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MEDIOCRE CARD AT PUBLICO Close Finishes Rule, Despite Ordinary Caliber of Contestants. ■ i Camera Needed to Determine Winner of College Park Purse, With Decision Going to Distracting. BALTIMORE, Md., May 11.— Lower grade horses ruled todays program at Pimlico but close finishes requiring the photograph for decision were the order. The cameia was called upon after the running of the College Park Purse, fifth on the program, and it showed R. Pendings Distracting nosing out Abbots Last, racing for Mrs. M. Nelson Bond. H. Kerrs Hoops was third at the end of the mile and seventy yards with Sun Way fourth. Nine ordinary platers were in the field with Distracting a slight favorite. An average sized crowd was in attendance as the final week of the meeting opened under ideal weather conditions. The track was fast, but the championship campaigner:; were unable to flash good time. H. Richards guided Distracting and in so doing caught up with M. Peters in the race for riding honors. Each boy now has ten winners, but Peters has left for New York. Richards had to give Distracting everything he had to get her up to earn the verdict from Abbots Last. She was well up all the way but required strong handling to wear down the Bond veteran, which had opened up a good lead on the second turn only to weaken gradually through the final furlong. Hoops came from well back in the stretch to be third as Sun Way tired. The daughter of Distraction became the first favorite to reward the talent, the choices in the first four events all being unplaced. Alfred G. Vanderbilts Prevaricate just reached the front to win the opening event, in which a dozen Maryland maiden juveniles clashed at four and one-half furlongs. The black son of Balko and Yesanno ran down Ral Pairs Fleeting Moon, while Branncastle Farms Chalphone was five lengths away, in third place. Fleeting Moon raced Fyan, the favorite, into defeat in the opening quarter and drew into a good lead, but Prevaricate gained steadily and caught the Parr filly tiring in the final seventy yards. The Van-derbilt colt broke well and was in fourth position rounding the turn and through the stretch responded gamely to L. Knapps urging. John Hay Whitneys Poppyman captured the steeplechase after Capstan ran off the course at the tenth fence, taking Caniento, the favorite, with him, and Persian Prince fell at the twelfth fence. The Chatterton gelding finished out the two miles in ZA9*r, to defeat Paul Mellons Dangay by four lengths, while J. H. C. Forbes Axacan was third. Hoursend was the only other one of the eight starters to finish. A dozen of the cheapest sort of three-year-old maidens clashed in the third event, with Top Shell, owned by G. S. Harrison, Jr., defeating The Swagman by three-quarters of a length. They were extreme outsiders in the wagering. Royal Cunning was third, another half length away, and Careless Knight, the favorite, was fourth. Per Diem opened up a long lead breezing, but he quit badly in the final furlong and finished well back. Careless Knight was second in the running, but lacked stamina for the stretch drive. The winner is a daughter of Bright Knight, from Rock Pocket, and was ridden j by C. Phillips. Another upset occurred when H. C. Vaughns five-year-old mare Grace Bunting defeated Mrs. J. H. Elliotts Idle Worker, J. McNamaras aged Lady Va Va, and nine other mediocre sprinter platers that met for decision in the six furlongs of the fourth ; in which the dozen contestants were entered ! for the minimum claiming price of ,300. Making her fifth start of the season and ridden by F. Faust, the Vaughn mare had i speed enough after a good getaway to race along in fourth position, while Ree, Idle ; Worker and Veritas led the way down the | *• far side of the track. Faust had his mount on the outside of the trio, and as he made his run turning for home he was forced I wide, but despite the loss of considerable j ground, managed to range alongside the fighting leaders a furlong from the finish. Responding readily to punishment, Grace Bunting surged on gamely and, unleasing a I sudden spurt nearing the close, was up to I beat Idle Worker a nose as they reached the line. a •
