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MERRY GESTURE VICTORIOUS Outfinishes 5000 Platers After a Poor Start Mars Race Threat of Rain Has No Effect on Attendance Attendanceat at Laurel Park Winner Carries CarriesFeather Feather Weight LAUREL Md Oct 20 Displaying her best speed after suffering defeat in her last five starts Merry Gesture from the John J Watts stable chalked up her third score of the season when she accounted for the fifth race the best offering on a featureless pro ¬ gram at Laurel Park today todayIn In the race which engaged eight juveniles at six furlongs for which the top claiming price was 5000 Merry Gesture was one of the fortunate starters to leave the stall gate in a bad start and she tirumphed at the direct expense of T J Hills Tin Devil which ruled a lukewarm choice Third went to Robespierre and Sun Plume took the measure of the four others othersIn In the principal offering Merry Gesture had the best of the weights when she raced with the feathery impost of ninetyfive pounds and being one of the first three from the starting point was a factor from the beginning Robespierre was first from the stalls when he outbroke the small field and his speed carried him into the van imme ¬ diately while Merry Gesture and Bing Bong led the pursuit as the others away in slow order jockeyed for positions positionsGoing Going down the far side Robespierre set a fast pace and he was unable to get free of Merry Gesture and the Bradley gelding which were right at his heels and Tin Devil barely holding fourth place Turning out of the back stretch Merry Gesture went up to engage the pacemaker and on the stretch turn succeeded in getting into a lead that she never surrendered Jockey E Le Blanc kept the filly going at her best clip and easily met the belated bid staged by Tin Devil for the accounting in 113 In the brisk battle for the place Robespierre was beaten a head while Sun Plume was three lengths away as he led the others othersWith With a warm sun obscured by clouds shortly after the porgram got under way the threat of rain failed to have any effect on a rather good crowd that accepted the featureless card of seven races
