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ALPHEUS PIMLICO SURPRISE -♦ Mrs. F. A. Clarks Colors First in Patapsco Steeplechase. * Second and Final Charity Day at Hill Top Track— Platers Furnish Exciting Entertainment. ♦ BALTIMORE, Md., May 2.— The second day of welfare racing at old Pimlico had the Patapsco Steeplechase as its best event, even though it was under claiming conditions. The remainder of the card of eight races was fashioned to attract platers, but good sport resulted and a crowd of good proportions was well entertained. The Patapsco brought victory to Mrs. F. Ambrose Clarks popular silks when Alpheus outgamed Thomas Hitchcocks Creek, ridden by G. H. "Pete" Bostwick. It was a fighting finish and third went to Mrs. Henry J. Herkheimers George Jessel, a "field" horse. A field of fifteen performed and five of the band failed to complete the course. Dr. J. P. Jones Sid fell after having set the pace for a turn of the course. Hatbroom unseated the amateur E. H. Allen at the third fence and Naylor unseated Sessa, while both Tech and Hotbrain were pulled up before completing the course. Sid was sent into the lead at the drop of the flag and Little permitted him to go right along until he was clear of the others. Depart, racing for the Barry Vail Stable, went along after him, and as a matter of fact they are stablemates, for both were Bent to the post by Dr. Jones. Naylor was not far back of the leading pair, while both Alpheus and Creek were well back in the bunch during the early racing. It was not until the back field was reached, the second turn of the course, that Sid showed signs of tiring and at the time Depart had dropped back, while Alpheus had moved up. As Wren made his move with Mrs. Clarks plater, "Pete" Bostwick roused Creek and he moved into third place. He was going so easily at that stage of the running that he looked a winner. Then Sid went down and Alpheus was left in command. By that time Mr. Bostwick had Creek racing closely after the son of Pennant and in the last half mile there was a great battle. They went along well lapped going to the last fence and Creek had a rlight advantage, but he bobbled at the fence and in the drive that followed Alpheus proved best to win by a head. George Jessel had been going along evenly and not far from the pace and he was just three lengths back of Creek, but twenty lengths before Willingdon. The race run by Point Breeze was a disappointing one when he was eased up last. S. W. Labrots Toytime was winner over a big band of plater juveniles that raced four and a half furlongs in the opening race. The daughter of Happy Time won from C. G. Overcashs Lodorus, one that was in the "field" group, and Mrs. Elmer Truemans Dontara beat Coming Back for third. The second two-year-old race of the day was a four furlongs dash for maiden fillies, and it resulted in a rousing finish between Mrs. Herkheimers Par Value and C. V. Whitneys Piety. The first named proved the gamer and, after being headed in the stretch run she came again under punishment to be winner by a head. The others were far back of the leading pair, with Archibald Barklies Doeskin third and five lengths away. After this finish "Sonny" Workman, who had the mount on Piety, lodged a claim of foul against Hank Mills, who rode Par Value. In the stretch run Par Value had gone out slightly, and Mills, in swinging his whip in the drive, came at least dangerously close to hitting Piety on the nose, but, after both riders were questioned, the order of the finish was not disturbed by the stewards. Chlo Boy, racing for P. S. P. Randolph, was an easy winner of the six furlongs dash that was the fourth offering. E. C. Grogans Wise Count, after a rough trip, raced to the place, and Coucci, who rode the gelding, was questioned by the stewards after the finish, but no change was made in the order of the finish. Third went to F. P. Gross Too Late when she beat Mack Sennett for that part of the purse. There was an accident in this running when M. Langley was unseated from Gay Party shortly after the break. The boy, fortunately, escaped injury and walked to the scales. Walter M. Jeffords Learoyd was one of the easiest winners of the day. His score came over a cheap lot of three-year-old platers in the fifth race, at one mile and a sixteenth. Mrs. C. W. Williams Fluffy Lee raced to second place, with the Ridgewood Farm Stables Archwood just saving third from Standout, on which F. Haines had lost a stirrup, which probably cost him that part of the purse. •
