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MIKE HALL TRIUMPHS i .Makes Amends for Defeat in First Start of Year. Easily Takes Measure of Low Gear, Fiddle and Ashtabula in Richmond Purse. "LEXINGTON, Ky., April 21. Mike Hall, Robert M. Eastmans great racer, offered evidence refuting the belief that increasing age and his jaunt to England last fall might liave taken from his once great powers when lie easily defeated Low Gear, Fiddler and Ashtabula in the Richmond Purse, at one mile, which topped this afternoons good program at the Kentucky Association track. It was the six-year-olds first victory of the year and first since his return from abroad. True, the trio that opposed him in the Richmond Purse were from among "these of the lower flights, but the venerable victor defeated them with all the ease and dispatch of his best days and after running the distance in 1:29, galloped out the mile and a quarter in 2:04 to add additional merit to his afternoons work. The race and workout were fashioned as his final distance preparation for next Mondays renewal of the Dixie Handicap at Pimlico, which lie annexed in record time two years back. SUIUMUSIXGLY LARGE CROWD. By his easily-gained triumph before another surprisingly large crowd that braved chilly weather, the record-holding son of Hburless made amends for a decisive defeat on the opening day of the meeting and he gdes East on Thursday carrying the hopes of jll Kentucky. Tills afternoon Clarence McCrossen, who will guide him in the Dixie and other important engagements this year, found the gelding possessed of sufficient speed to lead throughout and there was never a time when he put full effort in the task of holding the lead. During the early stages Ashtabula was closest in pursuit, but he gave way after a half mile and Fiddlers bid in the stretch was too weak to put the Eastman gelding to test. After reaching the final eighth he drew away to lead by three lengths as Low Gear gradually wore down Fiddler for the place. Unflinching confidence in the winner was reflected in the strong support he received and his triumph was immensely popular. j PULL IX WEIGHTS. Again he had a decided pull in the weights, conditions admitting him under 118 pounds, while Low Gear carried but five less and Fiddler and Ashtabula, 3-year-olds, were required to pick up 105 pounds each. Todays sport opened the first full week of the meeting and Kentucky spring season and again found much of its patronage in visitors from throughout the breeding districts, Louisville and Cincinnati. Immediately following Mike Halls victory, H. C. Hatchs Black Cloud registered another score for the public choices when he led home Show Down, General Jackson and four others of the better grade platers in the sixth race. This was contested over a mile and seventy yards and the winner, ridden by apprentice G. Riley, had to overcome a decided disadvantage sustained when he stumbled on the first turn. He gradually wore down Show Down after entering the main stretch and was drawing out as he led the early pacemaker by a length at the end. A fairly even effort put General Jackson in third place at the end, while James M. was outrun throughout. Gallaher and Combs furnished a winner from among their homebred two-year-olds when Back Log, a son of Bunting and Whirl, which was making his first start, scored impressively in the second race. This was a purse affair for maidens of the weaker sex and had decision over four and one-half furlongs, an increase oyer the distance for previous contests for the baby racers. Making her own pace and clipping off the distance in :53, just one-fifth of a second slower than the track record, the winner was home two lengths in ad vance of The Wampus, a first-time starter, son of Omar Khayyam and Deemster, the odds-on choice, followed six lengths away. But for a brief time in the stretch, where The Wampus offered a mild challenge, the winner was not seriously engaged and, with keener opposition, might have run in faster time. Deemster went down without apparent mishap and had a close call for third with Good Jest. Working his way to the lead after the opening quarter and drawing away into de- Continued on twenty-fourth page. MIKE HALL TRIUMPHS Continued from first page. cisive command in the turn, the Reuter Stables Black Flyer sprinted home the easiest sort of winner in the introductory dash. Captains Daughter, AVingo and Miss Sud-duth fought it out in tight alignment for the minor portion of the purse, with second going to the former and third to Wingo. They were in advance of the others for the entire final half mile of the Futurity distance, while Meriwick, which commanded most backing, failed to prove a factor at any stage and finished far back. The race resulted painfully for the AVildmore Stables Honi Soit, which fell badly lame during the running. Mrs. K. Ramseys Your Play proved much the best among eleven of the lower grade older fillies and mares which tried conclusions over one mile and seventy yards in the third race. The winner, a big favorite and ridden by AVillie Garner, raced from a long way back, but was up to win in hand and by two lengths over Gotta Gonow, which held to her task in game order after failing to withstand the rush of the winner, with the result that she was an easy second over tho closely aligned Leah Jane and Sarda. Rare Charm, showing a measured improvement over her previous race here, added another surprise when she accounted for the Misses Purse, or fourth race for juvenile fillies. H. Fisher drove from behind Plumage to the lead after reaching the stretch and, continuing in stout order, she was not seriously menaced by the fast-closing Master Rose, which got up for second place. It was only by a nose that Plumage, which weakened badly after leading for more than three and one-half of the four and one-half furlongs, saved third over Reverberate, which made the best of poor chances after getting away in ragged order, while My Margaret bolted on the turn and was pulled up. Rare Charms success made it three in four races for winter campaigned starters, and was the first of the meeting to the credit of the Paradise Stock Farm and jockey H. Fisher, her rider.
