view raw text
I LONG DISTANCE CONTESTS * Five of Seven Thorncliffe Park Races One Mile or Over. » . C. C. Smithsons Aucllla First Home la Lake Shore Parse — First Two Favorites Left at Post. TORONTO, Ont, May 30.— C. C. Smithson, the Washington sportsman, whose horses are in particularly good form just now, furnished the winner of todays feature at Thorncliffe Park when his Broomstick horse Aucilla scored in the Lake Shore Purse, a dash of a mile, to which was added a purse of ,500. Aucilla was well backed and went to the post an odds-on favorite. Ridden by Donald Mergler and following the pacemakers until on the far turn, Aucilla responded with good speed when called on and, taking command at the head of the stretch, drew away into a six lengths lead at the end. It was a mighty tight fit for second place between Quick Return and Lactarius, in which the former just lasted long enough, lactarius was gaining fast on the outside of the track and only a nose separated the pair at the finishing line. There were seven starters and J. Fred A. was a bit fractious at the post. When the barrier was released Pygmalion showed in front, while Quick Return began very slowly, being last to leave. J. Fred A. began fast and Thomas rushed him to the front and, on the back stretch, drew away into a lead of a length and a half. When Qu.:k Return found his legs, he moved up with a good burst of speed on the outside and, on the far turn, caught and passed J. Fred A. When the final test came, however, he tired. Secretary McLennan provided a series of distance races on his program and five of the seven races called for at least one mile. Three of the races were at one mile and an eighth and, while the fields were not overcrowded, good contests came with the running of a majority of them. ATTENDANCE LARGE. The attendance was surprisingly large. Favorites failed in the first three races and two of the defeated choices, Violado and Solidity, were unfortunate in being left at the post. Frank Byer, who seems to have a penchant for springing surprises, furnished the winner of the opening race, when Grey March, a filly by Grey Lag that Edward Arlington purchased of the Rancocas Stable before coming here, beat Showery by a head. Grey March was ridden by R. Pierce and came from behind in the stretch to wear down the tiring Showery and outgame her in the final drive. There were thirteen starters in this race and Violado was probably the heaviest backed favorite that has gone to the post at the meeting. The colt, always a good breaker at the Maryland meetings, appears to have gone sour. At all events, in his last two starts he has been left at the post. In todays effort he was bolting to the outside when the barrier was sprung and Harvey was, of course, forced to pull up. Fifteen went to the barrier in the second race, a dash of three-quarters. The conditions of the race called for maiden jockeys. The field was dispatched out of the stalls and, probably through the inexperience of the jockeys, they left in Indian file. Two of them— Solidity, the favorite, and Siberian-were as good as left at the post. Melva Rose, showing a good turn of speed, sprinted into a five-lengths lead in the run down the back stretch and it appeared as if she was to score a runaway victory. They had not gone much over three-eighths before Melva Rose began to wilt and, rounding the far turn, Galopin Diamond moved up and passed her. In the stretch run Grey of Dawn began gaining and the finish found her gradually wearing down the winner. She failed to get up, however, and was beaten by a neck. Sweetest Song was third, beaten three lengths for second place, and then came Collarvictoria. Four of the starters were bred at the Livingston farm at Cobourg and three of them were by Love Tie. BY A NARROW MARGIN. Dixie Smith scored a well earned victory in the third race when he led Wampee home by the smallest of margins. There were six starters and both Wampee and Dixie Smith were well backed, the former going to the post a favorite. Mann, who had the mount on Dixie Smith, sent him to the front in the run around the first turn and drew away into a two lengths lead on the back stretch. Hicks, on Wampee, adopted waiting tactics. He took Wampee in hand and the latter galloped along under restraint. When Hicks finally elected to make his move he went to the outside and passed the others on the far turn. Mann stole away into a long lead entering the home stretch, where he hugged the rail and, when Dixie Smith tired in the last sixteenth, he held his mount together well and the brown son of George Smith just lasted long enough. Wampee was gaining on him at the end and had Hicks made his move just a bit sooner he would undoubtedly have won. Miss Prim was third, five lengths back and a neck in front of Gnome Second. Stevens made every post a winning one with Irish Marine in the running of the fifth race and scored a well-earned victory when he beat Leger by a couple of lengths. The six horses back of the winner were heads and necks apart battling it out, all under furious drives. Circus Rider was a keen contender to the stretch, but at the end was tiring. Legers race was a good one. Outrun in the early stages, he finished fast and in the last sixteenth bumped his way through. Slice, well supported, was in rather tight quarters, and Fishman finally took him to the outside, losing much valuable ground entering the home stretch. This ruined whatever chance he may have had. Great Rock had to be best to win the sixth race. When the barrier was released he was back of the others, and Fishman had to hustle him along to get him up in the run to the turn. Down the back stretch he was rated in fourth place and on the far turn moved up to the pacemaker, Le Voyant, to dispose of the latter in the stretch. At the finish Great Rock had a seven-lengths advantage and was still going away. Second place honors went to the Seagram racer, . Star of Gold, which wore down the tiring Le Voyant and beat him by a head In the last few strides. Montclair, well fancied by his connections, but never a serious factor, was fourth.
