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VICTORY FOR CEBRIAN «. General Grant Takes Measure of Colonel Shaw by a Nose. ■♦ Close Finishes Predominate at Downs — Veteran Lucky Drift Races to Victory in First. ♦ LOUISVILLE, Ky.. May 31.— Consistent with a majority of the races preceding it, the allowance race for three-year-olds at six and a half furlongs, the principal Churchill Downs attraction today, resulted in a close finish, in which Edward Cebrians General Grant defeated Colonel Shaw, owned by W. H. Whitehouse, by a head. Irish Pal finished in third place with five others, including Bar None and Longridge, the Long-ridge Stable pair, among the unplaced. It was the winners second race of the year and he exhibited the most speed from the start. A. Abel was required to hustle him vigorously for the first three-eighths, where his advantage over Betty Ames and Irish Pal was small. When making the turn he began adding to his margin, which had mounted to almost two lengths when he reached the stretch. He seemed in no danger until Colonel Shaw began to make an inroad upon his lead in the last eighth. Colonel Shaw maintained his fine speed in the final drive and was fast catching the leader when the finish was reached. But for meeting interference from Bar None when leaving the back stretch, Colonel Shaw might have reversed the finish. When Bar None crowded Colonel Shaw the latter was forced over on Longridge, the formers stable companion. Longridge struck the inner rail during the crowding. Irish Fal gave a good account of himself and held on with considerable courage to outstay Bar None for third. The post of public favoritism fell to Colonel Shaw, with the winner next in demand. The races today were unusually well contested, with a number of the most spectacular finishes of the meeting thrilling the large crowd that had ideal weather to add to the afternoons entertainment. A majority of the winners came from among the well-backed starters and several of these encountered no small difficulty making good. DISTURB BY INCHES. One of the closest finishes of the meeting came out of the Twin Caves Purse, for two-year olds that served as the secondary feature. The winner here was the Southland Stables Disturb, which led Piince Pat by inches at the end of the five-eighths. The splendid ride W. Fronk accorded the winner in the hectic final drive was largely responsible for his success. He engaged Prince Pat in a furious duel for the final sixteenth, during which the two were almost on even terms. Badger Face, which set a fast pace for a half mile, was third, just a half length back of Piince Pat. The latter was coupled with War Time as the Three Ds Stock Farm entry, and had no assistance from the Man o" War colt as a result of his running out for the entire race. The veteran mare Lucky Drift took down her first purse in some time when she scored a popular victory over Virginia Beauty, Margate and six others in the three-quarters race that opened the program. After racing close up to the final three-eighths, Lucky Drift began the task of disposing of the leaders and, after passing Cleora into the lead, held Virginia Beauty safe. The latter hail her chances reduced when she was taken back on the stretch turn and the fine manner in which she finished over the final eighth indicated that, with better riding, she might have been a more troublesome rival for the winner. Margate failed to outstay Virginia Beauty after getting into second place in the last eighth and had but a head to spare over Cleora for third. RICHARDS GOOD RIDL. Hal P. Headleys Maidens Tryst, under a good ride by H. Richards, scored a nose victory over Fanta in front of thirteen other maiden two-year-olds in the second race. Fanta raced like much the best and. finishing with a belated rush, passed many of her rivals in the stretch and just failed to reach the front in time to get the decision. Panini, a prominent factor at every juncture, was third, followed by Agitation. The race at five-eighths was run in the slow time of 1:01%. Mum Ruffin. the erratic Russley gelding which seldom leaves the barrier in Rood lash-ion, got away in splendid style in the third race atid scored one of the luckiest victories of the meeting. He had exceptionally strong support. The luck of his triumph came in the final eighth of the one mile and a sixteenth distance, during which E. Ambrose managed to get him through on the inside to beat Wolfy by a head. The latter, when bearing out and carrying Loretta Brooks wide through the stretch, left a big gap on the inside, and his repeated bumping of Loretta Brooks probably cost her the race. She was beaten by a head for second place, making for a spectacular finish.
