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LOCKSTEP BY THREE LENGTHS Stoves Up Fast During Stretch Run to Take Epsom Downs Race. 3ood Crowd on Hand to View Sport at Houston Course Emery Triumphs at Odds-On in Fourth Race. HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 9. Small fields performed in all the races of todays program of eight contests and a special event tor range horses as an added attraction at Epsom Downs. A rapidly drying-out track lid not seem to be to the liking of the :hoices in the early events. Though the quality offered was not the best of the current meeting, racing fans turned out in large numbers, many of which were visitors from neighboring counties who made the trek to Houston for the express purpose of viewing the "quarter Worses" in the second of the scries of such races. The Rice Hotel Claiming Purse, which was staged over the distance of a mile and one-sixteenth and held fifth position on the card, was easily the best race of the day, though some thrilling sport was provided in the earlier events. Lockstcp, equal choice in the betting with Wayrey, proved the first of the winning favorites of the afternoon, when A. E. Silvers bay filly came from behind to easily account for the third race, a five and a half furlongs sprint. Legion Girl finished third and Wayrey was next in order. ONLY SIX START. Only six went postward and though Legion Girl failed to break quickly, the chestnut filly displayed enough speed to assume the lead before the first quarter ivas traversed. Legion Girl continued to show the way to the stretch turn with Princess Bee second and Lockstep moved up to third place at this point and undertook the task of overhauling the pacemaker, which was easily accomplished after straightening out in the stretch, scoring by the comfortable margin of three lengths. Maidens and winners of one race of the two-year-old ranks contested in the first race on the fare, a five and a half furlongs dash which resulted in a thrilling struggle as Frank C. gained a nose decision over Billy Mole, with Who Said taking down the short end of the purse. Working his way up gradually through the field, Frank C. charged on Billy Mole during the stretch drive and stride by stride reduced the margin of the pacemaker. The second brought together a cheap band of maidens in the second event with Great Chance coming from behind to register the initial victory of her career in the silks of Baldwin and Luhning by the scant margin of a head. On the Go was second and Amite, another outsider, dropped into the third place. PAYS AT LONG ODDS. Possessing enough speed to keep within striking distance of the pacemaker for the first half mile of the six furlongs. Great Chance slipped through on the rail after entering the home lane and joined On the Go as the latter disposed of Even Play, the early leader. It was a ding-dong struggle down to the finish line, with the brown daughter of Chance Shot getting the nod and her backers receiving 7.80 for each . Another cheap band of sprinters was assembled for the fourth and Mrs. F. J. Estes Emery, an odds-on choice in the field of six starters, was extended to the limit in order to register by a half length over Milandra, with Northern Slip a nose farther back in third place. It required all that the bay gelding had in store to overhaul Northern Slip in the last quarter then ward off the challenge of Milandra, despite the fact that the latter lacked racing room. Northern Slip displayed sufficient speed to take the lead soon after the field was dispatched and managed to cling to a slight advantage for more than a half mile but finally gave way to Emery.
