view raw text
BEAVER DAM AND NELLIE FLAG DOWNS WINNERS ? CLARK HANDICAP UPSET - . Bluebeard Second to Wright Filly Chance Sun Third. Mulvihill Gelding Furnishes Biggesl Surprise in Modern History of Old Louisville Feature. LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 27. Beaver Dam, three-year-old Nocturnal gelding, owned by T. S. and J. S. Mulvihill of Cincinnati, provided a big surprise for a large and enthusiastic crowd as racing returned to Kentucky with the opening of the Churchill Downs spring and Derby meeting of nineteen days, Saturday. The trim little Queen City-owned three-year-old showed a clean pair of heels to seven that opposed him over a mile and one-sixteenth in the sixty-first running of the Clark Handicap, which featured the program, and his victory, gained in a mere gallop and by six lengths, was the biggest surprise in the modern record of the old fixture. He paid 4.60 for straight in the mutuels. Blackbirder, a Kentucky Derby candidate, owned by Mrs. C. Hainsworth, labored home in second place, two lengths before Mrs. A. B. Gays Bring Back. Fiji, owned by Young Bros, and winner last year of the Latonia Derby, Latonia Oaks, Kentucky Oaks and other less important races, was fourth. On the strength 5t the latters fine three-year-old record she and Bring Back, both trained by T. B. Young, as an entry, was the favorite at the short odds of 3 to 5. The track at the time the feature was decided was muddy, rain earlier in the day having so severely drenched a wide territory as to destroy some of the interest in the opening. NEVER IN DANGER. Ridden by Montgomery and carrying the . light impost of 102 pounds, the Mulvihill colorbearer took command immediately after the start and was never in danger. Approaching the last furlong of the mile and one-sixteenth, which he ran in the fine time of 1:47, he increased his margin to five lengths and another length was added before he cantered past the line of finish. Bl-ckbirder was second throughout, while Bring Back came from a good distance -back with a fine turn of belated speed. Rated close to the pace, Fiji was within striking distance of the leaders for three-quarters, but when called upon failed to respond as expected. The race was the first of the year for both Fiji and her stablemate while the winner and runner-up were resuming racing following a rest from their Florida campaign. Beaver Dams victory was worth ,270 to her owners, while second, third and fourth money totaled 75. A meeting of other of the Derby favorites, including the one-time winter favorite, Chance. Sun, and Nellie Flag over seven furlongs in the Cherokee Park Purse, was probably of greater interest than the richer Clark Handicap. Taking up just where she left off last fall in her juvenile appearance she accounted for the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at the same track and demonstrating almost beyond question that she threatens Regrets place as the only filly to win the Derby, Nellie Flag "toyed" with her Cherokee Park field, winning by six lengths after leading virtually from the start IMPRESSIVE VICTORY. Adding to the impressiveness of her performance over the required seven furlongs, the brilliant Waren Wright filly galloped out an additional quarter mile in 1:53, the mile in 1:39. Beaten two lengths by Mrs. R. B. Fair- banks winter-raced Bluebeard for second, J. E. Wideners Chance Sun left little doubt that he is not at his best and unless he shows great improvement in the mile preparation purse next Tuesday, may be out of the Downs classic. Wayne Wright had the Widener colt in a contending position when he called upon the horse entering the stretch, but there was no noticeable response and, floundering about nearing the finish, was bearly able to ! finish in advance of Hank MacTavish. j Weather and racing conditions considered, Continued on thirtieth page. CLARK HANDICAP UPSET .Continued from first page. the opening was one of the most successful in the history of the track. An all morning rain kept many prospective patrons away and made track conditions so uncertain as to have some effect upon the betting. Even so, a crowd of more than 10,000 was present and the wagering ran fifteen per cent over the handle the same day last year, when the attendance was about twenty per cent less than todays eager-for-racing throng. The success of a majority of the favorites was helpful to the play. Choices started out with a string of three successive! scores and William E. Smiths Likewise registered a fourth when he nosed out Elwawa in the Indian Hills Claiming Purse, which was the fifth race. The fourth event went to the third choice in the betting. ff Likewise set his own pace and after leading by four lengths entering the stretch tired but Glenn Fowler kept him going long enough to remain in front. Hecla finished third with Projectile next. Only seven, the smallest field of the afternoon, competed in the sprint. Pancoast, from the stable of the late A. B. Gallaher and making his first start since last August, raced to a popular victory over eleven others from among the lower flight sprinters in the first race of the day and meeting. Taking command from the start, he quickly raced Wanoah into defeat and after drawing out into a long lead entering the stretch easily retained it the remainder of the three-quarters. Marie Jean, "second choice to the winner, accounted for the place honors four lengths back and three before Jessie Dear, which came from ninth at the stretch turn. Suncircle Blaze was fourth, a head away. Wanoah and John Marcum, after showing early speed, failed badly in the last quarter. J. E. Wideners Seven Pines galloped to victory over the other maiden two-year-old fillies in the Commencement Purse, which was second on the program. Reveling in the slop and putting to effective use the experience gained at Miami, where she faced the starter five times, sprinted far away from her rivals on the stretch turn and there was little or no question as to the outcome thereafter. Ottoman, a daughter of Morvich, followed the strongly backed Wide-ner youngster throughout and at the finish led Belleek by a length and one-half for second. The latter and Dulcimer, which finished fourth, were coupled in the betting. Another public choice, the third in as many races, inished in front, but this time in a driving finish, when the locally owned Flint Shore, under a strong ride by E. Ar-caro, barely managed to defeat Counselor Crane at a miie. The winner tired after wresting the- lead from Sora within less thana. sixteenth of the finish. Although he had failed to withstand the winner approaching the final furlong, Counselor Crane was wearing him, down as they crossed the finish. Sora was two lengths back and closely followed by Bichloride, Infinitate and Pot aii Brooms. J r Winter-raced two-year-olds also fought it out: in the fourth race, the Springtime. Purse, at four and one-half furlongs, with B. S. Michell saddling the winner in L. E. Komorous Black Highbrow. He raced from behind the pace and, in a brisk drive, came through with enough to outstay Dnieper by a .head. A small measure of adverse luck shortly after the start probably cost the Mrs. P. A. B. Widener representative the race. Barbara A., favorite and leader for a short distance in the stretch, saved minor honors.
