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SETHS BALLOTS FIFTH ♦ Consistent Butler Gelding Earns Another Purse at Aurora. .. Wood River Second and Golden West Third — Track Conditions Poor but Attendance Gains. AURORA, 111., May 10.— Scths Ballot scored his fifth consecutive victory and third of the meeting when he was returned the winner of the North Aurora Claiming Purse, principal offering of Wednesdays races. Half a length back and six in advance of Golden West, O. Viaus consistent Wood River raced to second place. The winner shared favoritism with Wood River in the closing approximate odds, and it was a strong ride that apprentice Loney Hendricks gave the Butler representative to bring him to the finish in advance of Wood River, which was taking two strides to the winners one in the final stages, and while the first two fought it out bitterly Golden West was falling back. Golden West rushed to the front after the start and was under snug riding while indulging in the pacemaking, but Seths Ballot was right after him and supplanted him as pacemaker after they passed the half-mile post. Wood River then began moving up and the son of Ballot was cutting deeply into the advantage of the winner, but just could not make it. Track conditions were probably more exacting than at any other time of the -meeting, and only the sturdiest performers were successful in gaining conquests. The weather, which was more moderate, aided materially in luring another large crowd to the course. Well-played choices registered with regularity, which has been in order since the meeting got under way. CUSTOMER IN FRONT. Mrs. A. K. Weasts recently acquired Customer carried her blue and white colors to the finish in front in the fourth race, which engaged a half dozen juveniles for four and one-half furlongs. The winner, a strong favorite, raced in closest attendance to the pace of Mrs. A. M. Creechs Guide Book, which set the pace to the final three-sixteenths, where he offered mild competition when the victor challenged for the lead, but he was unable to keep stride and gave way after a short duel. Grand Flight, which closed her engagement in third place, turned in a smart performance, but was no match for the first two, which led her to the line with margins of four and three lengths respectively, while she downed the faltering My Letitia by a safe margin for her part of the purse. Magna Mater came through with a game performance to score in the five and one-half furlongs first race when he reached the end half a length in front of Madge De, while Alamae led home the favorite, Peacock Blue, and four others. The winner began a trifle alow, but apprentice McTague used good judgment working his way up on the rail, which is the firmer part of the track. The horses were well into the stretch before the winner got on even terms and under vigorous riding responded well in the closing stages. Alamae cut out the early pace and for a time it looked as if she was going to carry the red and green colors of W. M. Cain successfully, but when Madge De drove up alongside she faltered and gave way. Peacock Blue, which was installed a strong favorite, was forced to race extremely wide while gaining and during the drive was in the heaviest part of the track. LOCAL OWNER SCORES. Trainer Fred Morris saddled his first winner of the meeting when the locally-owned Prince Macaw, under the colors of John Marsch, scored an easy win in the second. The victor, under a hustling ride by apprentice Monte Parke, got a clear lead after going an eighth and was then taken under restraint while setting the pace. Sid Lea moved to Prince Macaw as they rounded into the home stretch, but the latter drew away when Parke put him to pressure and as they crossed the line the victor had a three-length margin. While Sid Lea found the winner too strong an opponent, he held on in game fashion to hold Petronius safe in the drive, while the latter had a wide advantage over the highly regarded Tar Water for third. Tar Water, an almost unanimous choice as the horses lined up, could not negotiate the stiff going with any success, with Continued on twenty-third page. SETHS BALLOTS FIFTH Continued from first page. the result he failed to gain a forward position during the running. Apprentice Monte Parke rode his second consecutive winner when he piloted Cotton Time to a rather handy victory in the third race and, incidentally, rode both winners of the "Daily Double" combination. It was the first start of the meeting for Cotton Time and the daughter of Lee O. Cotner never gave her backers much concern about the ultimate result, for Parke had her in the van throughout and she gained her conquest with a length and one-half separating her and Bob Custer, which garnered the place award. The latter offered the strongest contention, but he did not threaten seriously until the late stages when Cotton Time displayed signs of weakening. Emmaline H. closed with her usual belated rush, but it was of no avail as she was lacking half a length for second place when they reached the end. Louis "Whitey" Abel saddled the winner of the sixth when Jorghensen accounted for his first race of the year. The victor scored in hollow fashion when he led home Charlie Bills by six lengths and the latter had a similar margin over the favored Jeff ONeil for place honors. Friend Charley, Derby candidate from the stable of Jewell Bros, and which unloaded with a slight indisposition Sunday, is reported to be well on the way to recovery. Due to a confliction in dates of the opening and closing of the Aurora and Bain-bridge meetings, starter William Snyder drew the assignment to dispatch the horses the first day at Bainbridge, while "Buddy" Wingfield will remain here to start the races, which include the Derby on closing day. «
