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. : : : ! 1 I " OPENIipAT THISTLE DOWN Large Crowd Sees Favorites Win Majority of Early Races. Levaal, Ridden by J. OMalley, Scores In Richard Barthelmess Handicap Major Lanphier Triumphs. CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 29 The summer races at Thistle Down, Clevelands first meeting under the jurisdiction of the new Ohio State Racing Commission, were begun auspiciously today. The half-holiday crowd, which filled the spacious grandstand and clubhouse almost to capacity, numbered about 8,000. I. J. Collins, a member of the commission, was a spectator. The Richard Barthelmess Handicap featured the opening program and was a thrilling sprint at three-quarters of a mile in which Levaal, the three-year-old Lee O. Cot-ner colt, running for H. Herendeen, conquered a good field. Standout, shipped here recently from Rockingham Park, where he was a winner, finished second, and Social Climber took third place. Under an almost blistering sun the Thistle Down track was at its best. The weather was sultry and rain threatened at intervals. Favorites were consistently successful, four winning in the. first five races. In the Barthelmess Handicap, Levaal, ridden by J. OMalley, was well in hand until the stretch was reached, and in the run home he drew away, with plenty in reserve. Standout finished well on the inside, gaining near the end. Social Climber tired somewhat, and Modesto was getting up. The running time was 1:12. H. A. Catalanos Al Green sent the followers of form away to a good start when he annexed the initial dash, after having been installed a pronounced choice. Jockey R. Cooper, who had the mount, was making his debut to Thistle Down patrons and he hustled Al Green into the lead in the first quarter. Wingo raced into second place in the closing stages by a narrow margin. Marble Girl, a keen factor from the start, saved third by a neck from the fast-finishing Spero. J. F. ONeils In Memoriam filly, Elegy, which won recently at Cranwood as an odds-on favorite, proved just as successful in the better company she met in the second race today, racing into an early lead and holding it against the challenge of Odd Star, which faltered near the end. Iiady de Ver ran a good race to finish third. Others that went well were Vladimir and Miss Frisky. Major Lanphier gave ample evidence in the running of the third that his several weeks lay-off after the Bainbridge meeting had taken nothing from the good form he displayed in the latter part of that meet- ing. He drew clear in the last seventy yards of the Gov. George White Purse, at a mile and a sixteenth, and managed to beat out the rapidly closing Cliftons Queen, which finished on the outside. The Break ran a good race and finished third, as Gumtree, the early pacemaker, tired and Don Pablo pulled up lame. Major Lanphier was the second winner ridden by Reggie Cooper. Taking command at once, R. M. Andersons Le Flore retained. a comfortable lead over his field at all stages of the fourth race. He was the third public choice to score. The King was always in close pursuit of the winner and proved to be easily best of the remainder. When Thunderdrop raced a trifle wide through the stretch, Nutting raced up into third place along the inner rail.
