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SINGING WOOD CARRIES 128 POUNDS TO VICTORY John Hay Whitneys Crack Sprinter Bowie Inaugural Handicap Winner Five-Year-Old Royal Minstrel Horse Finishes Five Lengths Before Stubbs Opening Day Attendance One of Largest in History of Track. BOWIE, Md., April 1. Singing Wood, fleet sprinter from the stable which now campaigns under the silks of John Hay Whitney, demonstrated he had- lost none of his speed in todays Inaugural Handicap, when he raced a dozen rivals dizzy over five and a half furlongs, the sprint which headed todays opening program at Prince George Park. One of the largest crowds that ever graced the opening of an eastern turf season saw the five-year-old son of Royal Minstrel and Glade sweep past the judges five lengths in advance of Stubbs, which just managed to outstay the fast-finishing New Deal for second place. Carrying- the high weight of 128 pounds, the brown horse ran the distance in 1:07 over an off track to win with speed to spare. It was a most impressive score and netted his owner ,195 in prize money. Those holding tickets on his chances obtained .10 for . The start was effected without tj e stall gate, due to the thirteen-horse field and a long delay occurred before Jim Milton obtained an alignment he considered suitable. Harry Richards got Singing Wood off in the first flight and the one time Futurity and Withers winner was in a perfect position close to the leader as the field made the back stretch run. Speeding around the final turn, Richards sent the Whitney color-bearer after the pacemaking Swashbuckler to have that Maryland-bred three-year-old headed as they hit the top of the stretch. A brief duel followed with Singing Wood drawing away quickly to win in a common gallop. STUBBS TIRES AT END. Stubbs, speedy as ever, was away fast and close to the pace throughout, moving into second position in the stretch and then tiring right at the end. New Deal left the post slowly and was far out of contention in the early stages. He came through the stretch with a fine flash of speed. Good Harvest, another early dullard, was going swiftly on the inside at the end. Purple Knight went up fast on the turn, then tired. Billy Bee, extremely fractious at the post, began slowly, but was going well at the end. Sailor Beware quit early, while Swashbuckler, after showing high speed to the head of the stretch, tired thereafter, as if shy on condition. Bright Haven was sent to the post favorite, but was knocked out of contention at the start. The others were never factors. Beth Bon was the first horse which wintered in Maryland to gain a set of brackets, the Bomar Stable filly racing to an easy victory in the Eastport Purse, the days secondary attraction. Closest to her at the end was Patsey Begone, which managed to outstay the fast-finishing Galmica for second place by half a length. The daughter of Jean Valjean and Princess Pan, showing-"-"" 3.30 to in the mutuels, proved on of the days surprises. She did not have to run much of a race to win, finishing in the indifferent time of 1:08. SURPRISING FEATURE. The surprising feature of the race was the fact that Torita, Bright and Early and Ste. Louise, the three which figured to be fighting it out for the money, were last of the six-horse field to finish. Their battle was only for the fourth award. Bryson lost little time sending Beth Bon to the front and she raced her rivals into submission before half the distance had been completed. She had only to romp along for the remainder of the trip. Patsey Begone always was close up, making a bold move around the turn for home and then tiring at the end. My Elsie had little trouble vanquishing-eight opponents in the half mile dash, which opened the eastern season. At the end she was racing along far in advance of her nearest rival. Closest to her was Trina, finishing steadily on the inside to outgame Lady Day for second place. The Chicagoan left the post a trifle slowly but circled her rivals with a sharp burst of speed leaving the back stretch, to open up a winning lead on the turn, and march past the judges four Continued on tiventy-sixth page.. SINGING WOOD CARRIES 128 POUNDS TO VICTORY Continued from first page. lengths in front of the runner-up. Hialeah Park form caused her to rule, the choice, showing .60 in the machines. Trina, sluggish at the start, closed well, while Lady Day, away fast, was tiring in the final furlong. Drowsy was cut off sharply at the far turn and Coucci had to pull up. William "Palmer House" Ryans Eudes, unable to win a race in twenty previous starts on these shores, registered at the immediate expense of Bobby Currans The Singer, as Coucci drove him to a head victory in the mile and a sixteenth event, which, was second on the program. Two lengths away the stretch bid of Fogarty earned him third money. Eudes, always forwardly placed, was rushed through to take a short lead over the pacemaking Apathy at the far turn. The Singer then circled the pair and drew away to a. handy lead, looking all over the winner at. the top of the stretch. Then along came Eudes on the outside with another bid, to nail the leader a few strides from the final pole. Fogarty tzailed the field early but finished fast, while Big Red, after being in repeated early trouble, finished a well-beaten fifth. Lativich never was a factor. Portden, two-time winner at Hialeah Park, had racing condition over Dogmata in the six furlongs of the third, and this enabled the elderly son of The Porter and Margaret Ogden to race to a three length victory over Alfred Vanderbilts sprinter, a gelding capable enough to win the Inaugural Handicap at this track last spring. Just a neck back of the second horse Peter Pumpkin took third money. Jack C. Westrope had T. Malones seven-year-old close to the pace of Lotofus, taking command at the far turn and opening up slightly as the field made the turn. In the stretch, Portden drew farther away to score in decisive style. Dogmata, a heavily backed favorite, was close up all the way, but tired badly under pressure in the stretch. Peter Pumpkin lacked early speed, but finished well, while both Lotofus and Red Badge quit. Cachalot, claimed at Tropical Park by Phil Reuter, scored his first victory for the Teutonic trainer as he drove to a length and a half victory in the mile and seventy yards race, which was fifth on the program. The score gave the trainer and jockey Coucci a double, as both had participated in the surprising triumph of Eudes. As usual, Cachalot was outpaced in the early running, moving up steadily on the outside making the final turn, then coming through the stretch with his customary rush. The Mauler was much used racing with Round Table, and faltered under pressure in the final quarter. War Pledge went up fast at the head of the stretch, then hung in the final drive. Round Table had considerable taken out of him in the early attempt to subdue The Mauler and quit badly.
