New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-21
The Fair Grounds Races.

and the lowering clouds of yesterday morning,
gave rise to keen apprehensions among those who
took an earnest interest in the match race for
s5000 between Maiden and Louis E. Smith, an
nounced to come of, that it would have to be
postponed. The actual fall of a little sprnkling
shortly before one O'Clock, while the clouds
gathered thicker and thicker, tended to confirm
the fears entertained. The weatherwise, however,
observing that, heavy as the clouds were, they
were being rapidly driven by an upper current in
a northeasterly direction, held out the assurance
that no sufficient rain would fall to warrant post
ponement, and for once they proved right. In
ike meantime the flagstaff at the Crescent Hall
was eagerly watched to see whether or not the
vexatous pennant would be hoisted. As the hour
for starting approached the signs grew more and
more favorable, and carriages and buggies, cabs
and phaetons, saddle nags and city railroad cars
were seen vending their way to the Fair Grounds
Course with all the burdens the law allows.
| 3Not a few, misled by the bills into the under
standing that the match would be the second race,
although it was announced in all the morning pa
pers that it would come off first, and DESTROYS of
making sure of the clearing up of the weather, did
not get to the course in time to see the start for
the match-some, indeed, not reaching the course
till it was over-stil, there was very large at
tendance, the stands being all well filled, the la.
dies stand showing quite galaxy of beauty and
fashion, and the others being crowded; and great
interest was manifested in the chief eyent-the
eyent-of the day.
There was but little betting, however, that we
could hear Of. As at the pools on Thursday night
the Lexington FLY was the favorite but the
Revenue colt had advanced from 10 to rs against
the hundred and no takers.
The fear that rain might, from appearances,
interfere with the running, led to very pune
tual start for the first heat at half-past o'clock
and at the signal, the nags got off well together,
with Maiden on the inside track, which she had
won The colt Immediately made heavy play upon
her for the lead, and, taking it from her in beau
tiful style, maintained it with stride and pace
that admonished the patrons of the favorte to
prepare for the probability of heavy fall Maiden
kept well up within a couple of lengths of him
round the back stretch and to the home turn, and
then made vigorous effort down the home stretch
to head him. She failed, however, and the Smith
came in handsome winner of the heat by nearly
or quite half length, in one minute fifty-two sec.
onds and quarter.
By many, the time was considered slow, but in
view Of the condition of the track, it really
appeared to be dry, compact and springy,
but an observation of the footprints of the horses
showed that this apparently fine condition was
only skin deep, and that, two inches beneath, it
was of tenacious, clayey texture. And VIXEN it
Is recollected that under favorable auspices at
Mobile the other day Jennie P. took for her dash of
mile against three competitors 1:519, and Maiden
for her two mile heats 1:504 and 1:5O4, the time
al q a how OF
OF course the chestnut colt became greatly the
favorite after winning the first heat and his fine
appearance warranted the best opinion of him.
He is certainly beautiful animal, with the finest
points, and especially clean limbs-ears perhaps
little longer than nice critics would endorse, and
tail little thinner Otherwise the old description
of what horse should be- would suit him ad
mirably:
Round hoofed short ionted, fetlocks shay ard Ionr
B Bfos sqs breast sa full eyes small head nosr wide
Thin main thick eg and passnE f.
His color is very rich and, but for his white hind
feet, would remind one of Lecomte His walk
and stride are very easy long and graceful.
At the tap of the drum for the second heat, the |
contestants got off well together, the Revenue
taking the inside track, of course as winner ofthe
first heat One hundred to fifty was offered on
effort to take the lead and position from him, but
failed and it became evident from the time thew
passed the rstturn thatshe would have all the work
The could do to keep close enough to him TO give
Ter chance to brush with him with hone of
uccess towards the close of the heat Round the
ack stretch he led her with ease, with his mouth
Tide open, and on the curve near the home turn
e ran away from her. She made desperate
fort to catch him, however, and gave him yerv l
andsome brush down the home stretch offers of {
hundred to ten being offered on him, neverthe- {
49, and without takers. He passed the line two
Ill lengths ahead of her. having made the heat in
ne minute fifty-three seconds and half, and be-
g declared the winner of the match
For the second race, the entries were the Nor
orne FLY, Orphan Boy and Refusal Orphan Boy
as the favorite on the track, as he had been on
e opening of the pools the previous evening, {
ough he yielded this position to the Norborne :
ly before the close, as we reported yesterday.
e saw nothing particular to warrant this recov- d
J of his original position, and attributed it merely
the huctuation attendant upon the doubtas to the
spective powers of these two horses. Refusal.
was evident, was entered principally to make c
ay. On the order being given to saddle up the t
citing was even on the two real contestants. t
oy the second position, and Refusal the outside :
ne Norborne led, Refusal kept well up with her.
Id Orphan Boy lay clese to them from the turn.
own the back stretch, the pace being by no
cans killing, Orphan Boy passed Refusal and t
lalenged the Norborne FLY, but in spite of E
'parently strong efforts he could not pass her, .
e leading him home and past the line by a neck. h
sfusal made better third than was expected; /,
it as the time of the winner was one minute re
weight seconds and threequarers, that was not III
UGH to be wondered at
FOR the second heat, after two false starts the
orborne filly again having the inside track, the :
rises got of, with Refusal in the lead the other
y well up with her, and the Orphan Boy trailing
hind. We heard one hundred to fifty offered fu
ut there would be no broken heats in the race, OF
d no takers. Immediately after the first turn h,
been passed, however, it was manifest that
phan Boy was not running, and down the back
etch it was clear he was not fighting for the =
at, from some cause or other. Some accident
il riding, or something of the kind was sus.
cited. The Norborne FLY, too, apparently
de no effort to pass Refusal, but seemed to
rather waiting for Orphan boy to show his
It. He did not do it; and down the home 7stretch
three came, in the order already stated, very