Dan Hemingray in attendance at Latonia Race Track

LATONIA'S

Opening Broke Record.

Was Largest Crowd in the

History of the Track.

Decoration Day Handicap

Was Feature Event.

Princess Orna Won, Cleverly

Ridden by Austin.

Rough Riding Characterized

the Initial Day's Sport,

And as a Result Jockey J. Hicks Is in

the Hospital With a Broken

Skull — Gossip.

Princess Orna, carrying the colors of Tom Hayes, of Nashville, and ridden by that imp of darkness, Dale Austin, showed the way to the wire for the Decoration Day Handicap at Latonia yesterday afternoon.

The race was the feature event of the day which marked the opening of the Latonia Jockey Club's spring meeting and was witnessed by probably the largest crowd that passed through the gates of this popular race course. Fully 10,000 people thronged the course and it might be said crowded things up a bit.

It was a clean-cut victory for the Hayes mare and she showed that she was good and fit and fast, as she clipped 1 1-5 sec­onds off the track record for a mile and a sixteenth, going the route in 1:45 2-5, which is within 4-5 of a second of the world's record.

Closest to her at the end was McIlvain, another Tennessee horse, while Coruscate, who came with a belated rush, finished third. But for an Instant was the result in doubt, and that was right after the flying Princess had straightened for home and Obert brought McIlvain up and challenged her. For a moment it looked as if he would catch the filly, but Austin had a lot up his sleeve and he shook her up a bit and she at once drew away.

It was a great day for the Latonia track and showed conclusively that the interest in the turf hereabouts was genuine and not of the mushroom sort. The crowd came early and stayed late. It packed the grand stand to the sardine-can limit. It spread over the walks and lawn, and a number were rather comfortably installed at the clubhouse.

It was a regulation Cincinnati holiday crowd — jolly, noisy, but orderly — out to have a pleasant day of it, and it's a good guess the majority had it. The races are always enjoyable when one can land a winning bet, and it must have been an awful bad picker who couldn’t land on the right one yester­day.

The crowd was not a local one entirely, as many Kentucky titles were represented, and Ohio sent a dedication from Columbus, Dayton and intervening towns.

Cincinnati is bound to become the racing center of the Middle West. Its meetings will attract visitors from all points, and the efforts of the Latonia management will be to keep the game clean and raise its standard to bring it as close as possible to that of the East. That would be dead easy if the Western turf was not so shy of millionaires. Now that peace is in sight with a fair prospect that the control of the sport will pass into the hands of representative men, men who stand well in their communities and are in the racing game for the sport and glory, it will be an inducement to others who stand equally well to break into it. That's all the West needs.

Many Rough Rides.

Outside of the feature the rough riding of the Jockeys attracted the most atten­tion. All afternoon it looked as if the knights of the saddle belonged to the Buf­falo Willy tribe of broncho busters.

In the fifth race six horses went to the post and three finished.

The other three were piled in a heap on the far turn, and little Jimmy Hicks, who rode Toulon, was badly hurt. For a time it was thought that he had only suffered a bruised shoulder, but later it developed that his skull was fractured, and he was removed to St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

In the sixth race Tarp, one of the fa­vorites, fell near the clubhouse, but little C. Morris escaped with a shaking up.

Twenty-six bookmakers were kept busy, 22 in the big ring and 4 fielders. While the bookies had not time to discuss the weather the majority of them quit to the bad on their day’s work. The horses ran just the way they were played in the first three races, and, though several long shots crept in toward the end, the bookies quit loser.

The entire Board of Directors of the American Turf Association was on hand and took a lively interest in the day's sport, and all declared themselves for peace.

It was stated that licenses of both racing organizations in the West would be recog­nized before the meeting began, but to please every one this was not put into effect at once, and for the present the A. T. A. will still rule Latonia.

Now for the big race. It was not worth $10,000 to the winner, but $1,840 goes a long ways at that.

It seemed as if everyone had made up his mind to bet on this race, and the betting ring was besieged by a mob even after the post. Princess Orna opened the favorite, but steady play on McIlvain sent his price down in a jiffy, and the books that laid 5 to 1 against Frank Bruhn's nag went to the rubber in a hurry. Envoy was the strong tip, and there was always money in sight on Pat Dunne's horse, and old Coruscate also received considerable support. It was whispered that White Plume was not ready, and her odds kept on soaring. John Carroll also failed to appeal to the betters, and he was held at odds that varied from 6 to 8 to 1.

SCENES AT LATONIA ON THE OPENING DAY.

