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QUALIFIES FOR RICH RACES I * Aegis Defeats Preakness Stakes and • Kentucky Derby Eligibles. ♦ Jeffords Three-Year-Old Triumphs Over Good Band at Pimlico— Mud First in Sixth Race. i • ] BALTIMORE, Md., May 4.— Aegis, fast J son of American Flag which races for Wal- : ter M. Jeffords, qualified for his engagement in the Preakness Stakes, here Saturday, when he beat a field of Kentucky Derby and Preakness eligibles in the fifth race this afternoon. This was a dash of one mile J and a sixteenth. Aegis was ridden by D. Mergler, a lad who gallops him in all of his J trials. He was one of a field of seven that , went to the post and had strong support. J Mergler understands the peculiarities of . this colt and knows how to ride him. In the early stages he took Aegis back and was . content to race along in fifth position. He -made no move until after they turned out of . the back stretch and. when he did, he sent his mount to the outside. Aegis is a colt that does not like being bumped or interfered with. He has a sulky disposition and is likely to fight back. When called on, the Jeffords colt moved up in resolute fashion and at the three-eighths post was on even terms with Rip Van Winkle. As they turned for home Aegis shook off his opponents and after being straightened out for the final drive he had a lead of a ! length and a half. Once in front. Aegis was inclined to loaf and at the end Rip Van Winkle gained on him in a game effort to take the lead. Aegis had something left, however, and was half a length ahead at the end. Hillsborough came with a rush on the outside and got up in the final strides to finish a head in front of Ilium. VICE-PRESIDENT GUEST. Vice-President Charles Curtis was again on hand to witness the sport. It was a cheap band of two-year-olds that made up the field in the first race. The conditions called for a dash of four and a half furlongs under claiming conditions. Bad Axe, with Workman in the saddle, was . favorite. When the start came Workman got Bad Axe away fast and in the early stages his chances looked rosy, but making the turn into the home stretch, Robertson brought Dollys Baby up on the outside with a bold challenge and Bad Axe began to tire and at the end Dollys Baby caught and passed him to win going away by one length. Westivity was third, beaten four lengths for second place. Holiday was dropped down quite a bit and was in with an ordinary field of platers in the second race, but despite this he had to be urged to get home in time to beat the tiring Encounter by a length. In the run down the back stretch Encounter passed Unusual and looked to have the race won at the furlong post. In the final furlong, however, he began to tire and Holiday, coming from behind and closing with a game effort, got up in the final stages. Sturdy, closing a big gap from a slow beginning, finished third. Society Talk, a filly that finished in front of some of those shown in Maryland this spring, finally managed to graduate from the ranks of non-winners when she beat a band of maidens in the third race. Society Talk was ridden by J. McTag-gart and stood a long hard stretch drive to overhaul Joust and at the end won going away. Joust, beginning rapidly, bounded to the front and in the first furlong opened up a commanding lead. Making the turn for home the leader began to tire and Society Talk began to gain. In the stretch when put to a drive, Society Talk responded gamely. She got up in time to win by half a length. Flying was third. PHANTASEMES MISHAP. A mishap at the start ruined whatever chance the favorite, Phantasime, may have had in the fourth race. When the barrier was released Madam Queen swerved across to the inside, piling several of the others up in a jam. Pegg, on Phantasime, was forced to pull up and he might just as well have been left. A bit over anxious, Pegg went right after Phantasime and, rushing her up on the outside, she went outside her opponents on the turn into the back stretch and took command, but the effort was too much and when Ancoda challenged she tired and dropped out of it. Ancoda drew away, but in the stretch Sun Dreamer moved up with a challenge and was on even terms at the furlong post. Both were under a drive and Bejshak outrode Guerra and managed to land Ancoda in front by a head. Snooty was third. Phantasime was eased up when Pegg found the task a hopeless one. Mud is surely a game old plater, and it takes a jockey like Workman to get him to do his best. In the sixth race he stood a drive from the head of the home stretch and just lasted long enough to beat Fire Line by the smallest of margins. Robertson had the mount on the latter, and the two Whitney riders put up a great exhibition. Fire Line was well meant. Robertson hustled him away from the post, and he had a slight advantage over Mud at the half mile post. The pair were racing like a team with Fire Line on the inside. Workman maneuvered with Mud and finally succeeded in getting the rail position. When he did he never relinquished it. Wicker, a factor from the start, finished third, beaten half a length for second place. ♦
