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MAY CLOSE SATURDAY St. Johns Park Loses Heavily Because of Weather. Notice of Probable Closing No Sur- - prise in View of Scant Attend- , ance Permission Granted. BAYARD, Fla., March 24. As the racing ;ended at St. Johns Park today, there was doubt whether the meeting would be extended beyond Saturday. The Florida Jockey Club petitioned the State Racing Commission for permission to close the meeting after six days, instead of ten, as originally planned. This permission was "granted, but later the Florida Jockey Club reconsidered its decision, and a conference .will be held tonight at which the question of Saturdays closing will be definitely decided. No season of racing at this course has been carried on without a considerable loss, but this season has been one of the worst since the days of Keeney Park, when Frank Keeney closed the same course with scant warning and brought his meeting to a sudden closing. For the present meeting weather conditions have been something of a handicap, and there was little patronage from either Jacksonville or St. Augustine. The notice of the probable closing Saturday was in no sense a surprise in view of the scant attendance and the lack of speculation. SPRINTERS TN LIMELIGHT. Sprinters had the place of honor on the program this afternoon with the George Washington Hotel Claiming Handicap, over the five and a half furlongs dash, as the feature. It resulted in a surprise when A. G. Tarns Blue Day was an easy winner over Herbert M. Woolfs Out Bound, while Joe Edwards Single Star and Sultry also easily outran Little America, which was considered one of the surest winners of the afternoon. There was no rain to mar the sport this afternoon, but a decided drop in temperature made top coats necessary. The attendance was the best of the meeting, but not up to what had been hoped for. In the handicap Little America began last of the small field, but Hanford at once rushed her through and, closely followed by Aliens, she set the pace. The pair of them were soon a couple of lengths before the others and both De Camillas on Aliens and Hanford on Little America continued to fight along with no thought of taking back. As a result of this both tired badly when the stretch was reached, and as they swung into the stretch there was a general closing up back of them. Blue Day had been racing along in third place, and she was followed by Single Star, which was racing on the outside. BLUE DAYS WINNING CHARGE. Out Bound was right after the Edwards mare, and a sixteenth out it was apparent the early pacemakers were doomed to defeat. As they both gave way Don Meade brought Blue Day along with his winning charge, and he was past the line .a comparatively easy winner by a length and a half. Out Bound had more left than Single Star and took second place by almost a like distance, and the mare was well before Sultry with both Little America and Aliens quitting and only beating one horse, General Court. The Bayard Purse, a half-mile dash for juveniles, brought a new track record of :48 when Mrs. S. F. Murphys Modesto was an easy winner over H. C. Hatchs Meany and Joe Edwards Strait Jacket just saved third from Spero, which raced coupled with Le-rack as to a O. L. Foster entry. Flying Dragon was particularly alert at the break but he was soon headed by Meany and Modesto. Then it was Spero that rushed up on the outside and as Flying Dragon dropped back slightly the other three, with Meany in the middle, drew out from the rest of the field. Riley, on Meany, had scant racing room and the other two kept him hemmed in and finally Modesto drew away and the race was as good as over. Through the stretch the daughter of Easter Bells romped in front until she was three lengths clear, crossing the line. Meany had saved the place by a length, and Strait Jacket was only third in the last nod, when he closed with a great rush to catch the tiring Spero. The others were more or less strung out and Flying Dragon, after his early flash of speed, weakened badly through the closing stages. The opening number was a three-quarters dash for the cheap one and it brought a Continued on fifteenth page, MAY CLOSE SATURDAY .Continued from first page. rousing finish when James Arthurs Wandering Gold earned a close decision over Sunny Susan. Stupendous closed a big gap and lost the place by a head. Chattahoochee, Jimmie L. and Wandering Gold were the ones to cut out the pace and they were joined by Sunny Sudn going to the stretch turn, while Stupendous was well back in the field and racing along on the inside. When the stretch was reached Chattahoochee showed signs of weakening and there Sunny Susan and Wandering Gold hooked up in a battle. Stupendous was still well back of them, but she closed with a rush in the final sixteenth and, while Wandering Gold had only beaten Sunny Susan a neck, Stupendous was onl:- another head away and would have been winner in a few more strides. The second finish was closer than the first when Afridi and Winnie C. were so closely lapped crossing the line that the finish was in doubt until the numbers were displayed and to many it seemed the judges had erred in not awarding the decision to the filly. A length and a half back of these W. C. Weants Pal to Pal saved third from Gayola, one that finished strongly. Winnie C. was rushed out into an early lead and it was Deerwood that chased after her. Baal was not far away and in the run through the back stretch moved up in resolute fashion on the inside. Winnie C. raced Deerwood into submission, but at the cost of some effort and, in the meantime, Afridi was steadily making up ground to come seriously into the contention. Baal was hanging badly, but Pal to Pal was making a determined bid and when Buck found room for her on the inside in the stretch she threatened. All though the stretch run Afridi continued to close on Winnie C, but it seemed the filly had lasted to be winner, though the judges ruled that Afridi had his nose in front at the line. Pal to Pal weakened right at the end and the others were in strung out order. Bo Ballot had no chance at the break. He propped as the barrier rose and did not leave with his company. There was a poor start in the fifth and Brooksie was much the best, when, after being last in a straggling send off, she closed a big gap to be third to First Mission and Justina. First Mission was always in the front division and she and Justina raced Ellice into submission and First Mission proved the gamest when the stretch was reached. Ellice quit badly and Brooksie had closed an immense gap to be third, as has been told. This one was another surprise winner and it completed a double for Don Meade. First. Mission paid 61.80 for each two dollar investment. Little Don Meade , made his riding score three in a row when he brought F. H. Carpenters Tack home the winner of the sixth race at one mile. Tantalizing finished second with Sand Fiddler just saving third from Eveline and .The start was a good pne and Clancy at once went out with Tantalizing, opening up a lead of a couple of lengths before the back stretch was reached. Tack was in second place and just showing the way to Rave and then came My Ideal. Meade rated Tack along steadily and near-ing the half mile ground he shook off the others and set sail for Tantalizing. Rounding out of the back stretch he was drawing up on the leader and three furlongs from the finish he roused the son of Pennant and was soon so -close after Tantalizing thai Clancy went to the whip. In the run through the stretch Tack came away to be winnei by a length and a half. Tantalizing held the others safe by a like distance and Sand Fiddler, which had circled around on the outside hung right at the end and was doing his best to save third by a head. Rave and My. Ideal both quit badly.
