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SUN GROS IS DEFEATED Thistle Play, Maiden, Captures Fair-mounts Pageant Handicap. Florida Gold Scores Easy Victory Over Bounding Deep Favorites Meet With Scant Success. COLLINSVILLE, III., Oct. 8. George Collins uncovered a likely looking two-year-old this afternoon when his home-bred Thistle Play was returned a driving winner of the Pageant of Progress Handicap, the sixth race, which engaged a field of seven juveniles at six furlongs as the feature of a well-balanced program at Fairmount Park. A half length in the winners wake was W. E. Charles Sun Gros, laboring under the top impost of 123 pounds, twenty more than that carried by the victor. Bell Cap was third, in the silks of J. Bronnenberg. There was little delay at the start of the handicap, with the speedy Loradale showing the way to the opening quarter. Bell Cap was in close attendance, with the winner heading the others. They came to the stretch in this order, but shortly after starting the run home, Glen Fowler drove the victor into the lead and Sun Gros, which had been racing far out of it, also moved into a contending position. Establishing a two-length lead midway of the stretch, Thistle Play had only Sun Gros to beat, which was gradually drawing closer, but the heavy impost began to tell on the latter and, after reaching the withers of the leader in the final sixteenth, Sun Gros hung and Thistle Play came on to the finish in good fashion. Bell Cap had little trouble with the others and led Cliftons Queen by three lengths at the finish. Captain Joy, coupled with Sun Gros as tha Charles-Bradelbane Stable entry, was never prominent. With representatives from the Pageant of Progress, Veiled Prophet, Billiken football team, Statler Hotel and firms in the city of St. Louis, in whose honor the races were named, it was a colorful crowd, one of the Continued on twenty-second page SUN GROS IS DEFEATED Continued from first page. largest of the meeting, that witnessed tha running of the eight-race program. The weather and track conditions could not have been improved upon. The gathering took advantage of the spacious lawns and upper decks of the club house to view the racing. Favorites experienced one of their worst lambastings of the meeting, for it was not until the running of the fourth race that those wagering on the choices could find a return for their money. The fifth and secondary attraction engaged a field of eight and at the long distance of one mile and one-half, and Lyman T. Hay, president of the Fairmount Jockey Club, viewed running from the stewards stand. He was accompanied by the maids of honor from the Veiled Prophet ball. The fifth race resulted in a popular victory when the veteran Florida Gold led throughout the gruelling distance to be four lengths in the van of Bounding Deep, which enjoyed the same advantage over Song and Dance Man. The leading trio dominated the running, and after reaching their positions in the opening quarter, led the others throughout. Astrakhan, second choice, showed a dismal effort and finished far back Florida Gold ran the distance in the slow time of 2:36. Overcoming early interference and after racing wide entering the stretch, Shipp and Mackens Vladimir proved much the best of the limit field of lowly platers that engaged at three-quarters in the opening dash. Infanta, favorite, raced to second place after attaining the lead midway the stretch, with Kingsport nosing out Cash Play, another that was staunchly backed. In close quarters in the run down tha back stretch Vladimir, ridden by W. Gover, found clear sailing when taken wide entering the final quarter and wresting the lead from Infanta at the sixteenth post came to the finish two lengths ahead of Infanta. Cash Play gave way after forcing the pace, while Gypsie Chief, well regarded, broke slowly and failed to improve his position. Showing improvement over hfs recent two performances, O. A. Simmons Semester was returned an easy winner over ten others of the cheaper grade that accepted for the second race, decided at six furlongs. Sweep Past was second, with Joan K. third. Cox had the winner reserved off the pace of the heavily backed Birthday Gift until reaching the stretch, where, taking command, Semester raced into a three-length lead at the end. Sweep Past came from far back to beat Joan K., which raced with the leaders throughout, while Birthday Gift finished fourth, after quitting fast in the final f urTong. E. E. Majors Major Gomez registered his second score of the meeting when he was easily best of Ease- In, Straphanger and nine-other two-year-olds, which engaged in the three-quarters third event. Outbreaking his field, Major Gomez, ridden by J. Sylvester, dropped back quickly, but came fast in the final quarter and, wearing down Ease In in the last sixteenth, led the latter by a length and one-half at the finish. The wagering centered on Straphanger and Lady Trust and while the former reached a contending position entering the stretch, Lady Trust was far out of it until the final furlong, where she came fast to finish fourth. Wrigley Field, the consistent son of Sand Mole which races for W. C. Merrick, registered his third consecutive success of the meeting when he drove down to victory in the fourth race, which attracted eight at a mile and seventy yards. A head back was Irish Spree, which led Jim Ormont by four lengths. Having the benefit of the clever apprentice A. Beck, the Merrick gelding raced into the lead before reaching the first turn and, drawing into a long lead in the run down the back stretch, appeared to have the race won. However, Irish Spree drew alongside at the sixteenth pole and they raced head and head to the finish, with Beck keeping Wrigley Field in the van. Camp Parole, which received strong backing, raced far out of it until reaching the stretch, then finished fast. Apprentice William Privett is suffering from an infected leg, and on the advice" of the track physician, cancelled his engagements this afternoon. Because of the suspension of Edward Mc-Cuan and his horses, Bad Axe was scratched from the second race by the stewards. Jockey Delmar Cox departs tonight for Sportsmans Park to report to O. L. Foster, his contract employer. E. J. OConnell got away tonight for Sportmans Park with the OConnell and Rector Stable. Jockey W. Boganowski accompanied the shipment.