Views taken at fair Latonia yesterday showing features of the grand opening of the local racing season. Read­ing from left to right, the illustrations are: First row — The lake in center field of the track. Finish in the Decoration Day Handicap. Second row — Society at the clubhouse. Crowd watching the races from the grand stand. Bottom picture — Winner of the handicap. Princess Orna, with Jockey Dale Austin in the saddle.

Particularly heavy was the assault made on McIlvain for the place, as it was practically conceded that no matter who won McIlvain was the nag that would be the contender, and so it proved to be.

The paddock was crowded with the usual sightseers, and the wise ones who came to get an earful. "What does he say? Do you know him? See who he likes." "That one looks good." "Is Corrigan betting on his?" "Joe Yeager is plunging on Envoy," and all that sort of talk, is a fair sample of what was doing in the paddock.

The trainers stood at the stalls assigned to their charges, and, of course, had to tell all their friends just what they thought of it.

Colonel Tom Moore did not think that his mare was keyed up to a hard race; that is he was not certain as to that, as he did not know just what notch the owners are up to.

Frank Bruhns said that McIlvain would run his best race; if that was good enough to win the money was his.

Tom Hayes was equally certain that Princess Orna was right, and that the track just suited her.

Pat Dunne was confident that Envoy would turn the trick, while Ed Corrigan did not have any too much faith in John Carroll. When he heard that he was 8 to 1 in the betting he said: "Well. I'll bet about $50 on him. Just on account of the odds."

The field was a pretty orderly one as it paraded past the judges' stand and club­ house on the way back to the post; but once there that part of it was all off.

Princess Orna was anything but ladylike in her behavior, and she made strenuous efforts to put several of her opponents out of the race with her flying heels.

Her efforts in the kicking line were very much on the Maud order, and she almost broke Envoy's leg and then aimed another at Coruscate a bit later that came close to doing a lot of damage to Jockey Pendergast's underpinning.

While this was all going on the crowd in the stand and about got uneasy. "Isn't it a shame to see the way that mean horse is kicking my horse" was heard from all sides. "That's my horse she's kicking! Why don't they take hold of her? She will either wear herself out or put the others out of the race if they stay there much longer," and a lot of other protests against the unruly conduct of the Princess were heard.

After five minutes were wasted in try­ing to get The Princess straight to the bar­rier Starter Holtman caught them all lined up, and up went the barrier, and "They're off!" yelled the crowd.

The Princess Won Cleverly.

Princess Orna broke on the extreme out­side, but she was in full motion, and be­fore the Judges' stand was reached Dale Austin had her in front. White Plume was second, and McIlvain and Envoy on even terms rounding the first turn. Princess Orna forged to the front and soon opened a gap of daylight on the others straightened for the run through the back stretch, she opened up a gap of three lengths, and White Plume retired, and Envoy and Mc­Ilvain now took up the running. It was the same story around the far turn, around the stretch turn and when straightened for home. Here McIlvain, who was on the outside, closed, and it looked as if he would catch the leader, but his effort was but a dash in the pan. as Princess drew under a bit of urging, and from then on Jockey Austin had but to hold her to­gether. Envoy closed on the rail, but he had enough before a mile was run. Coruscate closed with a rush at the end, fairly eating up the ground, but the race was over, and third is the best she could get. Pendergast took her back for some reason rounding the far turn; but for that she would have been second.

Princess Orna was not the public’s choice, and, while there was a lot of cheering as the race was run and a fair amount for the filly as she passed the wire in the lead, it died away quickly.

Austin rode her back to the chalk-out-lined half circle reserved for the winner in front of the Judges' stand, and then the usual formalities of putting a wreath of flowers on the winner and giving a bouquet to the rider were indulged in, and Austin remounted and rode down to the clubhouse and back, while Willie Kopp's band cut loose. Some more applause, and the interest was concentrated in the next race.

"Nice race," said Judge Price after it was over. There was just a bit of in­terference on the turn, but it cut no fig­ure in the result. Princess Orna could hardly have been beaten to-day."

A great crowd lined up on the fence as her dark-skinned rider, carrying the huge bunch of roses, walked back to the jockey room. He grinned and laughed as Jockey Troxler called to him from the jockey loft that, with the flowers in front, he looked like a case of play red or black, to which Austin retorted: "You go away back; I'm the stake Jockey now."

As to Princess Orna he said: "She won on the bit just breezed from the eighth pole home. She's a contrary nag, though, as the last time I rode her at Louisville she jess couldn't do anything, and had no speed at all, and to-day she jess burned the track."

Jockey Badly Hurt.

The handicap reflected great credit on Ly­man Davis. While just six started, it was a good contest to look at and a remarkable one for the speculative end.

It was a sort of Hayes Day, as two win­ners came from Tom's barn, three, one might say, as Will Hayes's La Veita is stabled in the same barn. Then again it might be called Nashville Day, for William Gerst's horses cut quite a figure, winning one race and finishing second in two others, and Frank Bruhns got the place money in the stake event.

