view raw text
WAR ADMIRAL BRILLIANT IN CHESAPEAKE VICTORY Decisively Defeats Six Other Derby and Preakness Stakes Candidates Carries 119 Pounds and Runs One Mile and a Sixteenth at Havre de Grace in 1 :45 Finishes Six Lengths in Front HAVRE DE GRACE, Md., April 24. Picking up 119 pounds, seven less than lie will carry in the Kentucky Derby, War Admiral, one of the principal hopes of the East for the Blue Grass feature, showed his class for the first time over a distance of ground and became one of the leading candidates for the blue ribbon of the American turf when he administered a decisive defeat to six other three-year-olds for an easy victory in the eighteenth running of the Chesapeake Stakes, which served as a test for Derby and Preakness nominees, and which was the bright and particular "attraction at Havre de Grace today. Viewed by a crowd of 20,000 frenzied fans and installed a top heavy choice for the race, War Admiral gained many supporters by his flattering achievement when he ran the distance in 1:45 flat to enrich the coffers of Samuel D. Riddle, his owner and breeder to the extent of ?8,-250, when he finished six lengths in advance of Townsend B. Martins Court Scandal, surprise winner of the Flamingo Stakes. Over the Top, a stablemate of the winner and candidate for the Preakness, took third and was well clear of Tedious, Fairy Hill, winner of the rich Santa Anita Derby, Slam, and Sunphantom, the only others which remained to try for honors after Quincy and Matey were withdrawn. TRACK AT ITS BEST. With conditions pleasant for the second and final Saturday of the local meeting, the assemblage was a large one, and for the first time in several days the track was in its fastest condition. In the Chesapeake several minutes were lost before the three-year-olds could be brought into alignment, and before thi3 occurred Sunphantom was placed on the outside. War Admiral, frisky and prancing around, stepped out of the stalls busily and in a few steps was in command of his company, never relinquishing his position for the remainder of the race. He went into the first turn under jockey Charles Kurt-singer with a length advantage, and that was the nearest his opponents got to him during the entire journey. Rated down the far side of the track with Fairy Hill and Court Scandal offering the contention, the flashy son of Man o War and Brushup moved into a lead of two lengths on the turn, four lengths midway in the home stretch, then, under a snug hold, crossed the line with six lengths as his final margin. Continued on twenty-second page. WAR ADMIRAL BRILLIANT IN CHESAPEAKE VICTORY Continued from first page. To close observers who watched the brilliant performance of the Glen Riddle color-bearer, all acclaimed the chestnut colt for his smart performance, and little doubt remained in their minds of his ability to travel the mile and a quarter of the Derby. While War Admiral took all the glamor out of the race by his impressive showing, there was actually little to the running of the event after the race got under way. Fairy Hill, after following just a length back of the son of Man o War for six furlongs, found that his task was a difficult one, and it remained for Court Scandal and Over the Top to supply some interest in the late stages when they hooked up in a thrilling argument the length of the home stretch to finish separated by a half length and two lengths before Tedious, who brushed past the tiring Fairy Hill inside the final furlong. No excuse was found for any of the .others and none, excepting the winner, could measure up as a hazard for the Kentucky Derby. War Admiral is a certainty to start in the Derby, barring mishap, and his journey will be started early Monday morning from the loading chute at Havre de Grace. PURPLE KNIGHT EASILY. In the secondary attraction of the day, wHich was the Elkton, Purple Knight, from the R. H. Heighe barn made a show of those that opposed him when he travelled a mile and one-sixteenth in 1:45 to register a hollow victory. Installed a strong choice over the five older horses that met Purple Knight toyed with his company to land across the last line a winner by a half dozen lengths. Chance Ray, from the Mrs. E. Denemark barn, landed into second place, holding a gap of three lengths over Army and Navy, which took third in the last few strides from Kievex. Form followers suffered a reverse in the first offering of the afternoon when Takus, a heavily supported choice, failed his supporters, to finish unplaced in the field of six that met at six furlongs. Emvee, recently acquired by Claud Feltner, turned up victorious when he drove to the finish a length and one-half in advance of M. J. Meyers Gold. Clip, with third falling to B. A. Halls Skyride, and Takus before the others. STAGE BEAUTY AGAIN. Nine shifty juveniles under claiming conditions furnished the contention for the daily event for two-year-olds that was the second race, and it saw Stage Beauty, of the C. T. Grayson stable, duplicating her recent triumph to keep her record unstained here. Ridden by the dusky C. Griggs and making every post a winning one, the flashing juvenile scored at the immediate expense of Bunny Baby, which ruled in the speculation, and they came to the finish separated by three parts of a length. Third was accounted for by Busse Trumpet, of the Mrs. E. Dene-mark barn, while Diarissa, first-time starter, led the five others, of which Actress, one of .the better fancied starters, was last of the party. Showing her best form of the present spring session. Black Highbrow, from the barn of D. J. Sullivan III., made partial atonement for his recent defeats and for that of his stablemate Takus in the first race when he was returned a driving winner of the third race, that engaged a half dozen swift sprinters ranging in selling price from ,000 to ,000. His score, registered in a thrilling finish, took place over Deflate of the J. P. Jones stable, while Joy-ride, lapped with the pair, was third.
