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BRIGHT PLUMAGE DEFEATS DNIEPER AT TROPICAL WHITNEY WINS ,250 Son of Macaw Takes Derby Consolation on Closing Day. Jezreel and Playful Martha Ruil Dead Heat in Second Race i. Corinto Earns Purse. MIAMI, Fla., April 4. Bright Plumage, C. V. Whitneys Kentucky Derby candidate, gave evidence that his presence will be felt in the Blue Grass feature, when he was a handy winner of the Derby Consolation Stakes, closing day feature at Tropical Park Saturday. Before an attendance estimated at 18,000, the son of Macaw and Beaming was well in -hand to coast across the finish line, under restraint by Sonny Workman, to lead home Mrs. P. A. B. Wideners favored Dnieper by two lengths. Third honors fell to W. J. Hirschs Columbiana, which was an additional length and a quarter away, one length before the Southland Stables Ceiling. The only other starter was H. H. Browns Swamp Angel, which was beaten off. The race was worth ,250 to the Whitney coffers and Bright Plumage negotiated the nine furlongs in 1:L1 under 118 pounds, an impost similar to Dniepers. The start was delayed two minutes before starter Wingfield sent the quintet away in good alignment. Dnieper, beginning- from the outside position, had speed to go to the front in the run for the first turn. Once clear, Wright placed the Widener gelding under restraint, racing along easily to lead Ceiling and Columbiana, while the ultimate winner was being waited with. This order was maintained until the half-mile mark was reached when Bright Plumage was permitted to move up to the leaders. COLUMBIANA THREATENS. On the back stretch, Columbiana moved up threateningly, but was caught in close quarters and forced to take up. Ceiling tired from his effort to keep pace with Dnieper and began to shorten strides on the turn. Here Bright Plumage was asked for speed and, responding readily, drew abreast of Dnieper and Ceiling. The latter gave way readily as Bright Plumage surged to the front, and Dniepers attempt to match strides with the Whitneyite was also futile. Once in command, Workman placed his charge under restraint and it was obvious that he had much in reserve as he raced across the finish line. Dnieper was able to retain place honors from Columbiana, which finished fast when clear to oust the tiring Ceiling from the show award. Little Empress, carrying the silks of J. P. Hall, was returned a driving winner of the Viscaya Stakes, co-feature on the card. In winning, the daughter of Kai-Sang and Helen Drake ran the half mile in :47 to lead home Mrs. Clyde Phillips Moss Gal by; a length and a quarter. A neck farther back Maemere Farm Stables Rockwood was third. The winner was ridden by jockey Hilton Dabson, and completed a double foe the lad, who had been astride Jezreel, winner of the second race. In winning, Little Empress scored her second victory and earned ,325. The start was a good one, and the eventual winner had the most speed leaving the barrier to go to the front. When clear she was taken to the inside and rated along. Continued on eighteenth page. i BRIGHT PLUMAGE DEFEATS DNIEPER AT TROPICAL Continued from first page. Racing closest to her was Idle Midget and Moss Gal as the field swung into the turn. Idle Midget was forced to the outside, where he lost ground and dropped back, leaving Moss Gal to head the others before Rock-wood. This order was maintained through the stretch, with Moss Gal gaining fast to force the winner to her utmost, while Rock-wood was also hard pressed to withstand the challenge of Little Shaver. The Melpomene Handicap, for class "C" performers, provided the third close finish in four races when Mrs. Emil Denemarks. Corinto was up in the final stride to wrest a nose decision from Miss A. Doris Lady Higloss at the finish of the mile test. Third went to Below Zero, which was a length away. The winner had been allotted top Impost of 122 pounds, six more than his nearest rival at the finish. Dusty Dawn showed the most early speed, sprinting into a short lead before Bubble-some as the field entered the back stretch. Dusty Dawn was soon finished, giving away 1 quickly and Below Zero took up the task of setting the pace, with Bubblesome next in line and before Lady Higloss. Lady Higloss was asked for her best as the field left the back stretch and she responded well to surge into the lead. Meanwhile Corinto had been running before but one horse in the field, but he gave all that was asked of him to reach the leaders, arid entering the stretch he had gained third place. Driving to the finish he disposed of Below Zero and was sent after Lady Higloss. A bitter duel ensued while the pair raced as a team to the finish line, while close to each other. A blanket finish resulted from the running of the opening race, a dash of six furlongs. When Scotch Queen, Moll and Regula Bad-dun reached the finish line so closely lapped that it was necessary for the camera to decide the result. The horses were placed as named, with De Valera next in line. The winner was handled by apprentice Ira Han-ford, who leads the list of riders at the meeting. Regula Baddun had his usual speed to spurt to the front immediately after the break, and it was Johnny Bane which forced the pace before Moll. Johnny Bane was soon done, wilting badly when unable to match the speed of Regula Baddun. Entering the stretch, Moll moved to "the leader and Scotch Queen was lucky to get racing room on the inside. The trio drove through the stretch in close alignment, to flash across the finish line closely lapped. Close finishes continued in the second race when Jezreel and Playful Martha finished so closely aligned that the camera finish ruled that they reached the finish line simultaneously, and a dead heat was declared. Adding interest to the finish was Broad Meadows, which was but a nose farther away before Dark War by a similar margin. The ruling was the third dead heat of the Florida season. Sweet Guinea and Misled figured in a similar case at Hialeah, while Tramway and Balaath were tied for third honors over this course last Thursday. Good Omen showed the most speed of the early racing, leading Dark War down the back stretch. Playful Martha trailed the field while immediately before her raced Jezreel. Dark War raced Good Omen into defeat to take command entering the stretch, and Good Omen quit abjectly when headed. Meanwhile, Jezreel began to overtake her rivals and, swinging to the outside, closed very quickly through the stretch. Playful Martha, in turn, came to the outside of Jezreel, and the pair matched strides with Broad Meadows, which had been racing in a forward position. The trio charged on the pacemaking Dark War, with the result as posted.
