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LARGEST ATTENDANCE * Previous Figures for Present Aurora Meeting Surpassed. • Favorites Again Prove Elusive and Bring Woe to the Followers of Form. — — ♦ AURORA. 111.. April 26.— Tuesday was "Little Spitfire Day" at the Exposition Park course and a fitting program of races was arranged for the occasion. Spectacular contests were the result in most instances, providing interesting sport, though the card boasted of no outstanding feature attraction. Weather conditions and a considerable rise in temperature made way for vast improvement in conditions in general and there was a marked increase in the interest shown by the racegoers. Despite the large number which have made the trip daily to the popular course since the resumption of the sport in these parts, what was probably the largest crowd of the meeting to attend to date was on hand to witness proceedings at the Aurora track this afternoon. Favorites were elusive throughout the afternoon and form followers and backers of short-priced choices fared poorly in most cases. Outsiders and lightly backed horses made good with regularity, accounting for the majority of the contests, surprises and form reversals occurring regularly. Basha was the first in the Thomas Cheek establishment to earn a purse at the Aurora course this year. His victory came in the initial race, in which a fairly good band of platers met at three-quarters. The four-year-old son of Royal II. distinguished himself by the manner in which he took the measure of his seven opponents. C. X. Freemans Power, a recent winner here, raced to second place, while Rushee, also victress in a previous start, took the minor award. Chief support was afforded Redskin, but aside from showing some speed during the backstretch racing the favorite made his presence in the race felt but little. There was considerable attention also for Kendall here, but the best he could do was a fairly good effort which brought his owner fourth money. OLD BROADWAY IX FRONT. Another stable to achieve its first success of the meeting was the Mrs. H. L . Cox establishment, when Old Broadway romped off with principal honors in the second race. Greek Friar was easily best for second place, while J. G. Bickel. a prominent factor all the way. just lasted for third. From a good start, the field of eleven raced closely grouped to the lower turn where Greek Friar swung into the lead closely pressed by J. G. Bickel. Old Broadway, under restraint, attended the two leaders closely while the remainder were strung out in the rear. Greek Friar was unable to stay in on the sharp turns and as a result lost much ground which eventually contributed to his defeat. Entering the stretch Old Broadway challenged the leader and. proving the gamer, soon passed into a lengthy lead and won by a five-length margin at the end. Meanwhile Greek Friar recovered from his momentary falterings and straighten- 1 out for the finish, easily defeated J. G. Bickel for second place. The latter, although showing a creditible race just managed to last long enough to beat the fast finishing Transfer by a head for third. Copyright and Bad Luck, prominent ones in the early stages, faded away in the final eighth and finished far out of it. WORTHMAN ■■! ■■■■■! I Strite and Valentines Worthman added to the downfall of the favorites with a decisive victory in the three-quarters mile third race. The ultimate winner, away forwardly and under a hard ride, raced close to the leaders to the lower turn, then gradually worked his way into the lead and came away in the stretch to win with plenty to spare. Gondolier, the early pacemaker, raced exceedingly well for the first half mile, but was forced back entering the stretch and seemingly beaten. However, he came again in the last eighth of a mile and outstayed Gus R. for second place. Gus K was fir out of it in the early running, but gained steadily and later, closing an immense gap, wound up in third place. Wildrake wis winner of the fourth contest in which a small but good field of platers started over the five and a half furlongs route. The early pace was set by Miss Mischief and the latter was then joined l y Martha Iloos after entering the stretch, and Martha Roos was seen to move into a slight lead in the stretch. However, the two pacemakers elected to race in the worst part of the track at this period, with the result that they quit almost to a walk, finishing far back and permitting the others to take command and finish, with VYildrake having the better of a sinew-straining struggle with Waponoca in the final sixteenth ol a mile. The Abbot, which races for the Battle Cod U mad oi» twentieth page. LARGEST ATTENDANCE Continued from first page Ax Stable of C O. Ray, accounted for a purse when he defeated seven opponents which he met over the five and a half furlongs of the fifth race. Eager gave one of his best efforts here and accounted for second place and but for having been a slow beginner, might have made a much better showing. Cora Russell was the one to account for third place honors here. Martins Caddy gave his usual exhibition of early speed and led the field for a half-mile, then tired and finished far out of it. The first longer distance race of the daycare in the sixth number when nine platers met at a mile and a sixteenth. Victory fell to Captain Adams when the latter just lasted to beat Indian Tales in the final stages of a hard stretch duel. Sea Green was third. The winner was well ridden and under a different jockey probably would not have finished better than second. Sea Green raced differently than usual and essayed to do the early leading, but was as easy victim to the challenge of Captain Adams when the latter responded to his riders urge after passing the three-quarters mark, moving into an easy lead. He seemed to have the race in hand when suddenly Indian Tales loomed up dangerously midway of the stretch with a phenomenal burst of speed for the nature of the going and which brought the Mrs. H. D. Cox color bearer within a short head of taking the major portion of the purse in a close and exciting finish. ▲
