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SPECTACULAR CONTEST Islams Gameness Factor in Victory at Hialeah Park, Fetish Scores in One Mile and 1 Half Race Port Harlem Adds to Earnings. MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 9. Jack Howards Islam, in one of the most thrilling finishes of the season, was winner of the Fort Pierce Claiming Handicap at Hialeah Park this afternoon. His margin of victory was only a nose over J. P. Whites John F., and Gay Bird was lapped on the pair of them, but it was a remarkable exhibition of gameness in the winner, for he had to fight his way through in the final strides. Robertson, who had the mount on Gay Bird, roughed the son of The Porter in the stretch and both Corbett, who rode Islam, and the horse himself had to have a full degree of courage to fight clear of the interference. It really was a three-horse race, for the others were beaten off. The sport, topped by this claiming handicap, was excellent and it brought the first mile and a half race of the meeting, which fell to Mose Lowensteins Fetish. A large crowd was out and there was a continuation of delightful weather. K Only six went to the post for the Fort Pierce Handicap and while parading to the post Full Dress ran off with Stevens and he had run three furlongs before he was controlled. GOOD START. Little time was lost in the stalls and the start was a good one, with Full Dress showing the way. John F. and Gay Bird were close after him and then came Jack Collins, while Islam was only showing the way to Aldershot, but he was soon galloping along smoothly for Corbett. Full Dress, because of his runaway before the start, tired of his pacemaking as John F., Jack Collins and Gay Bird hung to him resolutely and as he dropped out of contention Corbett moved up with Islam, choosing a route along the inner rail, where there was abundant room. Next it was John F. that took up the burden of the pace and Kurt-singer sent him into a lead of a couple of lengths. Gay Bird was hanging on well and turning into the stretch he was outside the son of Ladkin. This gave Corbett his chance with Islam, but as he moved up Robertson came over with Gay Bird and pocketed him back of John F. With no chance to go through on the inside, Islam literally shouldered Gay Bird out of the way and in a desperate finish dropped his nose down before John F. Gay Bird was just a half length back of these and five lengths before Aldershot, which had closed some ground from a slow beginning. ISLAM BLOCKED. The move of Robertson with Gay Bird seemed a deliberate attempt to block Islam, for the Howard horse was well up in the opening before Gay Bird came over to prevent his finding his way through. G. D. Wideners James River proved best of the three-year-old platers which met in the opening dash. G. W. Ogles Captain Ed took second place easily from C. E. Hamiltons Love Offering, which saved third from Flash o White by a length. From a good start Kurtsinger at once went out to set the pace with Love Offering, with Captain Ed and Flash o White in closest pursuit. Captain Ed was showing more early speed than usual but, after reaching the first turn,Hanford " eased him back slightly. In the meantime James River was close after the leaders and before the stretch was reached he had moved into contention. As he drew alongside Love Offering, Kurt-singer went to the whip on the filly, but she was through and it was Captain Ed, closing with a rush on the outside, which furnished the contention. At the end he was only beaten half a length back of the Widener gelding and he was seven lengths before the tired Love Offering. Flash o White had no excuses and was another length away. J. F. Pattersons Swagger Stick, the chest nut son of Mad Hatter and Silk Stockings, graduated from the ranks of the maidens when he was winner over seventeen other juveniles in the second race. Second place went to J. D. Norris, Jr.s Old Judge and he outstayed Joe Edwards Strait Jacket, while Mrs. John Hertz Black Andy finished fourth. The start was a good one, though those Continued on twenty-second page.. SPECTACULAR CONTEST Continued from first page. on the outside of the big field did a lot of bumping before fairly under way. Bejshak had Swagger Stick away running and showing the way. Strait Jacket was also away well, but could not keep strides with the winner, while Old Judge closed with a rush that suggested his being best. One of the real unforfunates of the early bumping was G. D. Wideners Smoke Cloud, which was badly knocked out of the early running before he was fairly under way. For a third number there was the first mile and a half test of the meeting. It was for the cheapest platers, the claiming price being ,000. This resulted in a victory for Mose Lowensteins Fetish, largely by reason of the smart riding of H. Callahan and the many mistakes that were made by W. Studley, who had the mount on H. Wells Silvery, which raced to second place. Third was the portion of R. F. Coppages Bozo and the only other starters were Cabildo and Skyway, to follow in the order named. Callahan permitted Fetish to make all the pace, but at all times he had a snug hold of the son of Stefan the Great. Bozo and Skyway were racing after him, while Studley had Silvery after these, next to the rail. Rounding the first turn Studley ran the mare up on the heels of Bozo and all through the running he hung to the rail with no chance to come through. Studley was repeatedly disappointed in his search for an opening, the mare being well bottled up and when the stretch was reached and Silvery was still in her close quarters, Callahan called on Fetish, with the result that he stuck it out to be the winner by a length and a quarter. Silvery had beaten Bozo half a length for the place and Cabildo, which again, bore out badly in the stretch, was another six lengths away, though he took fourth from Skyway, which had stopped badly.
