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STORM AT LOUISVILLE ♦ Rain Falls Steadily While Races Are Being Decided. » . Martie Flynn First Favorite to Win — Ultimexican Furnishes Surprise in Fourth Race. ♦ LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 25.— Todays Churchill Downs racing was conducted under adverse conditions as a result of heavy storms which set in shortly after the running of the opening race and continued almost without interruption for the remainder of the afternoon. Light showers preceded the opening of the program and, after the first race was run over a fast course, horses, with a penchant for muddy footing, had their fancy fulfilled to the utmost. The deluge that descended after the initial race was one of the heaviest that has visited this vicinity in some time. The downpour was accompanied by severe display of lightning, and the surprisingly large crowd that journeyed to the track kept well under shelter most of the afternoon. The changed track conditions proved a hazard for the favorites, and it was not until Stuyvesant Peabodys Martie Flynn accounted for the featured New Albany Purse, at one mile, that a public favorite succeeded in racing up to expectations. Martie Flynn had his work cut out for him, and W. Fronk was required to handle him in skilfull fashion to have him win by a half length from Boni-van at the finish. Crossco was third in the field of six that started. The start found Afterglow away slowly as Bonivan sprinted to the fore closely attended by the winner. Fronk restrained Martie Flynn in close pursuit of Bonivan for three-quarters then permitted him to make his way into a short lead, which he retained in game fashion while negotiating the final eighth. Durnig the latter portion of the race Bonivan held on tenaciously and the slightest faltering of the winner probably would have reversed the finish. Although never far off the leaders, Crossco did her best running through the main stretch, where she gradually made up ground and finished with the most speed shown by any of the participants. SPLENDID PERFORMANCE. Martie Flynn raced the distance out of the chute in 1 :40%, which marked a splendid performance. It was his first appearance since the Kentucky Derby and his third victory since purchased by Mr. Peabody. The race was an allowance affair and the winner, as well as Bonivan, conceded much weight to the older opponents. Hornsby, owned by J. B. Respess and Polk Laffoon, was returned victorious over Scotland. Gov. Pratt and the seven other top-grade platers that made the running in the introductory race, at three-quarters. Hornsby raced from behind with belated speed and succeeded in wearing down Scotland in the last sixteenth. He had but a neck to spare at the finish, with Scotland well in advance of Gov. Pratt. Scotland found extensive backing and while his defeat came as one of the chief disappointments of the afternoon, he was defeated after a good, race and without the slightest excuse. San Juan, E. W. Mays full sister to Battle Creek, and making her first start, took into camp a band of maiden juvenile fillies in the five-eighths mile second race, for which Agincourt shared favoritism with Kitty Mullally. San Juan sprinted to victory over a track made muddy by a heavy fall of rain that set in soon after the running of the previous race. She won easily from Kitty Mullally, which set most of the pace, and Chatterblack was third. Agincourt. after a display of early speed, began dropping back and was badly outrun in the final quarter. RUN IN DARKNESS. The third race, which was run during a severe storm and darkness that made it difficult to discern the colors of the starters, developed a victory for the suddenly improved William T. over Old Fellow in a driving finish. Stormy Port was third, well in advance of the three others. William T. had to be much the best to make good for the confident support he had, as C. Churchman was required to take him back sharply when three-ti.nhths from the finish and his subsequent task to get up to win at the end of the mile and a sixteenth was a hard one. After being returned to his stride following the ill luck, William T. was taken to the outside and stood a long drive gamely to subdue Old Fellow. The latter raced prominently throughout and passed Stormy Tort, the early pacemaker into the lead, after reaching the stretch. ■ — ■ — « — — -* Continued on twenty -second pace. STORM AUOUISVILLE Continued from first page. Trainer It. C. Frakes made a clean sweep of the races for tv. o-year-olds when Ultl-mcxican, which he trains for the Gorhani brothers, accounted for the fourth. The son of Ultimatum, after acting fractiously on the way to the barrier, succeeded In getting away in motion and outran his company for the full five-eighths. lie found most opposition in Florinassa, which followed in close pursuit and forced W. Garner to keep the leader racing almost at his best throughout the Stretch. Larrikin, which held to a contending position to the Stretch, tired badly during file concluding three-sixteenths, but managed to outstay Pretty Michell lor third.
