view raw text
OFF DAY AT THORNCLIFFE ♦ Six Races on Toronto Program for Ordinary Horses. » Mollie Elizabeth Disappointing Favorite in Jtlrcrdale Purse — Iloyal Weteft Graduates From Maiden Ranks. » — TORONTO, Ont:, June 1.— The program at Thorncliffe Park today was made up of a series of races, the conditions of which su*ed the ordinary class horses. Six of the seven races were claiming affairs and three of them were at sprinting distances. The fields* in a majority of the races were large and cumbersome, fifteen going to the post in all of the first three races and an even dozen facing the barrier in the fifth. While the fields lacked class, they were well matched and in the first two races noses separated the first two horses as they flashed past the judges. If there was a feature it was the Riverdale Purse, which was run as the fourth race. This was a race of a mile, for which Mollie Elizabeth was a prohibitive favorite. There were eight starters and one of them, Pens Chic, got the better of her rider while on the way to the post and ran away three-quarters. The result proved a factor for the public, the winner turning up in Royal Watch, a maiden from the stable of W. H. Wright. Breaking well and moving up on the outside in the run around the first turn. Royal Watch assumed command on the back stretch and at all stages of the race held Mollie Elizabeth safe. At the half-mile post Fleming was standing straight up in his stirrups and it looked as if he would toss the race away. He sat down again and Royal Watch, racing gamely and true, kept his head in front of the favorite. At the eighth post Brown went to a drive on Mollie Elizabeth, but the mare was unable to improve her position and in a mild drive Royal Watch won going away by half a length Lower Five was third, a dozen lengths back, and then followed Hoity Toity. BY SMALLEST OF MARCIX. Fifteen maiden two-year-olds went to the post in the first race and Mrs. C. V. B. Cushman furnished the winner in Showery, which beat R. Parrs Highland Fling by a nose. R. P. Marshalls Jake Jacoby was third. It was a cumbersome field and they were at the post five minutes before a start was obtained. When they got away the field was pretty well strung out and Snellboc and Marion Payne were left. Ding Don was away fast, was immediately taken in hand, but dropped out of it rounding the far turn. Showery then assumed the lead and, at the top of the home stretch, drew away in a manner that made it appear as if it was a case of all over but the shouting. In the last sixteenth Showery began to tire and, when the pinch came, she quit and Wall just managed to last long enough to stall off Highland Fling. The latter finished in resolute fashion under a furious drive. Jake Jacoby was a fast finishing third and Marion May was fourth. Another large field went to the post in the second race, in w7hich fifteen platers met. There was a hot tip out on Botanic and the wise ones got aboard early and at post time the weight of money wagered on his chances made him favorite. Harvey had the mount and was forced to put up a rousing finish to get Botanic up to beat Torrence by a nose. A length and a half back of this pair followed Mont Daisy and then came Fenlight, beaten a like distance for third money. The start, which was out of the starting stalls, was a good one and Mont Daisy was quickest to begin. She led by a comfortable margin for five-eighths but, at the end, tired badly despite OMalleys strong finish. Torrence was racing in second position and, when the leader faltered, he took the lead, ■only to tire himself, and Botanic just managed to get up in the final stride. GOOD THINGS FAIL. Casting and Santa Sweep were served up as good things in the third race, but both failed to make the grade. Santa Sweep, after showing much early speed, managed to stagger home in third place, a head in front of Casting. The winner was Donna Alicia. Ridden by J. Walker and following the pacemaker until straightened out in the home stretch, Donna Alicia charged up on Santa Sweep and in the final sixteenth took command to win going away by a length and a half. Gold Bells was second, half a length in front of Santa Sweep. Ifs and Ands and Tommy Burns proved a winning combination in the fifth race, for which Solidity was made favorite. Ifs and Ands, a bit slow to begin, gradually improved her position and in the stretch finished in a resolute fashion that landed her winner by half a length from Mad Mullah. The latter was the one to set the pace. Taking the lead in the run around the first turn, Mad Mullah showed good speed and at the half-mile post was two lengths in front of Mystic Star. Solidity, which began very slowly, had worked his way up on the extreme outside and was now in third place. Coleman made much use of him to get to the leaders, with the result that his .horse had nothing left when the real issue came and the finish found him dropping out of the picture. J. A. Parsons, who disposed of the two steeplechasers Press Gang and Jingle during the Woodbine meeting, is replenishing his stable via the claiming route. Yesterday he took Rapid Water for ,500 and today he took Santa Sweep out of the third race for a like amount. , * .
