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SPANFLOW IS WINNER Defeats Field of Stayers in Wlile and Half Behrman Memorial. Polylith, Lucky, Scores Surprise Victory in Ramirez Purse J. George Successful. NEW ORLEANS, La., Jan. 9. Although the race was under conditions limiting the starters to the more ordinary plater four-year-olds and over, the Martin Behrman Memorial Claiming Purse, contested over a mile and one-half, and in the position of honor on todays program at Jefferson Park, resulted in an exciting contest well worthy of the keen interest manifested in it. Over a slow hut rapidly drying track, Mrs. D. Levys Spanflow, ridden by apprentice J. Battista, was returned the winner, with Klingstone, F. S. Pages old campaigner, second, and Constance Ann, racing for B. Baughman, third. Nine others, making a field of maximum proportions, also participated in the long, trying contest. The race, named in honor of the memory of the late Martin Behrman, mayor of New Orleans for sixteen years, was responsible for the presence of a number of prominent business and political leaders in the large crowd that attended. Joseph Skelly, city commissioner,, representing Mayor T. Sem-mes Walmsley, presented Mrs. Levy with a floral horseshoe. BATTISTAS CONFIDENT RIDE. Battista rode a confident, waiting race on the victor, and coming through stoutly when called upon, the victorious five-year-old Spanish Prince II. gelding overtook the leaders in the large field with a rush around the stretch turn. Approaching the closing eighth he supplanted Klingstone, which was among the leaders throughout, in front and, drawing clear, was not pushed during the very late stages. Klingstone held on well enough to save the runner-up laurels from the rapidly closing Constance Ann, which made up much ground in the concluding quarter. Starch, favorite, weakened in the final drive after being indulged with all the pacemaking. Make Believe and Traumel, also well supported, found the route too far and quit in the last quarter. Spanflow carried an impost of 106 pounds over the mile and a half in 2:40, eight seconds slower than the track record, yet a very creditable performance under prevailing conditions. J. GEORGE GRADUATES. J. George, six-year-old gelding, by The Cub Just Because, racing for R. P. Sparks and having the backing of his connections, displayed too much speed for Miss Onine, Solus and seven others at every stage of the three-quarters introductory race. Overcoming the handicap of the more holding part of the track leaving the chute, the winner soon showed in front and after going a quarter of a mile, was in safe command. Miss Onine followed closest to the scarcely known western-bred throughout and at the end was two and one-half lengths back and as far in front of Solus, with Beauty Bride fourth. The latter lost some ground when he stumbled at the stretch turn. The original fourth race, run as the second and given over to twelve three-year-olds, resulted in a victory for the consisent Lazy Mary, from the Lone Star Stable. She disposed of Adrian and Motive in the closing two furlongs of the three-quarters, and won by four lengths, with the suddenly improved Motive second and Gay Prince third. Adrian, favorite, apparently did not fancy having Motive race with him after a quarter and stopped Steady plodding brought Gay Prince into third place in a close finish with the fast-closing Madfinis and retiring Adrian. Repeated crowding marked the third race, or Col. R. Arturo Ramirez Claiming Purse, second on the program as originally arranged, and Polylith, probably the chief offender, got home for an upset victory. The race was over three-quarters of a mile. My Sweets finished second and Hippias third. My Sweets and Hippias were lucky to miss interference, but the well-backed Estin was so sharply impeded before the turn was reached that he all but went to his knees, and, dropping far back, was almost safely eliminated. Polylith, My Sweets and Hippias led into the stretch in close alignment, but after five-eighths Polylith came away swiftly as both My Sweets and Hippias weakened. A field of cheaper sprinters that included Continued on thirteenth page. SPANFLOW IS WINNER Continued from first page. a number of winners during the meeting, raced six furlongs in the fourth, or substitute number for the race called off, and the Nugent Bros. Thomas Seth was returned the winner. He experienced no easy time dealing with Petabit, favorite, and but for the latters fractiousness at the post, which greatly distressed her for the race, she might have made good for her many backers. Polyfon, which was seen in the early lead and was widely outpaced by the winner and Petabit after three-eighths, managed to stagger in third with Drury next.
