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SCRATCHES RUIN CARD ♦ Change in Aurora Track Conditions Causes Wholesale Withdrawals. ♦ STrycobel Graduates From Maiden Ranks in Only Race Without Claiming Clause. •— AURORA, 111., May 19.— The program at Exposition Park this afternoon was all but ruined by the change in track conditions. The heavy rain of last night and this morning turned a fast track into a sea of slop, and one race, the fourth, was declared off because the majority of the owners wished to scratch their horses. A substitute event of one mile and seventy yards was well filled this morning, and seven races were given, although the fields in some instances were rather small because of wholesale scratching. Owing to the inclement weather the crowd was small, and not much enthusiasm was displayed. Rain fell steadily during the earlier races. The only race that was minus the claiming clause was the fifth, in which three-year-olds raced five and one-half furlongs. Trycobel. racing for L. Harris, graduated from the maiden ranks in this when he led all the way to win by one length from Lucky Carter. The latter was a short distance in advance of Good Friend, the favorite. The winner beat the others away from the barrier, and, ridden in energetic fashion by jockey Leyland, held a short lead to the end. Good Friend began slowly and lost ground by racing on the outside, but was going well at the finish. WATCH ON MUCH BEST. The fans made no mistake when they installed Watch On a short priced favorite in the opener. The veteran son of On Watch was much the best and toyed with his rivals to win by seven lengths in hand. Fox-bolt was second and Sun Roman, a game going third. The race was at six furlongs and was run in a steady rain. Seven horses competed and the winner paid .98, the shortest price of the meeting. Sam Cole, under an energetic ride by jockey Hanford, came from behind in the second race to register by a head over Sam Gilmore, with Baptiste third. Several of the contestants took a turn at showing the way. From a poor start, Chester set the pace and lost command when he swung wide at the stretch turn. Favorit II. then took up the running but tired in the final furlong, and Sam Gilmore headed the field. However, Sam Cole, coming fast, was in front narrowly when the finish was passed. One of the greatest surprises of the meeting came with the running of the third race, when Elsien Bruce, a despised outsider, splashed through the slop to defeat a band of two-year-olds over the five furlongs distance. The winner, which had never before been in the money, was close to the leader at all times and, runing gamely through the stretch when the others were tiring, gained the lead twenty yards out and won going away. Prince Sweep finished and third money fell to Mailliw, the fecond, avorite. The winner is a daughter of King Bruce, a former plater, and is from the mare Bright Idea. She was well ridden by jockey R. Watson. SUBSTITUTE TO HOMEWOOD. Homewood accounted for his second purse of the meeting when he won the substitute race. The six-year-old, under a hustling ride by apprentice F. C. Smith, was in front at all times and won by a good margin. Chilly Flight outgamed Ted Healey for second place. Homewood is the only horse in the stable of T. Roberts and is known as a good soft track performer. He came in for some play in thre mutuels and paid 4. Modern Times, the favorite, was easily best in the sixth race and scored her third victory of the meeting. She raced next to the inner rail and close to the leader in the early stages and, heading Tanist, the early leader, on the final turn, drew away to an easy victory. Tanist held second place safe, while Alto was a fast going third. A field of seven started. Elsien Bruce, winner of the third race, was bred at the Exposition Park track and is the first of the get of King Bruce to crash the winners circle. Both her sire and dam, King Bruce and Bright Idea, formerly raced on Chicago tracks. She is owned by the King Bruce Stable of L. C. Newsome,