The first race was conceded to Robinhood before the entries came out, and he made that good in a romp. There was a lot of activity on John English, who opened at long odds, but was played from 3 to 1 for the place to even money, and got that po­sition very easily.

Robinhood took the lead from the first jump after a rather poor effort on Starter Holtman's part, and never was caught. Battle Creek was second for part of the way, but had enough after the stretch was reached, and John English had an easy time beating Tocolaw for the place.

La Veita scored a win in the second, but it was not an easy one and there was a lot of crowding and bumping in the run home, and the winner was responsible for some of it. Mattie Mack, who finished third, was most likely the best one in the race, as she was off poorly and was taken the long way. La Veita was favorite No. 2.

Then Matador, the favorite for the next race, got home after a tussle with Wind­shield, the latter being backed for a good thing.

Then came the handicap, and this followed by a race full of mishaps, three of the colts falling.

Rounding the far turn and making the turn for the stretch Holdfast, ridden by Jimmy Hicks, fell, Toulon, with Pendergast, fell over him, and then, to make it real good, Hildebrand, brother of the fa­mous rider of that name, came up with his eyes closed, and he added his weight and that of the horse to the bunch already on the ground. When the dust cleared it was seen that the two white boys had es­caped, but little Hicks never stirred. He was carried to the stable, and while at first his injuries seemed trivial later he began to bleed from the ear and show other signs of a fractured skull, and he was hurried to the hospital. His condition is serious.

The other boys were just shaken up a bit. Judge Price, after investigating the race thoroughly, laid the blame for it on Jockey Taylor, whom he fined $50 and suspended for 10 days.

Taylor was in front of Jay Swift and he pinched off Obert on Alvisea and Austin on Seven Bells and this is what caused the suspension. As to being the direct cause of the spill Judge Price did not blame Taylor for that, though it looked very much as if the Jockeys were doing their very best to shut Austin off on Seven Bells. Pendergast blamed Obert, and Hildebrand said he couldn't see on account of the dust. Jimmy Hicks was too badly hurt to give any explanation.

Then came the surprise of the day, Dudley prancing home at long odds from Carew, who was second choice. Tarp, the favorite, fell before reaching the clubhouse turn. She was on the extreme outside, and little C. Morris escaped with a strained back. The cause of the spill was that Tarp jumped on Floral Artist, who was right in front of her, and that sent the filly down.

A pretty struggle took place for the money in the last race, though about half of the field was out of it when the barrier arose. Roscoe was away winning, and for awhile it looked as if he was going to make a runaway race of it, but when collared he hung out distress signals and Gambrinus soon had him beaten. Inside the last furlong another danger threatened the Gerst horse as Freebooter, from Joe Pugh's outfit, came with a rattle under punishment and all but landed the purse. And the first day of the spring meeting of the Latouia Jockey Club was over.

AT THE CLUBHOUSE.

Among those in parties at the clubhouse were Harry Kinney and wife, James C. Culbertson, Jr., Dwight Kinney, J. N. Rob­erts, Burr McIntosh, of New York; David Howell, Clifford Shinkle and wife, Miss Marie Hinkle, Colonel George Alexander, of Paris, Ky.; E. N. Roth, Colonel James E. Pepper, Robert Pogue and Wife, Wil­liam Herron, Thornton Lewis and wife, John Sherlock, Congressman Ollie James, Buckner Wallingford, Harry Levy, Clifford Ware and wife, Colonel Milton Young, of Lexington; Mayor T. A. Combs, of Lexing­ton; T. M. Grinstead, of Lexington, Judge S. W. Hager, of Frankfort; Hon. William Klair, Congressman J. L. Rhinock, wife and daughters; Jacob Crigler, A. O. Bake and wife, Chief of Police Henry Schuler and wife, Allle Seiter and wife, Colonel Alexander Davezac, Harvey Myers and wife, William Ramey, Arthur Rouse. Jos. Trevor and wife, Dr. S. J. Mead and wife, Colonel J. E. Applegate, Matt Winn, Presi­dent of the A. T. A.; W. O. Palmer, mem­ber of the A. T. A., of Nashville, Tenn.; John Payne, E R. Bryson, John S. Wood and wife, Walker Hall and wife, James E. Guthrie and wife, Robert Kahn and wife, Frank Anderson and wife, F. J. Mey­ers, Bernard Bramlage, Dan Hemingray, Mayor George T. Beach, J. N. Roberts, J. C. Culbertson, C. P. Brown, Stanley Rob­inson, Murrey Keller, of New York; James E. Holland, and others.