Off at Lexington: Fall Meting Begins Auspiciously with Big Crowd Present, Daily Racing Form, 1924-11-12

article


view raw text

OFF AT LEXINGTON Fall Meeting Begins Auspiciously With Big Crowd Present. r Dare Say Accounts for Phoenix Hotel Handicap Alice Blue Gown in Fast Race. LEXINGTON, Ky., Nov. 11. Lexingtons fall racing opened this afternoon with eclat and a large representative attendance was on hand to view the sport. Balmy but threatening weather was the rule, with a perfect racing course. Track records were in danger and in one instance, when Alice Blue Gown was victress of the sprinting dash, tne record for the Futurity course was equaled. Several outstanding surprises coming in succession added excitement to the proceedings. The Phoenix Hotel Handicap, at a mile and a sixteenth, was th principal race of the inaugural program and it resulted in victory for Frederick Johnsons Dare Say, under an able ride by S. "Grifiin. He rode her in faultless fashion, kept her under restraint and, timing his final move to a nicety, outstayed Pegasus. The latter, closely attended by Graeme, was the leader for the greater pan or the way and he stuck gamely to his tasK, but he was lucky at that to be so close up and it was only through Stutts hustling tactics that ho finished in advance of Graeme. Garner, on the latter, had repeated opportunities to wrest tho lead and probably retain it to the finish, but he elected to keep Graeme undei restraint and he wobbled badly when he attempted to ride him hard in the stretch. AUDACIOUS FAILS. The secondary attraction, a three-quarters dash, brought to the post a quartet of fast ones, with the erratic Audacious the one held in most favor. His failure to begin more forwardly left him in the rear, his trio of rivals . being far in advance of him when he moved after them. He continued far back until straightened for the stretch, where he gained some, but never seriously menaced tho leading pair. The purse was taken by Alice Blue Gown, which in view of her preceding two races at Churchill Downs showed remarkably improved form. She was under restraint until straightened in tlie stretch, where she made a determined challenge to wear down the fast finishing Columbia. The latter forced a fast pace for the entire way, but began tiring in the last sixteentn. The time, l:i9V, equals the former track record for tho distance made and held jointly by Believe Idle Hour and Bradleys Choice. The second race, in which a dozen started, furnished one of the principal incidents of the afternoons racing. Bassorah, an extreme outsider, was the winner after a hard drive to outstay Will Wells with Country Princess following. The start found the field in a tangle, resulting in a bad jam, causing Mooney on Venom to be unseated. Beach Talk, the overwhelming favorite, suffered from the combination of being caught in the jam and being poorly ridden. Blind took her completely" out of it and then proceeded to ride her wide. She was going gamely and had the rider used the slightest bit of judgment in guiding her, she might have won even with her severe handicap at the start Venom, after the finish proceeded to continue for three miles before she exhausted herself and was caught JUDGE PItYOR LUCKY. The opener found the locally owned Judge Pryor the winner. He was lucky to lead for tho entire way and Stutts energetic riding of him did the rest Rapid Day was probably the best in the race, but McDermott allowed him to be far out of it in the first half mile and he lost much ground when going wide through the stretch. The Baker representative beat him home by a neck with Rapid Day tiring much the fastest at the end. Dusty Mary, which had been a forward contender for most of the way, had no difficulty landing in advance of Huon Pine. Tho mile and a sixteenth, in which a dozen ordinary ones started, found Sands of Pleasure, veteran of many a turf battle, the victor. He raced kindly for McCoy and coming with a rush during the last half mile, passed into the lead an eighth from tho finish and held on to win by a scant length from the suddenly improved Cheer Leader, with Florence W., another outsider, up in time to beat Dorius by a nose for the shorter portion of the purse. Dorius was au overwhelming favorite and raced prominently from the start, but he tired when pressed hard. In the juvenile sprint, which brought to tho post some of the better regarded youngsters. Reputation, a prohibitive choice, caused consternation to his big following by his IContinued on twelfth page. OFF AT LEXINGTON Continued from first page. failure to finish in the money. The finish in the race was the most spectacular of the afternoon, the four leaders being noses apart with Rothermel the victor, having gotten up in the last eighth and the other contenders with the latters stable companion following and Reputation directly in her wake. Little Visitor was responsible for Reputations downfall. She forced the Williams representative at a terrific pace and continued holding him to his top speed, beginning the stretch racing. Reputation began giving way in tho last eighth and the other contenders closing steadily, shot by Little Visitor and Reputation in the last few yards. For interfering with Reputation, jockey R. Harring-ton, " on Little Visitor, was suspended for five days by the stewards. The closing race, engaging five starters, was one of the roughest ridden races in Kentucky this year, with Hay and Zucchini the offenders. They were astride Miss Meise and Lily M., respectively, and alternated in the lead for most of the way, when either passed into the lead it meant interference for the displaced one. Hay also struck his rival sharply. Miss Meise finally went on to an easy victory with Lily M. in second place and Nulli Secundus just up to outstay Sporty McGee. There was a claim of foul and counter claim by the belligerents and the stewards finally let the race stand according to their original finish. The offending riders will prob- ably come in for punishment tomorrow. B. J. Alkemade of Holland, Charles Martins of Belgium and Chris Christensen of Sweden and England, were visitors at the course today.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1924111201/drf1924111201_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1924111201_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800