The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-04-04

FIRST DAY.
Cottril Wins the Dash and Plantagenet
the $4,000 Race.

the $4,000 Race.
day made for enjoyment. q day wherein the
balmy atmosphere, the clear sky, the warm
breeze, breathing sunlight and happiness, seemed
30 many vooers to the coy stay-at-hcmes to come
forth into the air and feel the luxury of living
such was yesterday. Had that mysterious and
very potent individual, yclept the clerk of the
weather, have been consulted by the Jockey Club
and by them cajoled into trying his utmost for the
occasion, more beautiful day could not have
been produced from his stock on hand, which,
considering how little pleasant weather We have
had recently. must now be quite large one.
And ven might the day be fine one. Was II
not one consecrated and set apart, Was not the
Spring meeting Of 1869 of the Metarie Jockey
Club TO commence yesterday, How then could
the weather have been too propitious, How
could the skies smile too brightly upon such an
EVENT. IL fr4
And the day and its beauties were well Cd.
preciated. for the turnout was such one as has
not been Witnessed since the war. Down the
Canal street shell road. by O'Clock, the stream
Of carriages began to pour. vehicle after vehicle
the splendid private equpage with its blooded
team, its cockaded coschman, and its freight of
beauty and wealth the hack, laden with pleasure
seekers; the buggy, with its two fast young men
changing +" behind fast horse :, the dsshing and
snowy dog cart. the soberer family carry-aIl, par
ties of horsemen, car loads of the seekers after
more plebeian but cheaper transportation nay,
even the butcher cart, containing the butchers
boy and the friend Of his bosom, clarifying In q
free ride and exutsnt over the prospect Of seeing
the races-all these and many more formed
procession which never ceased until
after the races had commenced, and
everybody looked gloriously happy. The
gentlemen of course-for who ever knew O
Southerner that did not love racing instnc ctively.
and the ladies, because--well, because 1t is the
fashion to 60 to the races, and because il Is O
splendid opportunity to flirt, and because the
horses lcok SO pretty, and because they are sure
to meet oil the young men there, and because IL is
30 nice to bet pair OF kid gloves upon the races,
and ask the gentlemen the names OF the horses,
and pretend TO be afraid that the jockeys will fall
on, and TO go down and eat chicken salad aud
drink champagne between the heats, and for fifty
other reasons which II is unnecessary to enumer
ate because the gentlemen can't appreciate them
and the ladies know all about them already.
Follow we then the throng along the shell road
observing each enjoyable item as we pass it, aud
take we our stand on the quarter stretch 10 front
Va c 81 anu ssoAo, Juss Deiofo INC ulst Idco cOm-
mences.
THE COURSE.
The ladies' stand was packed, aud not only
was il full, but so numerous were the fair guests
of the betsirie Club and so general the turn.
out, large portion OF the members stand was
taken possession of by the ladies' ui et dr7ais
who held their ground all through the day with
great courage and skill and planted such q for.
midable battery Of bright eyes on the position
which they had storned. that the bravest heart of
oil hn aIrrh rwrTar nA or1 T,fw
lures for q surrender at discretion. All, how
beautiful was that ladies stand The myriad
colors, all lighted mp by the bright sunbeams the
flashing jewels, the beanng eyes. made pie.
ture whose beauties were the same In daylight,
and only increased as the spectator got nearer to
them. We leave the scene half undescribed, be-
cause We cannot reproduce moiety of its splen-
dor.
As to the club stand, Of course that was full.
for besides the members of the club there were
present many prominent devotees OF the turf from
other parts Of the country, to whom the hospitali
ties OF the Metairie had been extended. Amongst
them we noticed Colonel John Knapp. Of the St.
Louis Republican; Mr.. G. w. Ford, Colonel Basil
Duke, snd Colonel ]. b. 0'Fsllon, Of st. Louis;
Gen. Buford and Zeb. Ward, ESQ.,, of Kentucky;
Gems. Harding and r. B. Chsatham. of Nashville; \
Messrs. ID. ID. Withers, John Chamberlain and
John Coffee. OF New York; Mr.. John Il. Smith OF
Cincinnati, and Colonel Donovan, Of Memphis.
There were too, upon the quarter stretch and on
the stand q number Of well known turfmen Of our |
own State-Ex-G Governor Hebert, Col. Jas. Nc
Closkey, Col. Pace, Hon. ID. F. Kenner, Col.
Gen. westmore, Capt. W. J. Minor, |
Mr.. H. B. Foley, DR.. Buckner, Mr. W. @. Lips |
comb and Mr.. M. ". Conner, Of Wilkes Spirit, |
whom, however, We claim as an Orleanoise.
Never before since the war have We seen the |
for one person more upon 1t. large as II is. In |
fact the whole stand, from one end to the other,
was jammed.
The track was safe one though not fast one.
i bo uo ha ad hut ru lnr
while over by the woods, il was muddy. Still, q
fair track considering the recent frequent rains,
and better one than was expected.
The betting was lively, but as in both races |
there were favofites, 1t was not very exciting. !
There was OF course the usual amount OF |
speculation about the horses, the usual display OF
racing knowledge by people who didn't know any |
thing about it. But at last the preminaries were |
all settled, the horses for the first race came slow
ly trotting down from the stables. and the voice |
Of Ex. Gov Hebert singing out saddle up," sent |
every one peIli nell to the stand, there to again
enjoy the glorious inspiration which the sight of
3 horse race always produces.
THE FIRST RACE.
This was two year old sweepstakes, $500 en-
rance, club to add $500. 1t closed with four
nominations, Col. O'Fallon's alta Vcla, known to
be fine horse, Col. Wilson's JEFF Jennings and
TWO Of Mr.. Cottrill's Coa,fu and Carrie p. II /
was generally known, however, that Carrie would
BOT start and that upon Cottrill would be imposed
ne taek OF kusalnfnB the nonof OF MS staDfe. Ino
)dds were largely in his favor in betting circles
wo to one sesDst the feld--but there were plenty
n takers, as Alta Vela 10 not only " a good IN to
ook az, but has proved herself "a good IN to
TO-"
At the bell tap the horses came up, all looking
ively. start was made wishont dficulty-Alta
Vels, who had the second place getting the lead,
with the favorite behind her. The quarter stretch
vas reached In the same order In ~ seconds. with
he horses pretty well punched. To the hall mile
pole the brown mare stlll kept the lead, only by
leck, however, and finally passed the pole 10 5s1.
,nly neck ahead OF the fsvorite. JEFF then
luietIy dropped of, while at IL the two leading
lsgs went. II was about neck and neck at the
bird quarter turning. but just afterwards Cotuils
ockey gave him singer with the whip, which so
woke him to the responsibility Of the situation
hat he forthwith shot forward. and from that mo-
nept had the race. BE came IN in frisky style,
topping ct the distance stand to give an exhibit.
on Of his kicking povers-won by two leugths, In
5l-Alta Vela behind him, and JEFF bad third.
curo~r mar