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; : ; ; j i ; I ■ l • , j j i | I | I j j I I I i THORNCLIFFES OPENING DAY Great Crowd Turns Out and Witnesses Oppermans Easy Victory in the Feature Race. TORONTO, Ont., May 26.— Over a track fetlock deep in mud Opperman, carrying the colors of the Triple Springs Farm and ridden by jockey H. Howard, won the Thorn-cliffe Spring Handicap, featuring the opening days program at Thorncliffe Park. E. Trotters John Finn raced to second place, while third fell to Dr. OMara. After Joaquina, Shuffle Along. Wilkes-Barre, Fast Mack, Sarko, Senator Norris and Sunsini were withdrawn from the handicap, there were only four left to race. After a short delay at the post the field was dispatched in good order and John Finn was the first to show in front. While rounding the first turn Golden Billows took up the running and set a good pace. Opperman raced in closest pursuit, with John Finn in third place and Dr. OMara following. It was [ not until while rounding the stretch turn that Howard called on Opperman and the son of Pataud gamely responded and took the lead to win by a length and a half. John Finn beat Dr. OMara by two lengths for second place. The opening of the seven days meeting of j the Thorncliffe Park Breeding and Racing Association was a brilliant one and a good | program was offered for the amusement of I the immense crowd that thronged the big j course. It was a bright day, but there was j a chill in the wind, making overcoats much more comfortable than straw hats. The course was heavy from recent rain, but the j i going was safe. i A bulky field of Canadian loaded platers | started in the opening dash and the winner turned up in Algonquin. Leading Light finished second and third place fell to the lightly weighted Balsam Lake. Algonquin was easily best in the heavy going and raced into a long lead when entering the home stretch and at the end Lang j was easing him up to win by two lengths. The second race, a dash at five and a half furlongs, proved easy for the well backed Care Free. Jockey Mariner sent him to the front when rounding the stretch turn and at I the end he won going away by two lengths from Carajo. Bengalese, racing in Mrs. R. T. Bakers colors, finished gamely and out- j j stayed the fast-coming Kinsman for third place. Kinsman was pinched back in the first half, but made up ground when clear and . was rapidly gaining on the leaders at the j end. Jockey W. Mariner scored a double for! ! A. E. Alexandra when he piloted Sweepstakes to a victory over Arendal in the third race, another five and a half furlongs sprint. Third money fell to Racket From a good start, Wallace sent Arendal into the lead and showed the way for the first half mile. Sweepstakes raced under restraint until rounding the turn for home, where Mariner called on him and the son of Sweep re- sponded gamely and taking the lead in the final quarter he held Arendal safe to the end. J. Wallace piloted J. P. Smiths Gray-Gables to an easy victory in the fourth race. Warning raced to second place and Sea Monarch finished third. Warning set the early pace and raced into a long lead when j rounding the far turn, but Gray Gables came past him with a rush on the stretch turn i and won going away by three lengths. : J. M. Collins furnished the winner of the sixth race when Smarty beat Devonite home by a length in a driving finish. The Gaff finished third. Ycshimi, the favorite, was practically left at the post and was forced to I work his way around the leaders, but never : , threatened. I The concluding race was won by R. E. I Potts Cote dOr, but only after a desperate j stretch struggle, in which he managed to beat the favorite. Marble, home by a head. Buddie Kean finished in third place.
