall to the former jockey A. Hullcoat, gives promise of being one oC the best three-year-olds at the track. His performances in his past races have been all that could be desired and a meeting between him and Right on Time is eagerly anticipated. Joo Healy, who is wintering here, will return to New York early to assist his brother Simon in the conditioning of tho horses in the Syndicate Stable which avo being wintered at Belmont Park. Several of them were raced through the stceplechasa field last fall and gave forth some promise; They will be shipped to Maryland early in the spring and seen under colors at Havro do Grace and Pimlico. Healy will race a division of the stable at Oriental Park next winter, mostly two-year-olds.
