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H. P. WHITNEYS VICTORIAN WINS PREAKNESS Duplicates Success of Bostonian in New York Turfmans Colors Last Year ~ » Defeats E. B. McLeans Toro in Sensational Finish, the Pair Being Separated by Inches — Seagram Stables Solace Easy Third ♦ ■ BALTIMORE, Md., May 11. — To the thunderous applause of the greatest crowd that ever assembled at the old Pimlico course of the Maryland Jockey Club, H. 5i Whitneys Victorian, after a bitter stretch duel with E. B. McLeans Toro, was winner of the rich Preakness Stakes. Only noses separated the colts at the end. Two and a half lengths further back the Seagram Stables Solace was an easy third over Willis Sharpe Kilmers Sun Beau. Workman had the mount on Victorian, and the colt ran the mile and three-sixteenths in 2:00%. It was worth §G0,000 net to the winner, making it the most valuable running of the famous old classic. There were eighteen starters. It was Victorian that forced most of the pace and his was a brilliant victory, Swhen he duplicated the score of Bos-, tonian for the Whitney silks last year. The running will undoubtedly give him a new importance for the Kentucky Derby, for which he will journey to Churchill Downs. After .he running. James Rowe. Jr., trainer of Victorian, representing Mr. Whitney, accepted the Woodlawn Vase, presented by Governor Ritchie. Never was there a better race for the prize and, while there was some inevitable crowding with eighteen starters, they all left in the same stride and it appeared a truly run race, though Nassak met with some trouble, when for part of the running he was bottled up next to the inner rail. VICTORIAN FORCES PACE. There was some delay at the post before starter Milton had an alignment to his liking, but he released the barrier to an excellent start, with Victorian particularly alert. Workman, taking every advantage of the speed of the son of Whisk Broom II., rushed him along and he was the one to force the pace. In the stretch Toro, finishing with a mighty rush on the inside, for an instant, had Victorian headed, but in the final strides Victorian came again under punishment to just drop his nose down in front. In fact, so closely lapped were the two colts that the actual result was in doubt until the numbers were displaced. Oh Say, Distraction and Strolling Player were close after Victorian as he sped through the stretch to the stand the first time, while Nassak, further out on the track, did not have speed enough to escape being carried a bit wide when the first turn was reached. There Victorian was still showing the way and saving ground on the inside. Distraction was in second place, with Strolling Player at his saddle skirts. The others followed in fairly close order, with Petee-W7rack also racing forwardly. Toro was well back from the leaders, but Ambrose was keeping out of trouble and he was racing well. In the back stretch Fator found his way to the inside with Nassak, but there he met with some interference as he attemptd to drive through, and still Victorian, with no signs of tiring and under a slight restraint, was showing the way. STROLLING PLAYER WEAKENS. Distraction was a good second to Victorian all through the back stretch, but there Strolling Player tired slightly, while Ambrose was soon weaving his way through with Toro in a fashion that promised trouble in the stretch run. Nassak seemed unable to improve his position, but Solace was coming from far back and Sun Beau began to move up in threatening fashion. Swinging into the stretch Workman went just wide enough with Victorian to leave an opening for Toro. Ambrose was quick to see the chance and drove the McLean colt up there an eighth from home. From there to the finish the battle was on in earnest. Workman was driving to the limit and Toro seemed the stronger. Lapped, they went along, stride for stride, and then it was Toros nose that showed in front, but Workman would not give up and neither would Victorian. , The drive continued to the last stride and the son of Whisk Broom II. had dropped his nose down in front. There never was such excitement in any running of the Preakness, or possibly any race, and there was riotous cheering all through that never-to-be-forgotten battle. Solace had more left than the others when he finished resolutely to beat Strolling Player, which had come again after being apparently beaten earlier in the action, and it was Sun Beau that was fifth. Distraction had tired badly chasing the winner. Continued on thirteenth page. | j I ; ! • • " • ■ i PREAKNESS TO VICTORIAN Continued from f.rst page. Xassak was cased up when soundly beaten, while Sortie and Bobashela had cut no figure in the running Petee-Wrack did not last long and was a trailer, as was Oh Say, while Brooms finished last of the big field. While post time for the first race was set for 2:30 oclock, the stands were well filled more than an hour before that time and several had taken up positions in the field. The day broke with a threat of rain, but only occasional light showers fell in the early forenoon. The weather was warm and, with the track at its best, the conditions were ideal for the big day of sport. The spacious parking space of the club, both for grandstand and club house patrons, was taxed to the limit long before race time, and for half a mile on every side of the course every available space for parking had been taken. It was truly a wonderful gathering and just one more of the many evidences of what such races as tlie Preakness Stakes mean to the turf. It was a crowd that was out purely for the sport of the day and in the vast assemblage could be found tho?e from far distant points as well. New York sent an immense delegation