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SPRING HANDICAP HEADLINER Eight in Bay Meadows Feature Splendid Saturday Program. Top Row Highweight With 118 Pounds Dark Winter, Stablemate of Azucar, Is Also Among the Eligibles. SAN MATEO, Calif., April 5 Percy M. Pike, the Los Angeles sportsman, who has one of the largest stables in training at Bay Meadows, will take a three-way shot at the Spring Handicap, feature race at the Peninsula course Saturday. Pike, through his trainer, Ted Horning, has named Teralice, Thomasville and Sand Baby, a trio of good slow-track horses, to try for the purse over a track which, barring further rains, will be slow. Eight horses in all have been entered in the Spring Handicap, with. Top Row, the A. A. Baroni star, making his first appearance since his victory in the St. Patricks Day Handicap. Top Row is the high weight with 118 pounds and although he is the best horse in the affair, he may be partially neglected, inasmuch as he has not started in some time and is asked to carry a heavy weight. Aside from those mentioned, Dark Winter, stablemate of Azucar; Spicson, from the L. M. Severson barn; Toro Flight, winner of the California Derby, and Bon Amour, a California-bred three-year-old from the Meadowbrook Stable, are entered. Bon Amour, which finished second to Toro Flight in the Derby, is the lightweight, with ninety-two pounds. The distance of the Spring Handicap is one and one-sixteenth miles and the purse is ,000 added. It will come seventh on an eight-race bill. Entries for Saturday filled surprisingly well, when the condition of the track is taken into consideration. Owners proved that they wished to co-operate with the management by entering the best of their horses capable of running in the slow going, and as a result the program compares favorably with any staged previously at the meeting. Aside from the Spring Handicap, there is listed a graded handicap, at one mile, which brings out seven of the best three-year-olds at the track, five of which started in the 0,000 California Derby, as well as three other distance events and three sprints. It appeared today as if horses would have a week of rest in the near future. Although it had been rumored that the Bay Meadows meetmg, scheduled to close April 13, might be extended until the Wednesday following, it is probable that general manager Kyne will decide to call a halt on the date originally announced, and, as Tanforan will not open until April 20, the animals may be idle for six days., Tanforan will positively open on April 20, as announced. Work on the track is being rushed and contractors have given their assurance that the plant will be ready before that time. Turf patrons who for years have been frequenting the historic plant are due for a surprise when they next glimpse the track. If the familiar surroundings were removed it would not seem like the same race course, so great are the improvements that have been made. J. W. Marchbank has realized his ambition in making old Tanforan one of the best equipped and most comfortable race tracks in America. Reports from the North would indicate that the management of the Longacres track near Seattle are getting in line in an endeavor to induce owners of high grade stables to remain on the West Coast. They have announced that during the coming meeting, which will get under way some time in June, they will offer a 0,000 added stake for three-year-olds and over. This is quite a step forward for the Northwest and proves that Messrs. Gottstein and Edris, heads of the Longacres track, have faith in the future of racing in their territory. The opening race Friday was the only affair of that day that did not carry the claiming clause, and a very cheap band of maidens went to the post. Long shots got first and second money when Teenya and Pat W. finished one-two, while Peso, the favorite, was third. It was Teenyas twenty-first try to break out of the maiden ranks, and she paid 8. Pat W., an Oregon-bred first starter, paid 0 to place. Peso, the favorite, was bred in California and, as he had been working well, many banked on him to get them off to a good start on the day. Apprentice H. Dudley rode Teenya, which raced for F. P. Choate, and the handle on the race was ,659. The Bay Meadows track was heavy Friday, but was drying out quickly. Although betting on the opening race was rather light, little line was obtainable on the field, and business was expected to pick up during the day.
