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ALTON PURSE TO STITCHES • — ■ E. K. Brysons Filly Registers Second Straight Win of Meeting. ♦ Agnin Takes Measure of Water I, ad, Runner-up in Former Start — Secrecy Favored by the Going. COLLINSVILLE. III.. June 20.— The Alton Purse, featuring the program this afternoon at Fairmount Park, brought out a small field of throe-year-old sprinters, and they matched strides over the three-quarters distance. K. K. Brysons colors were carried to another success by the Folymelian filly Stitches, when she exhibited much the most speed in the going and was winner at every stage, after racing into the lead while going the first quarter. The Capitol Stables Water Lad finished second and always held the others safe, lie followed the winners lead in game stylo as they raced through the last eighth of the Stretch drive, but he was not equal to the task of overtaking her at the distance and suffered defeat by a half length margin, being in close quarters on the inside in the last fifty yards. F. Hayes Memoria always outrrn the other two starters and was an easy third. Stitches ad .ed another score for the favorites and registered her second straight win here in a like number of starts, incidentally her second victory at the expense of Water Lad, he heing runner-up to her on the occasion of their last meeting. Pleasant weather conditions prevailed for the sport, bat the track was deep in mod. which condition was caused by rain of the previous night. Mrs. L. M. Holmes four-year-old Colonel Vennie filly Secrecy, racing in her best form and favored by the muddy going, added further to the Holmes successes here, in accounting for the initial race, a dash of three-quarters of a mile, for which there was a bulky field of twelve starters. Secrecy was slightly overlooked and upset the calculations somewhat. Phil Foto, given a good ride by A. Tfner, unexpectedly raced into second place and proved much the best for that award. Shining Light, another of the more lightly backed ones, finished third. Shining Light did most of the early leading, after racing past Quanah at the far turn, and then began setting a good pace to the stretch. Secrecy was kept in close pursuit of the leaders by Horvath and. finding a large opening on the inside as they moved into the home stretch, quickly took the lead, nearing the last eighth, and then gamely held sway easily to the end. Euclid was the offending favorite, scarcely proving formidable at any stage. HO"! E "WOOD DECISIVELY. B. Haughtons colors were carried to a decisive victory by Homevvood, piloted by jockey Dent Smith. The three-year-old cantered to the finish of the three-quarters mile second race to be winner five lengths in advance of .1. G. Browns extensively backed favorite. Blue Blood. The latter was forced to bow in defeat when not nearly good enough to cope with Homewood in the muddy going, but saved second place easily. L JO. Majors Bill Seth was the one to annex the minor award in this. Blue Blood had the most early speed, but was extremely hard pressed in the first half mile when Cherokee Maid and Homewood raced right in the leaders wake. Blue Blood held sway by a half length to the turn into the home stretch, where Cherokee Maid was then disposed c 5. Homewood overhauled Blue Blood after a strenuous duel approaching the last eighth, but Blue Blood was unable to withstand the resolute challenge made by the eventual winner, and Homewood then drew away in the final eighth to his easy victory. This race narked the discarding here of the Waite patented stall gate starting machine, the start of the race being effected without it. Breast Plate was the first favorite to win during the afternoon. His victory came in the third race, when he led home Lord Valentine, with Talequa in third place a good distance back of the two leaders. Talequa just got up in time to defeat Waponoca by a nose. There were eleven starters, with Thistle Clad and Lord Valentine dominating in the van in the early stages. Breast Plate, as usual, came from far in the rear of the leaders, gaining fast under a good ride by L. Morris, moved into a contending position entering the stretch and in a strong final challenge was ultimately aide to gradually wear down and ontgame Lord Valentine in the final few yards. WELL-DESERVED TINUMPn. Cleanser, a two-year-old daught -r of Sweep ■ flerenest carrying the colors of B. S. Clark, raced to a well deserved victory and accounted for the purse in the race for maiden juvenile fillies. Cleanser scored another on the right Bide of the ledger for the form player: whenshe was installed a pronounced choice. Virginia Flynn proved much the speediest in the early stages, when she raced away into a long lead. Cleanser was soon In closest pursuit of the leader and followed her the last sixteenth, while Busy Miss raced next in order. Virginia Flynn began to tire badly while but seventy yards out and it was at this stage that Cleanser was shaken up by jockey C. Ponce and, under his good riding, she made a determined final rush and just got up in the last twenty yards to overtake Virginia Flynn. Busy Miss held on to third place and outlasted Blue Heaven, another that finished with a belated rush in the last fifty yards. E. McCuan disposed of the maiden racer King High, having sold the latter to M J. Whalen at private sale. Jockey J. Jones leaves tonight for Arlington Park to do the riding there for the P. Kicholas stable.
