view raw text
THORNCLIFFE RACING GOOD ♦ Spirited Finish in Third Offering, Noses Separating Leading Two. . * Sea Kale Awarded the Decision — Meridian Queen Beats By in Featured St. Thomas Handicap. ♦ TORONTO, Ont., May 14.— Stirring contests were in order at Thorncliffe this afternoon. Well matched fields went to the post in a majority of the races, and the finishes in some instances were of the sort that the winners were in doubt until the official placing was displayed. This was particularly so in the third race, when noses separated the first three. This was the Forest Hills Purse, a race fashioned for maiden jockeys, and it was unusual for these lads to put up this sort of a finish. The winner, Sea Kale, was ridden by McLaughlin, a lad under contract to H. C. Hatch. Ideal racing conditions brought out a large gathering to Thorncliffe. The management this spring used excellent judgment in setting the running of the first race at 2 oclock. This enables racegoers to return to town in good time for their dinner engagements. The St. Thomas Handicap, which was provided as a feature, brought a smart field of sprinters to the post, and like many of the other events, furnished an interesting contest. Clinton H. Miller furnished the winner in Meridian Queen, which beat the odds-on favorite Blimp by a scant length. Meridian Queen came from behind in the stretch run, and it was only in the last few strides that she caught and passed the tiring Blimp. The latter was a bit unfortunate in being cut off and knocked back at the turn out of the back stretch, where Noa-joyce cut across from the outside, and in the jam which ensued Blimp and Bubbling Out were crowded back. JOCKEY COOPER PUNISHED. After the race a ruling came from the stewards fining jockey R. Cooper 5 and suspending him for the remainder of the meeting for rough riding. The sport opened with a dash of five and a half furlongs, for three-year-olds and upward foaled in Canada. It brought out the full quota of twelve to the post. The Thorncliffe Stable furnished the favorite in Sun Man. a good looking gelding by Oil Man. This fellow has been showing up well in his trials this spring. He found strong support and ran a smashing good race. Aimers had the mount, and when the start came Sun Man was a bit slow to get going. Outrun in the early stages, he gradually improved his position, and in the run through the home stretch moved up with a bold challenge. A stride or two from the finishing mark he caught and passed Candy Man, only to tire right at the end, which enabled Capitol to get up and beat him by a head. Candy Man was the one to make the pace. Dashing to the front, he drew away the first sixteenth and set a rapid pace. Sabana and Sergeant Major were well up but tired when put to a drive. Jack Whyte showed up a pretty shifty son of a filly in the Gray Coach Purse, when he sent Sun Teatime to the post for Willis Sharpe Kilmer. She was ridden by C. Phillips and found strong support. At post time she was a hot favorite and when it came to the running she made good all for the nice things said of her. A well behaved filly at the post. Sun Teatime was off forwardly when the barrier was sprung and before they had gone a sixteenth she was out in front setting a rapid pace. Phillips permitted her to race right along and, rounding the far turn, she had opened up a lead of a length and a half. Continuing on at a fast clip, Sun Teatime kept increasing her advantage and at the finish she had a lead of four lengths. FRACTIOUS AT START. The R. S. McLaughlin stable sent a couple of good lookers to the posfc in Sheila Wood and Sweeping All, the latter a son of General Thatcher. Sweeping All, a colt evidently of some courage, was a bit fractious at the barrier and when a twitch was put on him it did not improve matters any. When the start finally came he was away slowly and Townrow did not. persevere with him. Sheila Wood, his stable companion, came from behind in the run through the stretch, closing with a good burst of speed, and was up in the last dozen strides to get third. Sea Kale came from a long ways back to get up in time to win the third race. McLaughlin had the mount and he rode a patient race. In the early stages he nursed his mount along under slight restraint with the result that when called on for a final effort in the run through the home stretch Sea Kale had a bit in reserve. Saratoga Maje was the one to make the pace. Bona-hue, over anxious, a fault that most beginners have, lost no time in sending Saratoga Maje to the front and kept him going at top speed. When challenged in the final stages and put to a drive Saratoga Maje had nothing left and the finish found him staggering. It was a tight fit between the first three and they were noses apart as they passed the judges. It was one of those finishes in which the winner war. in doubt until the Oificial placing was displayed. «
