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SPRING RACING SEASON OF 1924 INAUGURATED y r THEYRE OFF AT BOWIE TRACK * Prince George Park Meeting Finally Gets Under Way After Two Days Postponement — General Thatcher Scores Well Earned Victory in the Opening Feature ~*~ » BOWIE. Md.. April 3.— Racing Is back In the East. The 1921 spring season began today at the Bowie course of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Association under conditions that were ideal. It had been necessary to postpone the opening two days by reason of a violent snowstorm, but from that winter condition there came a bright spring day for the sport. Seldom has there been a more auspicious inauguration and the stands and lawns were uncomfortably crowded with the enthusiastic followers of the sport that always patronize Bowie. The sport furnished was befitting the occasion. General Thatcher, the four-year-old son cf Sweep and Polistena, that races for George Wingfields Nevada Stock Farm, was the bright and particular star of the day when he • scored a well-earned victory in the seven-eighths of the Inaugural Handicap. At the end he was doing his level best to withst and the final rush of James Arthurs Tony Beau, one that was seasoned by racing at New Orleans, and Rama, another from New Orleans, was third. Only eight went to the post and it was a horse race all the way. Reparation was first to show out of a good start, but lougbjordan went right along with him and General Thatcher headed the others, though all were in fairly close order, with Setting Sun, after beginning slowly, bringing up the rear. Reparation carried Clotigb Jordan along at a BSOO that had him exhausted when the head I f the stretch was reached, but it tooK considerable out of the Davis gelding himself, while General Thatcher, racing outside the pair of them, continued to gallop strongly. At the l.ead of the stretch, as both Reparation and Cloughjordan tired, they Porei out slightly, forcing General Thatcher to go wide, but at the same time they left nn opening for Tborndale next to the inside rail. Mergler was quick to take advantage and he shot the Block colt up next to the inside rail until for a moment he looked a winner, but General Thatcher, in the middle of the track, having gone into the lead, held him safe. TONY BEAU TURF. ATE VS. Inside the last eighth Tony Beau came with a mighty rush on the outside and he was wearing the winner down at every stride, but General Thatcher stuck to his task ! Kamety to be winner by a neck. Rama al-o finished resolutely and he beat home the tir- I ing Tborndale for the short end of the purse. Both Reparation and Cloughjordan tired badly in the final pinch and the Phillips gelding was a lad last, while Setting Suns belated rush landed him in fifth place. It was at Bowie that General Thatcher made his reputation as a two-year-old and, while be did not measure complet ly up to the expectations f Preston Burch last year, he has come back this year a good horse and be ought tQ mak" his way handsomely. He shouldered 120 pounds and the manner in which be ■cores saggested that the race will do him a deal of good. The race was wortli ,4SO to the winner. GOOD BAND OF Jl VFMI.FS. Thre was a rattling finish came out of the Twin Cities Parse when Lord Granite gat up in the closing strides to beat home .1. S. ; Ccsdens Good Times, with .lames F. OHara. | third and Bridesman a bad last. After the finish and when pulling up Bridesman bolted through the inside rail and Injured himself so I adly that be died almost i instantly. Benny Marinelli who had tin-mount escaped injured. It was reported afterwards that it was. a fatal attack of vertigo. Goad Tunes tarnished the sensation In tho nice when Shans rushed into a long early lead while lord Granite beginning sluwlj, e. vild not get Under way. Shanks kept hard St it with Good Times, and while Lord Granite had dosed slightly before th ■ stretch was reached the Crsden sprinter was still clear when he turned for home, while both .lames !•. OHara and Bridesman were following many lengths further back. Good Times Still was -bowing the way by as good as a length inside the last eighth and Lord Granite was under .i bard hi • in an effort to catch him. Then it was that Shanks in came anxious and as he feu bis mount weakening he dropped his bead and though Lord Granite was doing his utmost, it was just enough to mad him wimn r under Wallaces strong finish it is possible thai bid Shanks not gone to the whip be might have had Good Times winner for he dropped th ■ geldings bead when he pulled bis whip and it was just at a time when the son of Th -o. Cook most needed the support. Humboldt, a Nevada Stock Farm CaStSff Continued M twelfth BSgS.1 j I BOWIE RACING INAUGURATED fContinupil from first p.iffr. that races for C. II. Hughes, was an easy winner of the sixth race, which was over a considerable distance of ground. The Foreigner raced to second place, while Our Birthday was third. The winner was in close early pursuit of The Foreigner and took the lead when well straightened out in the stretch and had but little trouble in winning. The Foreigner swerved out through the streeh, while Our Birthday tired badly after being a forward contender. F. A. Tansors Golden Billows, ridden by the apprentice D. Fisher, was winner of the closing race in easy fashion from J. It. Skin-kers Beverwyck. while J. Arthurs Frt ezy Sneezy was third. The winner was backed into favoritism and dominated the running from the start. It was rather a jrood band of juveniles that went to the post for the opening half-mile dash and G. P. Bryson furnished the winner in Moon Magic, a well-made son of Torch-bearer and Mirka. He showed a good flight of speed and also demonstrated that he had been well educated when he left the post and led practically all the way. H. P. Whitneys Bankrupt., which had been fitted at Benning by Fred Hopkins, was the one to race to second place and it is probable that he will show to better advantage wht n he has more education. Beginning well he dropped back in the first eighth, but he came again under punishment in the stretch. He is a son of All Cold and Quick Sand and has the cut of a fast runner. It was a close thing for third place between J. S. Cosdens Poller and Benjamin Blocks Tod Rencsor and they finished in that order noses apart. What was remarked in the race was the good behavior of the young horses. Most of them raced truly and swung into the stretch without losing the ground that so often marks a first performance. . . — . _♦ .
