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MARS WINS DIXIE HANDICAP * Son of Man o War Annexes 5,000 Added Pimlico Feature ♦ Defeats Display by Half Length in Driving Finish With Edisto Third — Immense Opening Day Crowd ♦ PIMLICO, Md., May 2.— The Walter M. Jeffords Stable gathered in its second stake race on the Maryland tracks this spring when Mars came back after Tritons victory in the Harford Handicap at Havre de Grace to win the 5,000 added Dixie Handicap at Pimlico this afternoon. Back of Mars was a field of fourteen of the best horses on the grounds. Mars was ridden by F. Coltiletti and beat Display by half a length after a long, hard stretch drive. Then came Edisto, another half length back. Mars, coupled with Edith Cavell, was always the choice with the players and went to the post a well backed favorite. He was a bit fractious at the i post and when the barrier was sprung was away with the front rank. Straightened , out on the back stretch he moved up stoutly on the outside and after passing the 5 half mile post he passed Montferrat which made the pace from the start. Rounding the far turn Maiben brought Display up and for a time it looked as if he would go to the front. Coltiletti had a bit in hand, however, and always managed to hold Display safe. In the final eighth another factor loomed up in Edisto which came from behind and closing full of courage was wearing the leaders down. Helens Babe was fourth. The Dixie had a net value to the winner of 6,375. The pace was fast from the start, the first mile being run in 1 :39 and the mile and three sixteenths in 1 :59 2-5. MIRACLE IN THRILLER. The Ashburton purse which was run as the fifth race of the afternoon furnished a thrilling finish which brought the crowd in the grandstand to its feet. The winner was Miracle, a bay colt by Polymelian that races for Mrs. K. E. Hitt. It was his first effort of the season and he ran a good game race to beat the odds on favorite Jock by a nose. Canter was awarded the verdict by a nose over H. T. Archibalds Candy May, with Kentucky II. saving third place, beaten a! nose and a neck by his rivals. The latter I set the pace until midway of the stretch be- fore he began to tire, and there might have been a different story to the result on the part of Kentucky II., as Chalmers had a I difficult task with nim directly after the ! start, in which he was away first but ap-1 P3ared to shy on making the elbow that leads j into the main track at the three-quarters chute. Gwyn Tompkins started the season out well for the Brookmede Stable by sending the winner of the first race to the post in ! Favorit II., a good looking bay colt by Liu-don. Incidentally, it was the first mount that jockey W. Smith had for the stable. The race was a dash of a half mile for maiden two-year-olds. They were rather fractious at the barrier, but were sent away to a fair start. Favorit II., away fast, quickly assumed the lead and set a fast pace all the way. He was never in trouble and at the end was a handy winner over Gladys Clark, which he beat by a length. Another length away came Gift Hawk. Then followed Inquisitor and Dizette, all three heads apart. Birdwood was away sideways and had no chance. STIRRING CONTEST. The second race furnished a stirring contest In which Suky, with Bourassa up, was the winner from Kathleen Crosby. The latter set the pace to the head of the stretch where Suky came to the outside and. in the final eighth, when the pinch came, the latter proved best of the pair and won by half a length. Kathleen Crosby led Danger Signal a like distance for second place. Danger Signal finished with a rush and at the end was going much the fastest of the lot. Mr. C. H. Bostwick had the mount on Brown Stout in this race. The mare began in the middle of the bunch and her rider was driving her in an effort to get to the front. It looked like she jumped on some horses heels and, nearing the five-eighths post, she fell and Bostwick turned a complete somersault. Fortunately both horse and rider escaped uninjured. The Rosedale Stable, whose horses appear to be in excellent condition just now, gathered in another purse when Walter Carter sent Ceylon Prince to the post for the Toronto sportsman. Ceylon Prince displayed game-ness in the stretch drive. He was under pressure from the head of the home stretch, fighting it out with King Solomons Seal, Chink and Cogwheel, and at end had a margin of a neck over the latter. Martha Washington was third, another head away, and then came King Solomons Seal, beaten a nose for third place. There was a bit of jostling in the stretch and King Solomons Seal suffered by it. Chink showed early speed but tired. The Druid Hill, the sixth race of the day, and the final of the features to be decided, brought another close finish, in which J. E. Griffiths Canter, installed an odds-on favorite, made good, but not before he had caused a few fearful moments. In the early stages Maiben, who had the mount on the winner, had him in trouble, and it was not until well into the home stretch that he was aoie to find racing room, and when he did he gained fast and was not to be denied. Catching the pacemakers tiring in the final eighth of the three-quarters mile route, he got his nose in front just as the finish mark was reached, and again the official placing played its part in deciding between the three placed horses.
