Sunfire Wins Toronto Cup: Carries R. T. Wilsons Colors Successfully in Rich Woodbine Fixture---Canter and Aucilla Finish Second and Third Respectively, Daily Racing Form, 1928-05-25

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SUNHRE WINS TORONTO CUP ♦ Carries R. T. Wilsons Colors Successfully in Rich Woodbine Fixture— Canter and Aucilla Finish Second and Third Respectively TORONTO, Ont., May 24. — R. T. Wilsons Sunfire, a three-year-old chestnut colt, by Olambala — Sunburst, accounted for the Toronto Cup at Woodbine Park this afternoon when he came from behind in the stretch to defeat J. E. Griffiths Canter by two and a half lengths. Aucilla, which races for C. C. Smithson, was third and F. H. Smiths Prickly Heat was fourth. There were thirteen starters and Sunfire was a well played favorite. Retaliate and J. Fred A. were fractious at the barrier and were responsible for the nine minutes delay at the post. In one of his lunges, Retailiate went through the webbing and, bolting for the inside fence, struck the rail with force enough to demolish two of the pickets and unseat Harvey, who took a flying leap into the I infield. When they were finally sent away Sunfire was off better than usual, beginning second, with Canter leading. Aucilla was away in fifth place, but in the run to the turn drew away and had a two lengths lead entering the back stretch. She increased this to three lengths at the half-mile post, where J. Fred A. moved into second place. Sunfire, in the meantime, had been knocked back to eighth place, Canter bumping him a couple of times in the early stages. Every time Callahan made a move he met with interference and, in desperation at the half-mile post, took Sunfire back and pulled over to the outside. When clear Sunfire moved up with good speed and, catching the leaders, was in a contending position at the three-eighths post. Entering the home stretch he gained on Canter and, disposing of him without effort, won goii.g away in the last sixteenth. The winner was plainly best and. with anything like a clear passage, would have won by a long margin. After weighing out S. ODcnnell, who rode Canter, entered a claim of foul against the winner, claiming that Sunfire had bumped him in passing on the stretch run. Many in the grandstand were of the opinion that the stewards had sent for ODonnell for repeatedly roughing the winner in the first quarter. At all events, after hearing the statements of both riders, the stewards allowed the placing to stand as the horses finished. Besides adding a purse of 3,000 to the race, the Ontario Jockey Club presented to the owner of the winner a handsome silver cup. In the absence of R. T. Wilson, Jr., Thomas J. Healey, trainer of Sunfire, received the cup. The race vas worth 3,020 net to the winner. It was a tremendous gathering that turned out at the Woodbine to witness a great afternoons racing. Stirring finishes came with the running of several of the races and as a majority of the races were v - by well-backed horses, those present deemed it a perfect day. Another score came for the Seagram Stable when Best Bonnet won the first race at the Woodbine, and it brought the total number of winning races for the Waterloo sportsman up to seven. Best Bonnet met a field of Canadian-bred maidens in this race. She was ridden by Pichon, who rode a patient race on the Seagram filly. He was content to trail the leaders in the early stages and permitted the pacemakers to race themselves into defeat. Not until rounding the far turn did Pichon make a move, and when he called on Best Bonnet the latter responded with enough speed to wear down Mad Mullah and, Continued on twentieth page. SUNFIRE WINS TORONTO CUP Continued from first page. under a mild drive, won going away by half a length. Galopin Diamond was third, beaten off eight lengths. There certainly is plenty of action in the races at Woodbine this spring and the sport has been marked by the number of close finishes, both in flat races and steeplechases. The running of the Lion Heart Steeplechase, which attracted much interest from lovers of cross-country sport, furnished a spectacular contest, in which the Riverdale Stables Manifold was winner by a head from Kangaroo. The Canadian-owned fencer came from behind under punishment to get up in the last stride. Another head finish came with the running of the Bendigo Plate, a dash of five-eighths, for two-year-olds, when Bud Fishers Gangster came from behind with a rush in the final eighth to wear Glacial down and beat him out in the last few strides. A


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