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LARGEST WEEK-DAY CROWD Epsom Downs Entertains Big Gathering With Interesting Racing. Contest for Ranch Horses at Quarter Mile an Additional Attraction, Creating Much Attention. HOUSTON, Texas, Oct 2. Under ideal weather conditions and with the fastest track of the meeting prevailing, an interesting brand of racing resulted at Epsom Downs Friday afternoon, which attracted the largest week day attendance of the current session to the Texas Breeders and Racing Associations track. In addition to the regular program of eight races, the first of the series of races for South Texas inter-county ranch horses was staged over the quarter mile route after the running of the seventh race, and acquaintances of the cow puncher riders and the owners of the "quarter horses" were on hand to cheer for their favorites. Favorites ran to their backing in the majority of the early races on the program. W. A. Mikels Chinese Empress, ruling choice over several other top notch sprinters of the better calibre claiming division, took down the honors in the fourth, five and one-half f urlong3 contest. Civil War was second and Back Log third. Displaying excellent judgment of pace, apprentice Warren Cornay took Chinese Empress off the early pace, but kept his charge within striking distance of Mrs. Wyses representative. As the final quarter was approached, Chinese Empress was sent after Civil War and the chestnut mare proved equal to the task. HARD RIDING. However, it was necessary for Cornay to continue hard riding throughout the run down, the straightaway, despite the fact that the five-year-old sprinter recahed the imaginary wife a length and a half in front of her nearest competitor. Headlining the fare was the Jefferson Davis Claiming event for which seven fleet performers accepted, with Lunsford reeling off the speediest effort of the season for the distance, winning by two lengths in 1:07. Emigrante took down the place while Laird was third. It was a highly impressive performance for the bay son of St James Moon Dove, as he was required to come far from out of it to overtake the early leaders and the manner in which he did it, indicated that he was best of the band. In the early stages of the race. Laird and Epernay staged a head and head duel with Sadie F. in third place and High Hand II. next The order was maintained until reaching the three furlongs post, where Lunsford and Emigrante, which had been back in the ruck, made their bid for recognition. Lunsford responded readil yto the strenuous urging of his rider and forged to the front within the last of a sixteenth of a mile. Once in the lead there was no catching the bay gelding. WHO SAID GRADUATES. Hiawatha Stables Who Said graduated from the maiden ranks in the first race of the day, a five and one-half furlongs sprint in which seven other nonwinning juveniles participated. Flodur finished second, while third money fell to Noir Light The chestnut daughter of Witchmount Lady Champ was installed the betting favorite and, judging from the manner in which she triumphed, the filly outclassed her rivals. Taking the lead at the start. Who Said showed the way for theentire race, coming away with apparent ease when Flodur issued a challenge approaching the stretch turn. Apprentice Eddie De Prang duplicated the successes of Ray Hightshoe of a few days ago when he guided home both sections of the "Daily Double," easily piloting the six-year-old Captain Logan to victory in the second race, which was over the distance of one mile. Barcardi Sweep was second, with Flat Rock next in order at the finish. Captain Logan possessed the most speed and got to the front before the clubhouse turn was reached. Mae, then Van Hastings, attempted to overtake the pacemaker while De Prang had a snug hold of his charge, but neither was capable of accomplishing the- task. Finding the fast tracft more to his liking than the sort of footing that prevailed in his previous starts, Mrs. V. Wyses chestnut filly Kai Harri made every post a winning one in the third race, another sprint of five and one-half furlongs. John Bane finished second, four lengths behind the winner, and the well-backed Epinel could do no better than annex the show portion of the purse. It was with ridiculous ease that the three-year-old chestnut daughter of Kal-Sang Harridan registered, as jockey Raymond Hightshoe eased his mount all during the last seventy yards. After shaking off John Bane in the opening quarter Kai Harri never left the result in doubt
