The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-24

Park Association are beginning to as
sumo tho appearance of miniature
Gravesend or Sheepshead Bay, and the
visitor, whether interested in fine horse
flesh or not, can find enough to while
away some hours in a very entertaining
manner, examining the dozens Of i'm
provements which the association has
effected since the opening meeting last
fall.
AS is we'll known, the first regular
spring meeting of Roanoke's crack
sporting organization begins next We'd
nesday, and, Of course, all tho activity
within the enclourse is due to that fact
ana the excellent series OF races for
both trottcrs and runners decided upon
during the three days sport, besides
the special races of May 80. Many Of
the horscmen now quartcrcd at the
park have never entered their stock in
Virginia races previously, and their
verdict is that Roanoke has the finest
track in Virginia without exception
No pains have been spared in making
the stretches and turns as nearly per-
feet as possible for a half-mile course
and the weeks racing record will de-
pend entirely upon the flyers themselves,
for with Il lease of good weather the
track facilities arc bound to furnish
every other adjunct.
The grand stand has been fitted ND
to hold ut lease 1000 spectators while
the Sportsmcn inclined TO back up their
opinions of the various horses merits
Will find ample opportunity to indulge
in excitement, for a bookmalzcrs stand
large enough to accommodate eight
operators has been erected, while auc-
ton pools and mutuals will be an ad-
ditional feature to the betting side of
the week.
In the stalls and paddocks is whore
the most interest ccnters Just 1t present
and of the entire number Of apartments,
siXty-three in all, none are vacant. The
entries for the week closed last night
with seventy-hvc or eighty horses
booked. Some of these have not yet
arrived at the grounds, lot of ten
South Carolina trotterS being expected
tomorrow morning. These will have
to be quartered with their trainers and
grooms outside of the enclosure, as no
space is available for their uses The
directors, however, intend shortly to
put up fifty extra box stalls, which will
partly, at least, do away with cramped
quarters, as the success of this weeks
meeting is practically assured and the
large number of entries demand the i'm
provementS.
w. l.. Jones, the newly elected man
ager of the association, took active
charge yesterday, and will this week
move into the dwelling house on the
grounds. The directors will fit up the
building in excellent style, and portion
of it will be turned into first-class
CLUB house. There is plenty of space to
carry out the plan, and it is expected to
make tho club idea prominent feature
Of the association. Mr.. Jones has
brought with him several experienced
jockeys, who will, under his supervis-
ion, train trotters and runners, as we'll
as develop young bloods and break colts
His assistants are John Short, late with
Senator Hearsts stable, and John Mel
son, who served his apprenticeship with
Honest John Murphy, of Now York
TINES reporter went out to the park
last evening and took peep at the
racers already on tho grounds. The
neighborhood of the paddocks presented
as busy scene as Donnybrook fair
Grooms were busily engaged in rubbing
down their pets after speeding on the
track or preparing them for trial heat
or two. to keep in good trim for the
regular contest. Most of the horses are
beauties, too, with pedigrees as long as
mans arm. Quite a number OF Roa-
noke's steppers are among the entries,
and from Indications they are going TO
give good account of themselves when
the flag falls for the start. or the
siXty-three horses at the park the trot-
ting and running per cen tage is about
equally divided. There are twenty five
running horses in the lot, but the ma
jority Of the entries still to arrive arc of
the trotting order.
Prominent among the runners is the
stable of the Messrs. Bradshaw, six
hocses in all. The stallion Medoc, the
gelding Charleston, Elect, Triple Cross
and Robert Lee form five Of the stable.
but the prize runner upon which the
Messrs. bradshaw base their hopes for
good showing against the field is
JacqUeline. The latter is grav marc
and half sister to the great Salvador.
William King is philadelphia
gentleman and a thorough horseman.
who has three of the best runners q the
park. Dover is 4-year-old, who has
good record. as we'll as Valentine, tho
latter having captured several fat Gut
tenburg stakes. TIE 5-year-old mare
America is Mr.. Kings favorite, though,
and many a jockey of an opposing
stable will keep strong eye ON the
mare when the starters range up to- the
stand. She will be en7embered as one
OF the best 2-year-olds that ever started
at Sheepshead and Brighton Beach,
where she was An easy winner, besides
getting away with class stakes at Cliff
ton and Gloucester
William Garth, of Charlottesville, is