view raw text
WOOD RIVER IN FRONT * Scores His Fourth Victory Out of Five Starts in Auroras Feature. ♦ Comes From Far Back to Beat Golden West and Astute — Larger Crowd With Good Weather. • AURORA. 111., May 16.— Wood River, the stout-hearted son of Ballot and Battle of Flowers, accounted for the Geneva Claiming Purse, which featured Tuesdays racing. In achieving his conquest the victor registered his fourth victory out of five starts at this meeting. Golden West finished second, one length back and three parts of a length in advance of Astute, which led home Bill Lutz, Falsehood and Goodyear, which finished in the order named. The winner, a naturally slow beginner, dropped way out of contention after the start and did not get to running at top speed until they straightened for the run home. Then apprentice McTague, who is riding in top form at present, applied the whip and Wood River responded readily and sped by his rivals one by one, and drove to the end a length in advance of Golden West. The latter also was a laggard during the early racing but reached a forward position midway of the stretch, when he disposed of Astute. When the winner challenged Golden West could not offer strong enough contention to stall off the victor. Bill Lutz had many admirers, but failed to keep up under the hustling tactics of jockey Johnny Dupuy. The weather was summerlike and a large crowd was in attendance to witness the sport, which was conducted over a heavy holding track, but which was drying out gradually under the radiant sun rays. Favorites fared badly in the early races, none of them scoring in the. first five races. ARALINE THROUGHOUT. Maiden juveniles made the contest in the introductory dash. This resulted in a big surprise when C. Bronnenbergs Araline led from start to finish, earning his graduation by five lengths in advance of Convention, and a head back came Mrs. A. M. Creechs Adder to finish third. The winner, a rank outsider in the betting, paid off one of the largest dividends of the meeting when the return was 3.18 for the usual investment. Non-winners in 1933 were under colors for the second race, which engaged seven of the lower grade sprinters for a test of five and one-half furlongs. Dr. Rogers got away with honors and it was his first victory in over a year. Starter Wingfield had his patience taxed when Skipaway, Beauty Bride and Chris. Paschen contributed to the long delay at the start when they acted badly. Skipaway was the chief offender and was placed on the outside. Tarpon, which ruled favorite, failed to keep pace with his successful rivals and quit badly after reaching the stretch. E. Drillon saddled his first winner of the meeting when Dunes won in a driving finish from Adorland, Relline and three others that contested the third race. The winner, given a strong ride by apprentice Jimmy Lowry, was kept well up under mild pressure and it was not until they reached the final eighth that Lowry called upon his mount for improved speed and after being given a few lashes of the whip he moved up to Adorland with determination and finally disposed of her to pass the judges half a length to the good. Adorland went to the front at the break and maintained her position without much exertion, but gave evidence of the strain as they neared the end. She held on in game fashion, but was not equal to the task of staving off the winners challenge. OLD BILL SCORES AGAIN. Old Bill accounted for his second consecutive victory of the meeting when he made a show of his rivals in the fourth race, another five and one-half furlongs dash, and tht third of that distance in succession. The veteran campaigner took a lot the worst of the racing in the early stages, being forced extremely wide by Imelda, which seemed to bear out all the way. However, the old fellow was in his best mood and it was no trouble to speed past the leaders in the stretch and then draw away to win well in hand by five lengths, with apprentice M. Parke looking back. Sabina H. and Sweet Pal, which were held in light esteem by the patrons, furnished the contention in the late stag§6 and came to the finish in the order named, with one length separating them. Imelda, which galloped to Continued on twenty-second page.. WOOD RIVER IN FRONT Continued from first page. an easy victory last out, failed to duplicate that good effort and finished fourth, well beaten. Lord Tournament displayed his usual burst of speed, but gave evidence of his faint-heartedness when the real test came and finished last in the field of six. Ed Reese made a show of the ones that raced in the sixth, winning under a pull by eight lengths. Winnie Jo was closest to the winner as they. crossed the line of finish, and Junior C, which came from last place, took third. A
