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SPEEDY SIR GAWAINE ♦ Illinois Derby Candidate Scores in Sophie Tucker Purse at Aurora. * i Tuesdays Racing at Exposition Park Filled With Thrills — Several Nose Finishes Enliven Proceedings. ■ AURORA, 111., May 19.— Thrills galore were furnished the spectators at the Fox Valley Jockey Clubs track this afternoon, with several nose finishes enlivening the sport considerably. Sir Gawaine, Stroub and Grants Illinois Derby candidate, came through with an impressive triumph in the Sophie Tucker Purse, an allowance affair for three-year-olds over three-quarters of a mile. The bay colt registered by two lengths over Whistling Boy in the good time of 1:11*5, one of the fastest six furlongs recorded during the meeting. Runamuck was third at the conclusion of the sprint. The bay son of Sir Gallahad III.— Firewater followed the pace set by Whistling Boy until well straightened away in the stretch, but when jockey Johnny Longden went to the whip in the stretch drive. Sir Gawaine I showed a tendency to swerve and it was ■ necessary to take the colt up sharply in order to avoid bumping Whistling Boy. When straightened up Sir Gawaine swiftly drew into the lead and added to his advantage, reaching the tape two lengths in advance of his nearest competitor and had ! something left. Sir Gawaine was favored in the betting, I returning dividends of .40 for straight bets. Three-year-olds, a few of which are candidates for the Illinois Derby, held the center of the spotlight in the Sophie Tucker allowance affair, which was over a distance | of six furlongs and brought out six starters. TRACK IN FAST CONDITION. A stiff breeze and warm sun, combined with constant work on the racing strip, had • it in a fast condition for the presentation j of this afternoons program of eight races, I which was well attended. Good sized fields made up the majority of the races staged, most of them being de- i signed for members of the sprinting division. I Guaranty, which was recently disqualified i after trimming a band of three-year-olds, | managed to graduate from the ranks of non- I winners in the opening race on the program. | a six furlongs dash, which brought out a I field of ten starters. Hazel Eye finished sec- i ond. and Sun Tryst accounted for third | money. Breaking rapidly. Guaranty showed th3 way to his rivals for the entire trip, crossing the finish line with a margin of a length and a half over his nearest competi- tor. The winner was a well backed choice. [ Exhibiting some strong riding, apprentice Charles Parke landed Maddening across the j finish line winner of the second race on the Bard, a five and a hair furlongs sprint, in which a capacity field contested. Threat i finished second, with Hour Zev drawing up j in third place. Working his v/ay up on the i outside, Maddening got to the leaders when , straightened out in the stretch, and after disposing of Jockana, the favorite, engaged i Threat in a duel. It was during this drive that Parke demonstrated his excellent bit of riding. The winner was somewhat over- j looked by the bettors, returning 8.10 for straight wagers. BUTCH PROVES BEST. Butch proved best of the dozen sprinters that matched strides for six furlongs in the third race of the day, the seven-year-old gelding chalking up a three-length decision over Golden Throne, while Lucky Prospero was next to reach the wire. Rated close behind the pace set by Lucky Prospero for a half mile, Butch forged to the front when straightened away for the drive to the finish line and added to his margin steadily, being well in hand in the final stages. The fourth resulted in a blanket finish, with Jolyon gaining a nose decision over Dr. Potter, which in turn held a like advantage over Slip Knot, providing one of the most thrilling finishes of the season. Jolyon forced the pace for most of the mile and seventy yards and, overtaking Billy ONeal in the last sixteenth, was out to the last ounce in order to withstand the rush of Dr. Potter, which came up from the rear with a sizzling burst of speed and barely missed catching the leader at the wire. For the third consecutive time at the meeting, Animate won when she took down the decision in the fifth event, a six furlongs sprint bringing together a field of seven starters. It required all that the bay mare possessed, however, to retain a nose margin over the fast finishing Lovers Chat, while Royal Image was a tiring third. Royal Image set the pace, with Animate always within striking distance of the leader. Within the last sixteenth. Animate got to the fore, but Lovers Chat gained steadily and just missed getting up in time.
