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STEP ALONG SPARKLES 1 j J. Looms Up as Dangerous Kentucky Derby Candidate. — _ Wins Blue Grass Stakes in Fast Time of 1:51% — Traymore Falls During Race. -— ♦ ■ • LEXINGTON. Ky., May 6.— The Chicago a turfman, F. M. Grabners Step Along re- s trieved his lost laurels and loomed up prom- s isingly as a Kentucky Derby candidate when c this afternoon he annexed the Blue Grass f Stakes for three-year-olds at a mile and an S eighth, serving as a preliminary to the Ken- t tucky Derby for horses in these parts. The race was a fast run one with Step Along well I under restraint after covering the mile and C an eighth in 1 :51%. Following the winner f came Broadway Jones and his stablemate, , Bill Strap, both carrying the Idle Hour Farm i Stables colors. There were six starters and ] the race was worth ,080 net to the victor. 1 An accident came at the first turn when I Traymore, swerving badly, suddenly went t down in a heap with jockey O. Willis. The i latter quickly scrambled to his feet and 1 walked away unhurt. How much Traymore contributed to Step Alongs success was a ] mooted question. He began swerving imme- | diately after the start and sharply impeded Broadway Jones with the result that he was 1 far back in last place when he reached the i first turn. Shortly thereafter he was forced j to race wide to avoid going over the prostrate | I Traymore and this entailed more loss of j | ground. Bill Strap on the other hand began j lunging, showed rankness and moved into I the lead with Step Along in his wake and I | Fire On following. Meyers was attempting to place Bill Strap but did not seem to make much success of it and he restrained him hard with the result that Step Along, going ; smoothly, moved into the lead before half a 1 mile had been traversed and thereafter he had the race safe. Broadway Jones made a gallant attempt and closed a big gap i steadily, succeeding in overhauling his stablemate during the stretch, but was unable to reach the leader. UMMI CROWD OF MEETING. The final days racing here brought a record attendance to the track, by far the largest that has been seen here. Conditions were perfect for the sport, the track being lightning fast. Some of the contests were spirited and finishes spectacular. Favorites, however, were downed in most instances, but the winners were liberally supported by the big crowd. The fourth race brought some good sprinters and it resulted in a victory for Pillager, which led the others from the start and was ; a handy winner. Captain Haney and De- j lectable fought it out in hard style for sec- j ond place, with the f romer managing to last ; just long enough to get that portion of the purse. Rapid Day was the opening race disap-j pointment. His failure was due to bad riding and also the interference he suffered. For the latter W. ltidenour, on Odd Seth, was responsible. Dusty Mary was the winner under hustling riding. She led after the first quarter and was aided to victory by the ground she saved in the stretch, Rapid Day made a game challenge and was allowed to swerve all over the track in the stretch, but succeeded in outstaying Odd Seth. BILLY KI.AIK AT LONG ODDS. The second race recorded the longest-priced; ; winner of the meeting when Billy Klair got home la advance of Down Town, with Geo. j i Groom in third place. Pure Dee was a pronounced choice in this contest, but was • handicapped by the presence in the saddle of the incompetent I... Neal. Billy Klair, from a fa_st beginning, showed most speed throughout and won by a comfortable margin. I The battle for second place was spirited, I with Down Town proving the gamer. Pure Dee figured prominently for most of the way, but his weak rider could not make him extend j himself. Stonage also might have beeni formidable had Montgomery rode with a bit| ! more vigor. | Another Williams Bros. favorite was downed decisively in the following race when Quoin finished far back. Neal also rode him and he repeatedly took him back and as a result the horse had scant chance. The winner was Links, which displayed improved form over his preceding start and scored with ease from Miss Mazie, another which had been far out of it for half a mile. Fred Kinney, one of the extreme outsiders, fin- ished in third place.
