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MURPH MURPH TRIUMPHANT TRIUMPHANT IN IN BASHFORD BASHFORD MANOR MANOR STAKES STAKES ******** ******** •••• •••• Largest Largest Crowd Crowd ot ot Meeting, Meeting, Over Over 12,000 12,000 in in Attendance Attendance at at Aurora Aurora Track Track 9 4 COUNTESS ANN BY NECK « Surprises Record Crowd by Winning Kings Ransom at Long Odds. ♦ Equals Track Mark of 1:45 in Defeating Cristate and Fire Advanj — Triple for Meloche. AURORA, 111., May 9.— Coming from far out of contention during the stretch run, A. A. Youngs Countess Ann made it two victories in a row when the brown filly captured the Kings Ransom Handicap, at one mile and a sixteenth, featuring the program at the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs track this afternoon and equalled the track record for I the distance by registering 1:45 flat. It was a driving finish, with Countess Ann scoring by a neck over Cristate, which held a nose advantage over Fire Advance. It marked the fourth time that the mile and a sixteenth was traveled in 1:45 flat at j the local course, Florence Mills, Lincoln | Plaut and Jack Haskell registering the time l in the order named. Despite the fact that Countess Ann beat J a fairly good band of runners a few days I ago, the daughter of Reigh Count— Chestie was overlooked in the wagering and as a I result rewarded those who held straight tickets with 4.60 for each investment. Packing 100 pounds Countess Ann was unable to keep up with the leaders during the early stages, while Just Frank showed the way to the other contestants and the filly was in seventh place when the field headed into the lane. ENERGETIC MELOCHE. Straightening out for the wire, Countess Ann appeared to be out of it, but gaining rapidly under the energetic handling of ap- | prentice Tyrus Meloche, she collared Cristate j within the last seventy yards to wear him down and get a clear advantage. More than 12,000 followers of the thoroughbred sport turned out, which was the largest attendance during the meeting. The largest attendance of the present j meeting at the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs | track was on hand this afternoon, when a | card of eight races was presented. The track 1 was lightning fast, the best that it has j been since the opening of the Illinois season. Ten of the best handicap horses quartered at the local course matched strides over a distance of a mile and a sixteenth in the initial feature of the year, named the Kings Ransom Handicap. Three of the contestants in the headliner i are candidates for the Illinois Derby and j their performances on this occasion, against older opposition was viewed with much in-j terest, and is expected to have some bearing on the prepping of the three-year-olds for the impending 2,000 stake, which will be run for the fourth time on May 22. Two high priced selling races brought out top notch members of this division and supported the feature event, the seventh being j styled the Versatillions at a distance of a j mile and seventy yards, while the fifth, a six furlongs sprint, was made up of some fleet sprinters. OPENER TO TANIC RELIEF. The opening race of the day was for three-year-old maidens and winners of one race, and Panic Relief took the major portion of the purse, winning the second race of his career. A length behind the j winner was Bronc Rider, while El Baila-rino, the choice, drew up in third position at the conclusion of the six furlongs dash Breaking rapidly. Panic Relief went to the front immediately and set the pace throughout, but required a shaking up in the last sixteenth to ward off the bid made by Bronc Rider, which had forced the pace from the start. Judge G. captured the second race at a mile and seventy yards by a length over Eskimo, with Captain Logan landing the show money. Hard hustled from the start, Judge G. moved up with a rush after going Continued on thirty-fourth page. OVER 12,000, LARGEST CROWD OF MEETING, AT AURORA Continued from first page. a quarter of a mile, assumed command, and after shaking off Buddy Apolis, drew clear of his rival. Eskimo made an effort to reach the pacemaker during the stretch racing, but it was futile, as the chestnut gelding continued in courageous fashion and withstood the bid. Backers of Judge G. received 4.00 for each investment on the straight end. Rated off the early pace, Cornelia Powell responded well to urging in the final quarter of the six furlongs sprint, third on the card, and chalked up an easy victory over Levaal with Joan Macaw finishing in third place. Following close in the wake of Levaal to the stretch, Cornelia Powell swiftly wore down the early pacemaker and increased her margin to two lengths at the end of the journey, having something in reserve. Liberty Oak, the favorite, was prominent for a half mile, but tired in the stretch run, winding up in fourth place. A nip and tuck finish resulted in the fourth of the day, with Captain Red gaining a nose verdict over Later On. Third went to Paul T. Under clever riding, from apprentice Henry Hauer, Arlington Heights youngster who piloted his first winner a few days ago. Captain Red opened up a big lead before his rivals could settle into their stride and exhibited fine courage in withstanding the challenge of Later On, which went after the pacemaker in menacing manner during the final quarter. Captain Red and Axtel were equal choices in the betting. Making the fastest time of the meeting for three-quarters. High Devine, the horse which came back to the races this year after being turned out for five years, accounted for the fifth race. Pancoast was a length and a half in the wake of the winner and March Step finished third. Displaying the speed of the party, High Devine opened up a comfortable lead quickly and was never seriously threatened at any stage of the affair, despite the fact that the bay gelding showed signs of tiring in the final stages.
