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j CICERO MEETING ENDS St. Bernard Romps to Victory in Illinois Owners Handicap. Brilliant Finale to Successful Season at Hawthorne Lady Montrose Earns Another Purse. CICERO, 111., June 27. With Elmer Dale Shaffers St. Bernard demonstrating his class over nine other starters in the Illinois Owners Handicap before 12,000 persons, Hawthornes thirty-one day meeting was brought to a successful conclusion this afternoon. The four-year-old son of Bull Dog and Eager Cissy, sporting the scarlet and white silks of the young Chicago sportsman, scored his first victory since he triumphed in the Hawthorne Handicap last autumn. Carrying equal top weight of 118 pounds with Corinto, St. Bernard raced the. mile and one furlong in 1:52 to defeat Morris Vehons Threadneedle by three and a half lengths as the Superior Stables Holl Image finished third, a length and a half farther back with Understand at his heels. St. Bernard, which had failed to finish in the money in his two previous efforts this season, added ,290 to his earnings. As a three-year-old he had won the Kenner Stakes in addition to the Hawthorne Handicap and finished second in the Arlington Classic and Travers Stakes. Brought over from Arlington Park, where he had done most of his training for the event since his arrival from New York, St. Bernard demonstrated that he was in excellent condition right from the start. Away in good fashion, the Shaffer colt was under steady restraint while following at the heels of the pacemaking Forever Yours. The latter went the opening quarter in :23, the half mile in :47 and three-quarters in 1:13. Wall had no difficulty in keeping St. Bernard in close attendance of the Milky Way filly until the field reached the stretch, where he called on the Bull Dog colt. Responding readily, the Shaffer colorbearer easily raced past Forever Yours and as he Continued on thirty-eiahth page. CICERO MEETING ENDS Continued from first page. completed the mile in 1:39, he was a length! and a half in front of Threadneedle, which had been in third position almost from the start. Forever Yours gave way badly after losing command and came out of the race considerably lame in her right front leg. St. Bernard easily drew away in the final furlong as Threadneedle was under pressure to beat Holl Image, which was vigorously ridden all through the final three furlongs. Understand came from well back to be fourth after Gyral and Corinto had tired in the final quarter. The event, which was founded by the late John C. Schank, president of Hawthorne for many years, produced a surprise when Holl Image was backed into favoritism with the odds on St. Bernard raising until he was the second choice. Hawthornes luck in drawing ideal weather prevailed to the end and the balmy day was a factor in bringing out a large crowd for the finale. Many notables were in the gathering, which also included quite a large number of recently arrived horsemen for the Arlington Park meeting opening on Monday. Five other stakes were run during the thirty-one day meeting. They were the Inaugural Handicap, won by Rock X.; Decoration Day Handicap, taken by Chanceview; Hawthorne Juvenile Handicap, which fell to Dogaway; the Hawthorne Sprint Handicap, annexed by Myrtlewood, and Chicago Derby, won by Hollyrood. Albert Sabath, president of the Chicago Business Mens Racing Association, expressed himself as well satisfied with the outcome of the thirty-one day meeting, saying: "With the successful revival of the Chicago Derby and the running of the Illinois Owners Handicap today, Hawthorne brought to a successful close one of the most form-ful race meetings in its history. With representation from the larger stables in the country and, despite the intermingling of horses from all sections, the percentage of winning choices and second choices was far above former averages. "From Decoration Day on, with a record breaking crowd and a mutuel handle in excess of 00,000 and as clear weather prevailed steadily, the meeting improved daily. Hawthorne is grateful for the continued expression of confidence by the racing public and will continue to aim in giving the best in racing. We expect to present a new totalizator and other improvements in 1937." Jake Lowensteins Lady Montrose, one of three three-year-olds in the field of eight, defeated T. C. Wordens dependable seven-year-old Billy Jones by taking the Bentley Murray Purse, the fifth race and next in importance to the stake. The two carried, on a bitter duel during which they never were more than a head apart, passed the early pacemaker, Foyot, in the final furlong, and while Billy Jones appeared the stronger of the two in the final strides, the Lowenstein filly had gained enough of an advantage to keep her nose in front. The colors of B. F. Christmas were carried into third place by Sunned, Foyots speed diminishing so badly in the late stages that he also was led home by Lady Thatcher and Ding Bin. Wise Daughter, second choice to Billy Jones, did most of her racing in second place, only to tire in the stretch. Although the field was recruited from among the cheaper three-year-old and the start delayed seven and one-half minutes, the introductory contest, over six and one-half furlongs, aroused interest to a high pitch. After a lively contest had been waged from the outset, the race closed with Jack Carters Major Greenock a driving winner. He scored by a half length, with Bonnie Dream second and Our Patty third. Uncle Mike, which finished fourth, and Captain Jeffers caused the delay at the post,
