The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-08
THE SPRING MEETING.
FIRST DAY.
The Weather, the Crowd and the
Races.

when the average man takes MS UNI
brella in his hand, takes good look
at the sky as he stands at the door OF
his domicile, meditates awhile, throws
his diminutive parachute over his
shoulders, carries it down town with
him, chases around Carondelet street
with it, and then in the evening swears
in mild way and in an emphatic
manner asserts that cts just my
luck; here I've been Juggling this UNI
brella of mine all day and havn't had
to put 1t up once, and il had have left
the darned thing"-the average man,
as previously remarked, under the cir
cumstances swears mildly-'if had
have left the darn thing at home, 1t
would have poured, sir; that's what it
would have DONE"
It was unfortunate that 1t should have
been the first day Of the spring meeting
of 1877 OF the Louisiana Jockey Club,
or rather it was unfortunate that the
first day should have been such one.
The average man when he puts his
umbrella over his shoulder, and carries
it from his Office to his business on the
street gives up all expectations Of pleas
ure based on clear weather, and not
withstanding the fact that this opening
day of the races had been long looked
forward to with the most pleasant an
ticipations, the average man could not
summon up sufficient courage to take
his chances on the weather and make
his arrangements for the day, and in
consequence the attendance at the
course was small.
There was, however, O sufficient num-
Der OF persons present on the grounds to
though the grand stand was by no
means crowded with ladies, look at it
would have repaid the average man for
any inconvenience a visit to the course
might have put him to.
As every body knows, 1t did not rain,
1t simply sprinkled," and
THE TRACK
was not hurt at all, and with the excep-
ton Of two or three places leach place
covering at the most not more than ten
feet), which were decidedly heavy, the
track was In good condition.
There was considerable betting, and
some Of
THE POOLS
were as large as any that have been
made up on days In the past when the
stand and the quarter stretch were
crowded.
At about 80 o'clock the bell tapped
to saddle up for
The First Race,
q hurdle race; two miles, over eight
hurdles; club purse, $3.50; $3.50 to first
horse; 300 to second horse, in which
the following named horses were an
nounced as starters:
Port Leonard, Capt. Hutchinson,
Woodland. Biloxi, Redding, Jim Hin
ton. They took position on the course
in the order named. The horses, on the
just after passing under the
string, took the lead and kept it to the
second hurdle, Biloxi second, Hutchin-
son and Redding we'll together and
striving for third place. They passed
under the string on the first round in |
about this order, and took the first hur-
die on the second round in about the |
same positions.
After they passed it was difficult to |
follow them, they changed places 80
often, until they struck the home
stretch, when Redding appeared in the
lead; Port Leonard had dropped back
by Woodland, who occupied the second |
place, and Hutchinson, who was third. !
Biloxi was just behind Leonard and
pushing him. /
As they came down the home stretch |
20 they passed under the string, Wood
land, however, pushing the leader hard.
For some unexplained reasons the |
timers were not on the judges stand,
md no time, as the judges announced,
was kept.
Redding was declared winner Of the
race, Woodland second, Hutchinson
bird, Leonard fourth, Biloxi fifth. No
place was assigned to Jim Hinton.
Hutchinson when he started was
after the race, his game leg" had ali
out given away under him. His hackers
we're proud OF his performance Che got
he third place., but expressed the be-
ief that it was his last race.
For
The second Race
here were the following starters:
= Parisot, King William, John Nc
Joy, Cora Linn, the Lynchburg FLY,
Eva Shirley, Humbug and Hades.
This race was for the Pickwick Stakes,
nile heats for three year Odds; 1916 en-
rance, p. p. with $500 added; $500 to
irst horse, 800 to second horse.
In the pools, King William was the
dvoLlto dBdIuSI Cuo uelu ny long OQQS.
After two false starts the drum tapped
ind the horses, we'll punched, went for
he first quarter.
Hades, however, was not in the crowd.
md 1t was several seconds after the tap
II the drum that the rider realized that
he word had been given, and unless he
wanted to be left out of the race he must
ollow the others, before he started.
The heat Of itself was not exciting; 1t
vas apparent that King William was
Inder strong pull and could take the
cad any time his rider wished him to do
o, but the struggle between Parisot,
1cCoy and the Lynchburg filly for first
'lace was very exciting. Parisot was
q the lead until the three quarter post
vas passed when Mccoy who Was third