over for the day, while Washington, Philadelphia and Wilmington were all numerously represented. Among the distinguished guests of. the day were Prince and Princess de Ligne, of Belgium, and their daughter, Princess Elizabeth ; Sir Esme Howard, British Ambassador, with Lady Howard. J. G. Whiteloy, Belgian Consul, with Mrs. Whiteley ; Bernard Baiuch, Edward li. Bradley, Governor Ritchie of Maryland : Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Riddle ; Mr. and Mrs. George Saportas and J. W. Colt. The big day opened wih a four and a half furlongs dash for maiden two-year-olds, and the veteran "Billy" Garth sent the first and second to the post when he saddled We for Admiral Graysons Salubria Stable, and Shepherdess for Samuel Ross. These were easily best of the company and they dominated the running throughout, with We showing the way. H. G. Bedwclls Fair Thorn was third virtually all the way, while Mint Smash showed a little flash of speed, but there was nothing Back of the Garth pair that ever really threatened. Walter If. Jeffords Se-apa Plow, champion two-year-old of the 1026 season, won his first race of the year when he galloped off with the second race, at one mile and seventy-yard. This was a condition race in which the son of Man o* War was permitted in under 119 pounds, equal weight with such a colt as Willie K. In other words, the conditions were made to order for the handsome brown four-year-old. II. P. Whitneys Honker was the one to race to second place, with R. L. Freemans Charles H. just saving third from Alans Bay. As a matter of fact Honker was exceedingly luck to take second place, for it was only because J. C. Mergler, who rode Charles H., lost a stirrup iron In the stretch that he-did not beat the Whitney colt. Scapa Flow was so much best that he was just rated along in front of his company all the way and at the end he was still seven lengths clear to win in the fast time of 1 :442b. Honker, Charles H. and Alans Bay were closely lapsed most of the way as they chased along after the winner, but at the head of the stretch it was Charles H. that moved into second place and Honker dropped back slightly, though he was outrunning the others. Robertson had gone to the whip on the Whitney colt, but he could not gain on Charies H. and doubtless would not have done so, but for the breaking of the right stirrup leather of Merglers saddle. That prevented his giing the Fret man colt any help in the last sixteenth and he barely saved third, while Honker beat him two lengths for second place. Among other notables present here today were: Ogden Mills, tiorge Sloane, Mrs. W. M. Jeffords, S. W. Lcbrot, Mrs. K. E. Hitt, Francis G. Riggs, Joseph P. Kennedy, Walter B. Brooks, Mrs. S. L. Jenkins, H. A. Parr, Jr., Alexander Brown, John W. Williams, Thomas Cottn.an. Walter J. Salmon, F. J. Buchanan, Qeofge W. Loft, J. S. Gibbs, J. Murdock Dennis, Dr. Waiter Wyckea, Mrs. William Manly, J. E. Davis, John K. Shaw, Stuart G. Roason, William Dupont, R. J. Walden, Charles E. lfeLnne, Judge Allan MeLane, William Woodward, William Garth, J. H. Carstairs, William Martin, A. C. Bost-wick, Bakff Waters, EL F. Seagram, J. S. Joyce, B. B. Jones. J. Edwin Griffith, James Rowe, Fred Litthlield. Long before the running of the Preakness Stakes thousands who despaired of finding a point of vantage on the lawns or in the stands crossed the track to the infield, which had been thrown open earlier in the day, and it was from there that many watched the running and cheered the winn r. There was a sprinkle of rain, but this did not bother the enthusiasts, to whom the race meant much more than a possible wetting. And in this big infield crowd there was a considerable number of fair devotees of the turf many of them in light summery costumes befitting the warm weather. Governor Ritchie was escorted through the crowd to the stewards stand a full half hour before the horses were called to the post, and there was no one who appeared to enjoy the whole scene more than the chief executive of Maryland. He was there to present the Woodlav.n Vase to the owner of the winner. George W. Foremans Remedy proved best of the platers that met in the three-riuarters dash, when, after forcing all the pace, he led home E. R. Morehouses Lady Marie, with H. Rosier iHilanc-ys Single Star saving third from Fantastic. From a good start Rob rtson quickly went into the command with Ren dy. and, ence there, he rated the old gelding along smoothly. Lady Marie at all times had the speed of the Others and for an instant she threatened to run over the Foreman gelding, but at the head of the stretch, when Robertson shook him up, he drew out to be home an easy winner by three 1 ngihs. Lady Marie was doing her best to beat Single Star a length, when tha latter saved ground in the stretch and finish" d going well. In this Gold Stick, after b ginning slowly and being outrun the first part, circled around his rivals and was closing fast in the final eighth, but fifth was the b -st he could accomplish, being beaten a narrow margin for fourth. A three-quarters mil i ra e that brought together five fast or.es as the fifth race went to Bucky Harris, from the Justa Farm Stable, when he led home C. L. Whitings Dignus, with E. B. McLeans Greenock third. In this Dignus and Greenock were rushed along at a fast pace and finally Greenock took command to lead into the stretch. Bucky Harris had avoided all the early pace and was racing last in the back stretch, while Fair Anita and Clean Flay aReroated in third place. As was to he t -pe ted. the pace tcok care of both Dignus and Greenock, BtK-ky Harris then went to the outside in the final eighth to win going away. He came out of the race badly cut on his rear hoek.
