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MARYLAND INAUGURAL Bowie Opening Attracts Largest Crowd in its History. ♦ « Son of John Captures Inaugural Handicap for Jefferson Livingston — Rejuvenation Wins. BOW IK, Mil.. April IL— Under .sunny skies an«l with balmy spring weather of almost , .summer warmth the Maryland racing season , was ushered in at the Bowie course this af- ternoon. Never in the history of the South-tin Maryland Agricultural Association has there ever been such an opening. The crowd was iiot only the largest but the most representative for an opening, and the sport that , was furnished was worthy of the great gathering. To Jefferson Livingston went the glory and dollars of the opening feature when his Son of John won the Inaugural Handicap of seven-eighths from eighteen other sprinters. It was a d«sh worth $:.,370 to the winner, and the big bay was ridden by George Fields, who rode at the Tijuana course during the winter. He was trained by Bob Smith at the Old Rom farm, near Baltimore, so that it became a popular Maryland score. Mrs. B. !•:. Chapmans Nealon Kay was the one to race to second place, with BucUy Harris, from the .lusta Farm Stable, beating B. Haughtens Shasta Lad for third. fll wMwIH WAY Ol SPORI. II was a glorious day of sport and almost every race resulted in fighting finishes, with hemes well lapped and struggling along valiantly to the last stride. Tt was racing to indicate that the horses are well advanced for this season of the year and racing that promises well for what is to come. The welcome accorded the thoroughbreds told of tlie popularity of the sport. Kong before race time the course was well filled, and before the juveniles were called out for the opening race every inch of space in the immense stand was needed. .limes Milton was successful in obtaining an excellent start in the Inaugural Handicap, with scant delay at the post. The nin te.-n horses moved away well aligned and kept together for some distance from the barrier. Fields was alert with Son of John, and the big fellow soon drew out from the cithers. Making every us.- of the speed of tlie son of Sir John Johnson, he was hustled right along until he had opened up daylight on his com-pany. Charles li.. racing for R. L. Freeman, was in second place, with Bocfcy Harris not far away, but they could not cut down the margin of the pacemaker, Indian Love Call for an instant was showing in the forward division and Xcalon Kay was also chasing aft -r the pacemaker, while the others were more or leas strung out. and there was a bit of unavoidable crowding in the big field. RESISTS IT. H[J.i:.i:s. After swinging out of the back stretch, sti.l Will clear of his field. Son of John was given a breathing spell for only a few strides without losing his front position. Here both Buck Harris and Xealon Kay moved up in resolute fashion but. at the head of the .stretch. Fields sat clown on the big bay again and sent him along for the best he had left. All through the gruelling run ho the others thundered after him and. for an instant, it seemed that Xealon Kay would catch him. and Bucky Harris was not through, but Fields kept tlie Livingston color* bearer at his task well until at the end he si 111 had something to spare. Xealon Kay outi; nned Btuky Harris to save second place and the others followed along in fairly close order. Shasta I.ad was lucky to find Lis way into fourth place in the run bom*, while Indian Love Call and Charles If. botli quit rather badly. A disappointment of the race was Aucilla, the C. C. Smithson starter. He was in some early difficulty and there was DO time that he reached a contending position. Son of John had not been to the races since til.- fall meeting at the Bowie track. He has wintered exi eedingly well and his performance at the first asking was a tribute to the skill of Bob Smith. The first race of the year and meeting hen- was a victory for the far West pair when Voltear and Violado. both bearing the silks of George Wingfields Nevada Stock Farm Stable, finished first and second, with H. l". fThitneys Letakme third. This was a half mile dash for juveniles, and when :17-.-. was hung out, it established a new track record for the distance. Xo time was lost at the barrier, and starter Milton had the eleven that went to tin- post away in almost perfect alignment. Sauce was first to show out of the but. h, with 1 eggs Pride close after him, but this order was not maintained for Peter nel rushed Voltear up on the outside and before the first turn was reached he had raced past the leaders and went on to open up a good gap. . once out there, the son of Volta was tiusH.-d right along, and at the end he was , . OsntSBMi on eighth page. MARYLAND INAUGURAL Continue.! from fir t page still half a dozen lengths to the good, with his rider taking no chances and keeping him right at his task. In the meantime, Violado, Which had the advantage of a racing education at Tijuana, had worked his way up, and at the head of the stretch found his way into second place to hold that position safe from the others. Betalone. the Whitney starter was just as slow to be under way, and in the early running he was next to the rail. Workman pulled him out from the rail at the head of the stretch and be was running when the others were Quitting to land in third place. While the pair that Preston Burch saddled for the running gave evidence of quality in finishing first and second, there were others back of them that will undoubtedly improve with education. T.etalone is one of these, while Minotaur, a son of Sun Briar, that raced for J. s. Herkness, is another that showed Quality.
