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6 GREAT FINISH AT HAVANA First Four Horses in Thursdays Fourth Race Separated by Inches, Topango Winning. HAVANA, Cuba. Dec. 11. One of the closest and most thrilling finishes ever wit-; hessed at Oriental Park marked the decision of todays fourth race. The first four horses crossed the finish line almost abreast and only the judges could separate them. Topango was awarded first place, Ege second. The Dictator third and Danger Cross fourth, a nose being designated as separating mark between each. It was Ege that set the pace from the start, with The Dictator and George Kuffan in close pursuit. Not until the last eighth was reached did the real battle begin, and it proved to be a splendid struggle for supremacy, with the spectators aroused to a great pitch of enthusiasm, cheering loudly as the quartet fought it out valiantly with the above mentioned result Libyan Queen, a first-time starter at this meeting, proved a surprise when she came from behind in the stretch to beat out St. Faust in a driving finish. The winner was ridden by Pickens, one of the popular riders here, who has been seen in the saddle every year since racing was inaugurated at Oriental Park. The Gaff scored a runaway victory in the second, a dash of three-quarters. He went into a commanding lead soon after the start, but was tiring at the end and had to be hard ridden to stall off Gonwlthims challenge. Star Red, the favorite, was a factor to the top of the stretch, but tired at the end. In the third race Copyright made all the pace and in a driving finish lasted long enough to beat Kidnap a half length. The latter, on the inside the entire way, was in close quarters at the end. The news of the sudden death in New York of August Belmont caused profound regret among the American turfmen racing at Oriental Park ana among the officials of the Cuba-America Jockey Club. H. D. Brown, managing director of racing at .Havana, said that the American turf had lost one of its greatest defenders. Col. Mike Padden, who arrived here from New York shortly before the opening of the meeting, has been confined to his room for, several days. Roger Odea, who was ill, has recovered and is up and about again.
