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SENSATIONAL FINISHES 1 . Mark Thursdays Racing at Downs Held Under Threatening Skies. • Helen Bab Beats Through Omond by Nose in Most Spectacular Struggle of Afternoon. ♦ — LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 12.— Close finishes featured the running of a below standard program at Churchill Downs this afternoon. Two of the opening three events closed in thrilling order, the leaders reaching the finish closely grouped, particularly so in the third, which Helen Bab took by the shortest of noses over Through Omond. Large fields met in five of the seven races, and with all of them well-matched, support was widely scattered. Again enthusiasts were called upon to brave threatening skies, and while several showers developed during the early afternoon, a partial scattering of the clouds developed shortly after the second race had been run. Fast going was the order, and despite the ordinary quality of the performers, several of the winners ran in fast time. Helen Bab, ridden by G. Elston in the L. C. Young colors, took the third race for plater two-year-olds, at five furlongs, in a nose finish with Through Omond, with Hopulikit third and Laura Clay in front of the others in the limit field. Getting through on the inside throughout, the winner got up in the final stride to scratch out her rather lucky win over Through Omond, which made all the pace, and was inclined to bear out through the stretch. Both Hopulikit and Laura Clay were formidable factors all the way. H. H. Battle saddled a winner for E. A. i Igleheart, Evansville patron, when Iredell scored in the Eminence Purse, the opening race, for maiden two-year-old colts and geldings. After gaining an advantage at the Continued on tictntu-niiUh uauc. SENSATIONAL FINISHES Continued from first page. start, the victor showed the way throughout, winning by two lengths from North Mill, favorite. Five lengths back and with little to spare over two others, Sun Gros accounted for third. Those that closely pressed him were Flying Ds and My Blaze. In all twelve started. After getting the victorious son of Crimper and Sparkle away in motion, C. Corbett used good judgment in taking full advantage of the excellent luck and had him in decisive command throughout. He covered the distance in 1:00%. G. W. Ogle sent and short-priced horse to the post for the second race in Captain Ed, but the best he could do was finish the six and one-half furlongs third to Mrs. E. A. Carneys Prince Farthing, and W. F. Knebelkamps Etiwanda. The Ogle sprinter was beaten by only a small margin, Prince Farthing winning by a half length from Etiwanda, which nosed out the choice. A nose won the third money for Captain Ed over Grand Union, while Balderdash, second choice, headed the others in the field of twelve. Finishing with a rush on the extreme outside, and after being outrun to the stretch turn, the winner got up in the late stages, where Etiwanda tired badly as Captain Ed, which had kept close up from the start, held on well. While at the post, Balderdash straddled one of the stall partitions, but was extricated without injury. Willie Fronk rode another winner for the Everglade Stable when he directed the well backed Wise Advocate to victory over Zevar, Fairy Lass and nine others in the fourth, at six and one-half furlongs, and for plater three-year-olds. The race was marked by an accident, in which W. Garner was unseated from Evergold begore going the first quarter. Both rider and horse escaped uninjured. Rushing the winner through on the inside of Fairy Lass and Manners approaching the final furlong, Fronk kept him going a bit too well for Zevar, which closed in resolute fashion and steadily reduced the victors margin in the last sixteenth. After showing the way to the stretch, Fairy Lass bore out, forcing Manners to go with her and the two horses bumped repeatedly during the run to the wire. i
