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ROMAN SOLDIER SCORES Carries 132 Pounds to Victory in Granite State Handicap. Stages Brilliant Stretch Rush at Rockingham Park to Defeat Identify by a Head. SALEM, N. IT., June G. Roman Soldier .stumped himself as the best horse in New England and one of the outstanding handicap performers of the land when he carried the silks of Elwood Sachscnmaier to victory under the crushing burden of 132 pounds in the Granite State Handicap, which featured a sunny Saturdays sport at Rockingham Park. Cheered on by u crowd of 12,000 fans, the coal black son of Cohort staged a gallant stretch charge to beat Alfred Vanderbilts Identify by a head in a blood tingling finish. The battle between the leading pair carried them out three lengths in front of the Araho Stables New Deal. Johnny Longdcn put up a perfect ride to get Roman Soldier home, sitting tight back of the pace, cool as a cucumber, until he was ready to move, then coming through a narrow opening and driving down the stretch like a tartar. There has been no better riding exhibition at this park this season. Roman Soldier completed the mile and a sixteenth in 1:-M f.. The handle was averaging about 0,000 to a race, up to and including the feature, and it appeared that the total for the afternoon would be around the 00,000 mark. Roman Soldier delayed the start as usual by his wild antics, but Longden broke him well from the rail station. Gov. Sholtz was first to show but was quickly collared by Identify, Dark Hope and Roustabout, and they went around the turn and down the back stretch in that order with Roman Soldier being rated in fifth place. The latter moved up to fourth midway of the back stretch, and at the three-eighths pole the crowd yelled, "There comes the Soldier." There he came, the big black, carrying the gold and green of his owner to second place as they rounded the turn, and going on determinedly after the pacemaking Identify as they hit the head of the lane that leads home. It was nothing but Roman Soldier and Identify in the stretch drive, but the duel was a stubborn one between the pair. Identify was game to the core, but just was not good enough to beat Roman Soldier, even under a weight advantage of sixteen pounds in actual weight. Black Gift closed a good gap to take third, and New Deal ran an even race. Roustabout was done after six furlongs. The others were never in the race. Suburban Stables Sophist, a warm choice, started the form players off on the right foot "when he gained much ground to win the first event by a length and a half. Mrs. W. Hodsons High Finance rah second in, the six furlongs race, two lengths in the van of W. H. Gallaghers Vested Fowqi. L. H. Miners Seedling was beaten a neck for the show award. Sophist had to be pounds the best to win. He broke fourth but was shuffled back to ninth place and appeared a beaten horse on the back stretch. Grimaldi, a "good thing" from the stable of Phil Chinn, led all the way to win the second race of the day, a five furlongs event, scoring by a length over Suburban Stables Robins Cove, with Mrs. Parker Comings Direct another length back in third place. The latter was two lengths clear of Toothpick, the fourth horse, but for some reason the stewards did not trust their eyes and called for a photograph. A. G. Tarns Blue Day made it three in a row in the third event of the day at six furlongs when he came from behind the pace of Jessie D. M. to draw away from Mose Lowenstcins Bacon in the stretch and score a clean cut victory by a length. Bacon was two lengths in front of Takus to take the third award and the well backed Gift of Roses was beaten a head for the show. The race was marred by a fall. Fake catapulted Joey Wagner from the saddle at the three furlongs post. Jockey K. McCombs rode the first winner of his racing career when he piloted A. G. Vandei hilts Bachelor Dinner to victory in the five furlongs event that was fourth on the card. He took his mount a bit wide on the turn but put up a good exhibition in the stretch to get home half a length in front of Mrs. F. C. Dunns Miss Trophy. Cary T. Graysons Stage Whisper was third, beaten three lengths for the place award.
