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GOOD RIDE BIG FACTOR Benjam Benefits From Skill of Saunders in Kindergarten. Rider Saves Enough Ground on Final Turn at Bowie to Have Mount Declared Winner. BOWIE, Md., April 7. Benjam, a sturdy son of Jean Valjean, which races for the Bomar Stable, saved ground entering the stretch in the eleventh running of the Bowie Kindergarten and then outlasted the Man-hasset Stables Smoke Signal in the final drive. Last Lay was a distant third, while fourth was E. K. Brysons Bunny Baby. A field of seven started in the fixture, the second of three programmed stakes at the current meeting. The event netted the win-Tier ,265. Saunders, who rode the winner, sent his mount into command shortly after the start, in which Bunny Baby was in close quarters and shuffled back, while Smoke Signal was on the outside. Last Lay also began slowly, while Araho Lass, Frank Brooke and Laconic had no early excuses. Benjam showed a high flight of speed for the first part and held on tenaciously when Smoke Signal moved up on the outside. Turning for home Saunders saved ground, which was the deciding factor in the dash, for Smoke Signal went a trifle wide, but when straightened out came again. GAME RESPONSE. In the final sixteenth Benjam responded gamely to the whip and at the finish had a half length advantage. Last Lay, when called upon by Gilbert making the stretch turn, moved up menacingly for a brief spell, but then tired and at the end was doing her best to stall off Bunny Baby. The race was run under clear skies and over a track that had dried out remarkably and was pronounced fast. The mid-week attendance showed a decided increased over that of the previous day. A capacity field of platers paraded post-ward in the opener, and pre-race calculations were upset when, in a finish which required the camera, E. Carvers Square Play, ridden by R. Morris, earned the nod over J. Kerrs Boosel, while a length back and lapped on each other were Waterman, that races for Mrs. H. Young, and J. B. Belks Trostar. The field was well mannered at the post and left with a minimum of delay. Boosel sped to the front immediately pressed by Trostar, and when the field was well settled in stride, Sea Gull and Queen Govans, the two outstanding choices, were back in the ruck and unable to overcome slight interference which they encountered shortly after the break. POKES NOSE IN FRONT. Rounding the stretch turn, Boosel continued to show the way and it was not until the final strides that Square Play loomed up on the outside and then poked his nose in front to earn the decision. Waterman finished well to outlast Trostar. The placed horses were neglected factors in the event and, while welcomed by the punter, cast gloom over the form followers. Ilchester, one which prefers a route over other tracks but shows to better advantage over the sprint distances here, accounted for the second race of the day when he carried Continued on eighteenth page. GOOD R1DEBIG FACTOR Continued from first nage. the P. D. Watts colors to an easy score. Three lengths back was E. R. MacDuffs Fair Time and two lengths farther back was B. F. Christmas Headin Home, high weight of the field. Nine started, with the winner absorbing considerable support from the crowd. Jockey H. Le Blanc, who amassed a following since his arrival from Florida, guided his first winner of the afternoon when he rode Sir Rose, owned by A. R. Mann, to victory in the fifth race. This was a six furlongs sprint under claiming conditions. The camera was called upon to decide the place position between T. F. Swords Real Jam and Credulous, owned by Mrs. D. T. Dorner, and the verdict was in favor of the former. The winner outran his field from the start and was rated along steadily, winning by a length. Milk propped at the break and did not leave with her company, although at the end she was gaining steadily and made up some ground over tired horses. Flagstone, a one-time stake horse but an absentee from active competition for the last two years, flashed to a handy victory in the sixth race of the day, which was over a distance of ground for cheaper platers. The veteran carried the A. C. Compton colors to a double, the first part of which was completed by Playnot in an earlier race. Ridden by J. Wagner after Johnny Gilbert asked to be relieved of the mount, Flagstone led home Maddest and Say Do.
