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SWEEPRUSH WINS DERBY • Close Finish in Aurora Feature Thrills Record Crowd. » , Victory of J. T. Looney Three -Year*1 Old Big Surprise — Winner Earns ,455 by Victory. ♦ AURORA, 111., May 20.— Much of its attractiveness gone, due to the late withdrawal of Charley O. and Trace Call, the Illinois Derby, nevertheless, gave one of the largest crowds in the history of the Exposition Park Jockey Club course a thrilling spectacle this afternoon with James T. Looneys Sw»ep-rush winning by a head from Fair Rochester, owned by Lon Jones and Son. Of the four three-year-olds racing one mile and a furlong in ankle deep mud, M. B. Cohens Louisiana Derby winner. Col. Hatfield, was third and F. J. Grands Justice B. was fourth and last. The Derby had a value of ,455 to the victor, owned by the Lexington sportsman for whom Burgoo King, winner of last years Kentucky Derby, was named. Sweeprush was the third choice in the wagering. Fair Rochester earned ,000 for being second and third money to Col. Hatfield, the favorite, was 00. Justice B. collected 50 for being fourth. An excellent start was obtained with Col. Hatfield going to the front before the small field reached the clubhouse turn. There Justice B. went wide, carrying with him Sweeprush and Fair Rochester and apparently injuring the chances of both three-year-olds. As the field swept into the back stretch, it was well spread out, with Col. Hatfield in front, well before Sweeprush. Fair Rochester was several lengths farther back in third place and Justice B. was last, steadily losing ground. POKES NOSE IN FRONT. The quartet did their running down the back stretch under steady restraint, but at the half-mile post the veteran WiUie Moran called on Sweeprush and he moved up to the leader. C. E. Allen also made a move with Fair Rochester and the two gained on Col. Hatfield. The latter was going easily at the head of the stretch, but in the final drive the other contenders cut down his margin steadily so that at the eighth post Sweep-rush poked his head in front. Once in command Sweeprush quickly drew away from Col. Hatfield, but at the sixteenth post Allen had brought Fair Rochester up to the leaders heels. The large crowd went into an uproar as the Jones colt kept gaining on the Looney representative, and it was a question whether the son of Sweep and Rush Water would hold his advantage. However, Moran used the whip, and he kept Sweeprush in the lead right to the end, although Fair Rochester would have taken command in another stride. The final rush of the first two carried them four lengths ahead of Col. Hatfield, and he had an advantage of thirty lengths over Justice B., which was not persevered with. The time for the mile and one furlong in the deep going was 2:08. FIRST RACE TO CONVENTION. The opening race, bringing together seven maiden juveniles at four and one-half furlongs, resulted in an easy victory for the favorite. Convention, carrying the silks of Mrs. B. Pomeroy. The Chatterton filly came from behind the leaders at the top of the stretch to score by three lengths, easing up from My Letitia, which was all out to hold the place by a half length from Adder. J. Comingore rode the winner, which was rated back of Nawab and My Letitia during the opening quarter and was sent to the front when Nawab gave way. Captains Daughter, owned by C. A. Marone and a member of the mutuel field, set the pace to capture the second event, a three-quarters dash for lowly platers. The winner enjoyed the inside post position and opened up an early lead from a bad start, only to be joined on the far turn by Bell Cap. The latter threatened the leader but was unable to take command and tired. In the final sixteenth Foolhardy, Bavelle Fronk and Gate Boy passed her to finish in that order back of the veteran Marone mare. Captains Daughter had a final mar- Continued on twenty-fourth page.. SWEEPRUSH WINS DERBY Continued from first page. gin of one length, with Bavelle Fronk and Gate Boy being well lapped on Foolhardy. Another well backed horse to gain brackets was Polaire, owned by B. Hernandez and ridden by Monte Parke, which reached the finish of the third race with three lengths to spare over Starch. The latter just got up to gain second place from Alamae and Hoosier Prince was fourth. Alamae owned a clear lead soon after the start, only to give way at the head of the stretch to the winner. Starch was not in position for the start, yet made up ground steadily after the first quarter and might have been best. Never leaving the result in doubt, Mrs. A. R. Smiths Adorland made a show of her six opponents in the fourth, a dash of five and one half furlongs, for lowly platers. W. Todd hustled her to the front soon after the start and she maintained her lead without difficulty to the end, where her advantage over Madge De was four lengths. Dr. Rogers was third, another two lengths back, and Baptiste was fourth, after being taken far out of the contention in the early stages.
