view raw text
PERHAPS TO THE FORE 1 Asserts His Old Supremacy at Oriental Park. r Triumphs by a Nose in Sparkling Finish- Bucado First in the Feature Attraction. i HAVANA, Cuba, Dec. 21. During the win- , ter meeting of 1922-1923 Perhaps was one of. , the most consistent winners racing at Orien-tal Parle. In fact, he was the acknowledged champion of the handicap division then rac- ing in Cuba. This came racer came into his , own today at his eld stamping ground, Ori- J ental Park,, when he triumphed by a nose in the three-quarters of a mile claiming handi- . cap. run as the fifth race. Though he did not rule favorite, Perhaps was not without ad- , miters and his victory proved immensely, popular with the large crowd present. j j The three-year-old Mill Boy was the betting preference in this race and alternated in forcing and setting the pace, while Perhaps was kept under restraint for the first half, j : Mill Boy began to tire in the stretch after disposing of Cuba Encanto and then it was c that Perhaps moved up and in a twinkling was in front. With the spectators wildly! cheering the old champion Perhaps fought it! out gamely with his younger opponent to score by the smallest of margins as men- j tioiicd above. BUCADOS THIRD STRAIGHT. " Bucado sccred his third straight victory j of the meeting when he easily accounted for the principal attraction of Sundays program, a mile and a sixteenth handicap that immediately followed the Perhaps race. Bucado proved best of the good band of contestants that met m the feature, drawing to the front at the call of his rider and holding his advantage to the end. The inaugural dash of the afternoon fell to Countess Claridge, with Little Black Sheep finishing second and Joe Joe earning third money. The winner was away .quickly and, dashing to the f ront, set the pace throughout, j On the far turn Little Black Sheep, which had raced in closest pursuit from the start, j challenged strongly and was almost on evenj terms with the leader. However, the three-year-old had speed in reserve and, after gamely withstanding the rush of Little Black Sheep, aain drew clear at the end. Joe Joe finished fast to get up for third place in the final strides. I Favoritism was equally divided between Louise "Wagner and Horinga in the second race. Acouchla II. upset calculations when lie beat Louise Wagner by a half length, while Jloringa finished fourth, War Garden outlasting him for third place. First it was War Garden that set the pace, then Horinga assumed command, with Acouchla II.- never far away. The last mentioned challenged in the stretch and Louise Wagner, which had been hard ridden all the way, tired and finally gave way, Acouchla II. getting up in the last few strides to win by a half Isngth. I J. Or ICEENES COLORS. j ! J. O. Keene, the well-known Kentucky t urfman, lias a number of horses here in i ! charge of trainer E.. Brewster and one ofi these, the two-year-old Danger Cross won I in impressive style in the third race. She went to the post favorite and gave her backers occasion for anexiety when she was away slowly in last place. W. Smith, who the mount on the filly, did not hurry her, being content to wait until reaching the far turn. I When he did call on her, the filly responded I with a fine burst of speed that soon brought her into contention with the leaders. In the! , last eighth she easily passed The Abbot andj I j drew away at the end. It was The Abbot that set most of the pace, having assumed the lead when Hendrick bolted to the out-1 i side on the turn out of the back stretch. j j There was a stubbornly contested struggle in the fourth race, in which five of the eight starters figured prominently. The result was j in doubt until the- final strides, when Tubby J I A. got his head in front to secure the deci-j I sion from Copyright, with Full Moon third. Toombeola and llena following in the order named. Toomboola was the early pacemaker and when he tired Copyright took up the running, when Tubby A. made a wide stretch turn. The latter recovered and, finishing! j fast, outgamed Copyright in the last few strides, while Full Moon held the tiring, Toombeola safe at the end. j Judge Shelley said that the Christmas Han-1 cap, which is to be run next Thursday, will! be for all ages at a mile and a sixteentlu During the holidays, the card will be of high order every day. The plater Hohokus has been fired for ankle trouble and will be an absentee for a couple of months. j Leslie showed a smashing good performance in the first race Saturday, despite the1 fact he didnt beat much. The race he ran, however, was very impressive. At the start, lie was off very slowly and before lie had gone a quarter, lie was last and well. , j , around the far turn. Jockey Allen then took him to the outside and began closing up. When in the stretch lie crime from last placo and beat Gonwithim out, by a nose in the final stride. Somerby would be more than a useful plater if he could be made to maintain his speed a bit further. In Saturdays race he drew away into a long lead and appeared the winner, but quit in the stretch drive. When the deciding racing came, however, he was at it again, but his rush was too late.
