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GENE WAGERS BY NECK Annexes Ferndale Purse, Principal Offering at Detroit Tuesday. Displays Improved Form to Beat i Black Sleeve and Nad in Close and Exciting Finish. DETROIT, Mich., June 29. Gene Wagers, stakes winner last season, returned to his winning form in annexing the Ferndale Purse, sixth event and principal race, offered at the Fair Grounds this afternoon. Making his own pace, the son of Jean Valjean, which races for J. Vanwinkle, Louisville sportswoman, made his own pace to reach the end of six furlongs a neck before H. C. Hatchs Black Sleeve. Nad carried T. D. Buhls colors into third place, three parts of a length back of Black Sleeve and a half of a length before Texas Rose, which saved fourth from Star Singer, Arabian Myth and Motion Picture. Showing improved form under superb riding by Kurt Thornton, Gene Wagers was the first in motion and he sprinted into a clear lead during the run to the final half mile. Nad was showing the way to Arabian Myth and the others, but Texas Rose, which was saving ground, was fast improving her position and when the field came to the stretch ahe was in third place. Nad began to gain on the winner during the run for home and Bobby Montgomery was bringing Black Sleeve up fast on the outside. THORNTONS STRONG RIDING. Responding to Thorntons strong urging, Gene Wagers held on gamely to withstand Black Sleeves belated challenge, and Nad lasted to outfinish Texas Rose. Star Singer made up ground on the outside, but Arabian Myth and Motion Picture, which completed the picture, were far back of the leaders at the end. Despite heavy showers which fell soon after the running of the last race yesterday, the racing strip was in its best condition. With cooler weather prevailing and a more attractive card, the crowd was a large one. There were many thrilling finishes, and surprises were numerous. The biggest upset came with the fifth event, for plater two-year-olds, when Jack Carters Bottom Row scored his third victory of the year and his first of the meeting. Completing a double for Rodriguez, the son of Kai-Sang came to the end of five and a half furlongs two lengths before Mere Frolic and Fern Star, which finished in a dead heat and a neck before Gatlin, which finished fourth. FURNISHES MXLD SURPRISE. Gold Standard chalked up his first victory of the year when he furnished a mild surprise in annexing the second race, at one mile and a sixteenth. Just Fun was second and Eddie Wrack third. King Kelly, a 2-to-l choice, dropped back after five-eighths and showed little to justify his strong support. Prosy made it two in a row and provided another mild surprise when she outgamed Witan in a spectacular duel which prevailed from soon after the start. Dozana was third, a head before Tramway and three Continued on thirty-eighth page. GENE WAGERS BY NECK Continued from first vage.J and one-half lengths in the wake of Witan, which shared favoritism with Tramway. Benefited by being permitted to race extremely wide during the final furlong of the five-eighths dash, Sir Bevidere carried the Canadian-owned colors of H. R. Bain to his initial success in the fourth event. Coupled with Le Feu, the entry was a 6-to-5 choice, but Le Feu was of no assistance and Sir Bevidere probably would not have been victorious if C. Critchfield had not forced Sun Henry, which finished second, wide.. Thus aided, the son of Sir Gallahad HI. and Negrina reached the finish three-quarters of a length before Sun Henry, with some five lengths separating the latter and Trans Wynn, which finished third, at the end. Charles Henry, who returned from Chicago yesterday, where he served as placing judge at Washington Park, was at the track today for a conference with judge Murphy regarding the Thistle Down meeting. Judge Henry leaves for Thistle Down next- week, where he will officiate as racing secretary.
