view raw text
SUNNED SHOWS IMPROVEMENT Shenandoah Valley Purse Performance Better Than Recent Win. Christmas Kcccr Defeats Mrs. Emil Dene-marks Grand Duke at Havre de Grace nuns Fast Race. HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., April 23. Coming back with a performance that topped hi3 recent score in the Hampton Roads Purse here a week ago, Sunned, useful sprinter of the Mrs. B. F. Christmas stable in a fast run six furlongs, was returned winner of the Shenandoah Valley Purse, a test under allowance conditions which served as the feature at Havre de Grace today. Opposed by six other shifty sprinters, the five-year-old son of Ed Crump and Sun Up came from behind to finish a length and a half in advance of Mrs. E. Dcnemarks Grand Duke, while beaten a similar margin, J. B. Belles Wise Sister landed the short end of the spoils when she took the measure of Master Lad, Conquer, Patsey Begone and Sky Hostess, the only others which were engaged. The Shenandoah was fourth on the program and, without much delay at the stalls, a good beginning was effected for the seven under colors. Grand Duke was first out of the gate and flattered his supporters by taking immediate command. In the run to the turn Grand Duke led the way by a short margin as Kurtsinger was intent on saving his mount as much as possible. Reaching the stretch, the favorite skirted the rail to save valuable ground, but there was a general closing of the main contenders and it found the Denemark colt under a drive midway in the stretch. GOOD TIME. Sunned charged into fourth position when the stretch was reached, then closing resolutely on the outside, overhauled the tiring Denemark colorbearer in the last sixteenth to prevail by a daylight advantage at the close. The time was 1:1214. Warmer weather and a well-balanced card obtained for the eleventh day of the local meeting and it lured a good crowd out for the entertainment. Much improvement was noted on the racing surface, which was steadily returning to normal, and several close finishes enlivened the sport. The silks of ER. Bain were seen in their first victory of the meeting here when Distract showed his best speed after three previous outings this season to take honors in the opening event over six furlongs. Dropping down into cheaper company and well rated by C. Critchfield in the early part of the journey while Addis Ababa and Small Change furnished the early pace, the four-year-old son of Distraction surged into the lead midway on the turn and, under light pressure, continued in the van to reward his supporters. At the close the H. R. Bain gelding had three lengths to spare over Small Change, which landed the place for Bernard Bond, while Happy Hazel was two lengths before Dedication as she moved up from a rear position to finish third. PATCHPOCKET WINS. Seven better than average sprinters met in the second race, also at six furlongs, and It saw Patchpocket, from the D. L. Ogle barn, proving best of those under colors. Second went to Cruising, from the Mrs. H. Sherman stable, and third to M. H. Simpsons Prince Turley. R. Eccard was astride Patchpocket, and he used good judgment when he ran the six-year-old gelding in fourth position, while Prince Turley, Lord Tournament and Sir Rose raced away closely locked to furnish the early pace. Staying on. the outside as the leaders supplied a steady pace, the Ogle gelding challenged his opponents midway of the home stretch, went into command shortly after and, under a drive, reached the finish with a length and a half to spare. In the battle for the place Cruising, coming from sixth place, earned that share, while Prince Turley took third as Sir Rose tired. HEIGHE VICTORY. Another score was added to the successful Mrs. R. H. Heighe stable when Rehearsal, chestnut daughter of Theatrical, duplicated her last triumph over this track to score a hollow victory in the four and a half furlongs dash for two-year-olds that was the third offering. Meeting six others of her age, the Mrs. R. H Heighe filly established all of the pace in the short sprint and, under the energetic J. Wagner, covered the distance- in :51U, to be across the line leading the favorite, Smoke Signal, by three lengths, while two lengths away Miss Oak took third. Rehearsal had much speed to go into a clear lead immediately, then sped along in shifty style to hold sway all during the contest. W. Elliotts Xandra was a bitter disappointment in the mile and seventy yards of the fifth race, bringing about one of the biggest upsets, of the day when she finished last in the small field of six as Scudder, a rank outsider from the J. B. Belk barn, turned in a front-running triumph to score in one of the best, finishes of the day. Leading from the fall of the flag, the unsexed son of Meridian waged a thrilling argument in the final eighth to register by a scant head. Second was taken by Chief Yeoman, another which ruled at liberal odds, while Shining Knight, also" aneglected factor, was third over Midshipman. The disappointing Xandra, second In her most recent outing, was held at short odds and from the beginning trailed far back of her company. She was entirely devoid of speed at all stages of the journey and, to make matters worse, was taken extremely wide in the last five-sixteenths.-
