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•*— — — — — ■ — — — — —m BEULAH PARK INAUGURAL Optimist Scores in Handicap, Outlasting Opponents. ♦ Bares ImIMI Orcr Mnddy Track Before 1 .arge Opening Hay Crowd— Arabella Proves Popular Winner. COLUMBUS. Ohio, April 16.— Although the weather outlook was most disagreeable about noon when rain fell heavily, it ceased just before race time and the skies cleared as the afternoon progressed. This rain rendered the track heavy and mud runners of superior ability accounted for the majority of the races. An excellent crowd, despite •weather conditions, was on hand to welcome back the thoroughbreds to Ohio and the accomodations of the plant was taxed to capacity. Keenly contested finishes were much in evidence. In a driving finish and by the shortest possible margin. T. V. Nieols Optimist was winner of the Inaugural Handicap, fifth and feature race of the initial days racing, at Reulah Park this afternoon. Turnberry. carrying the Thistledown Stable colors of .1. M.Millen of Cleveland, was second. Sweepstakes, the favorite, prominent during the race was a tiring third. This trio dominated the running throughout. At the start. Sweepstakes was sent into the lead, with Turnberry and Optimist following. Turnberrv h:id secured a safe lead, after completing the fist half mile, but in the last quarter Optimist and Sweepstakes both challenged. WINS IX FIXAI. STRIDES. While rounding the turn for home. Optimist moved up with a determination and under urging, nosed out Turnberry in the final stride. Turnberry held on gamely, but tired at the end. Sweepstakes tired under his Imiwst in the last sixteenth, but was easily best of the others. Another close finuh came with the running of the sixth ra.e. in which Guy Clayton, the pacemaker throughout, was hard pressed to earn the verdict from the fast finishing j Camilla. Sweetum and Coral Reef, both prominent during the early running, were right on the heels of the leaders, with Sweetum earning the third portion of the purse, bv a narrow margin. After following in close pursuit of Prum-mond. the pacemakers, to the stretch in th- final race. Wilmer the Wizard forged to the front and won handily. Mississippi never far from the leaders outstayed Drummond in the last eighth for second place. Outsiders monopolized the honors in the fourth race when Peadfall. Al Hotfoot and Follow Me finished in the order named. I eadfall displayed a pronounced liking for the going and after the first quarter assumed command never to be beaded again, and won under restraint. In the last eighth Marsden bad a restraining hold on the Cloud gelding and he was racing along easily. Al Hotfoot raced into second place when the winner assumed command but could never improve his position, holding the remainder safe, however, with little trouble. Pure Pee was the favorite, but began tiring after showing the way in the first quarter and was quitting Steadily in the final drive. TOP I.VDY WINS. The field, consisting of County Times. Pr. Sisk and Summer Time, was installed as the public choice in the second race vtfaich brought twelve to the post to race five and a half furlongs. The field horses never figured seriously in the race. Top Lady winning with Parhary Push second and Mercury third. Golden Pocks was expected to furnish competition for the purse money here and lived Up to expectations. The Everest racer took the lead at the half-mile post and appeared capable of winning, but tired quickly in the heavy going and quit. Top Pady was always close up and ran an even race, making her in ve in the stretch and winning going away. There was little to choose between Arabella and Peaverwood in a wagering way in the third, both being heavily backed. Arabella, however, proved best in the race and scored handily from Tee Hee with Peaverwood two lengths in the wake of the latter. Tee Hee took the lead briefly but was not good enough to stave off the challenge of the winner in the final drive.
