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SUNCRAX IN DRIVING FINISH .Victorious After Hard Struggle With Tonianna" and Veiled Lady. IL Le Blanc Riding Star at laurel Several Spirited Contests Result Despite Featureless Card. LAUREL, Md., Oct. 15. A program recruited from among the cheaper performers on the grounds, and featureless, was the entertainment furnished by the Maryland State Fair for the eleventh day of the current meeting at Laurel today. The program, with the exception of one race that was confined to maiden two-year-olds, was given over to platers of the claiming ranks, and it was the first time since the commencement of the long twenty-five day meeting that the card was devoid of a headline attraction. With nothing in the way of a principal event, most interest centered on the decision of the fifth race, which was fashioned for two-year-olds, in which the top selling price was set as ,000, and it was marked by one of the most thrilling finishes of the meeting, when three of the nine starters came to the line battling furiously, and winning honors were earned by Mrs. Colin McLeods Suncrax. It was the third triumph of the season for the daughter of Sun Edwin in seventeen starts, and she was extended to the limit to beat the Brandon Stables Tonianna, a rank outsider, while Veiled Lady was an exceedingly close third. SKILLFUL HORSEMANSHIP. Suncrax had the speed to move into a short lead after being first away from the gate, and with jockey H. Le Blanc riding a patient race for his second winning mount of the afternoon, the McLcod miss was able to dominate throughout the contest. In the. early part she had Tonianna and Fond Memories as her principal rivals, being unable to draw a second breath until completing six furlongs, but Le Blanc was giving her skillful handling and saving all the ground possible. Forced to a terrific drive after being straightened out in the stretch, Suncrax rallied gamely when feeling the whip on her flanks and in a brisk duel stuck it out to achieve her goal by a head. Veiled Lady, coming, the fastest at the close, was beaten the same distance for the place and maintained a wide gap over Fond Memories and the others. Despite the threats of rain and several brief showers that occurred, the assemblage for the ; eleventh day was of average size, and once again favorites were in the minor- ity. Jockey H. Le Blanc carried off riding honors, with winning mounts astride Iron Ore and Suncrax. The opening race, for two-year-old maiden fillies, attracted a field of limit size, and it served opportunity for the graduation of Millie M., from the Leo J. Marks barn, when she dominated from the beginning to achieve a front-running and popular victory; Melodi-ana, an outsider in the large field, landed home in second place, while Rouge et Noir, from the W. M. Jeffords stable, was an easy third. STEEPLECHASE SURPRISE. Twelve cheap, timber-toppers met in. the two-mile claiming steeplechase that was listed second on the program, and it resulted in a surprise when three lightly-regarded, members in the big field took down-the principal portions of the purse, with Little Marty, from the John K. Culver, Jr., barn, turning up winner. Falling in his last three outings, the nine-year-old took all his fences without a bobble and, with jockey J. McGrath riding a particularly strong finish, the veteran Lucky Hour gelding drove to the finish a length before D. C. Reads Dundrillin, while three lengths away Daffy, which raced grouped in the "field" with the winner, captured third for L. C. Leith. There were no casualties in the running, which was decided over fourteen jumps, although one almost occurred at the last fence when Blue Vision struck the brush after leading virtually from the start. The fourth event was the first of the long distance races on the flat and it resulted in another upset when lightly considered members in the field of limit size proved best in " the running. In this winning honors were captured by Miss Fern, in the silks of E. A. Nicodcmus, when, in a bitterly waged finish, she took the measure of B. A. Halls Skyride, they coming to the close separated by a head, while Atit was just a nose away to take third. This was the third limit field to go postward in as many races. CAMERA FINISH. Twelve nondescript plater sprinters met over three-quarters in the third race, confined to fillies and mares ranging from a selling price of ,000 to ,500, and in a finish that required the camera. Iron Ore, from the J. D. Cohn stable, was victorious. His score brought jockey H. Le Blanc into the winning circle .for the first time in several days. The triumph occurred at the, immediate expense of Mrs. M. Eckmans High Torque, the pair coming to the line separated by inches, while Titian Kiddie, at liberal odds, was just a short head behind the pair to take third. Iron Ore was a keen factor in the early stages of the contest, going along in fifth position while Pretty Busy, Supreme Maiden, Titian Kiddie and Sundrop went away as a team to lead the way. Moving up fast on the stretch turn Iron Ore passed one of the leaders then, waging a thrilling battle in the last furlong, got up in the last couple of strides to run down his remaining rivals.
