The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-15
BIG STAKES OF THE MEETING.

Special Correspondence Of The Sunday Republic
New Orleans. La, Feb. 14.-In spite Of the
fact that the stewards are still waging a
warfare of determination against dishones
jockeys at the Fair Grounds, form reversals
are still of frequent occurrence. and con-
tinues to be uncertain ard well nigh i'm
possible as a betting propost on.
Most of the big spectators who came here
early in tie winter have tired of the UNI
equal contest and have sought other points
OF recreation. kml Herr. Hon,st John
Kelly and Fred Cowan departed Tor Ho,
Springs a week ago. Bookmaker SUITE,
after ten days of unsuc-e siul betting on
the ground, recently also conclude to try
a change OF luck at the Springs. Ike hak-
eiberg of the Metropolitan Turf Assccia-
ton has gone to Texas and Sig Levy Is ex-
| pected to leave for Hot Springs in a day
or two. Sam Hildreth is about the only big
| Spectator left. and he bets most OF bis
money in the poolrooms. TIE game has
pikers. and whatever big money is In sight
comes from the few books wno have com.
missions to place; d i 9 is a thus us t q case hst,,n o,
is concerned.
| TIE unprecedented bad weather this win
| ter. and the consequent tad track, the poor
| class horses tina have maze up most of the
fields in the purses and the Indifferent and
Inexperienced Jockeys who have ridden
form. but not all. Some very unsatisfac-
tory-looking races have passed the notice
of the stewards.
GooD THINGS BACKED.
In a great many instances the horses have
finished as the ring indicated. Contenders
have been scratched and the best remain
ing horse with the best jockey up backed
at any obtainable price. THESE good things
money as the books not in with the play
would take. and they have also been backed
a an iSs G See1 aSs1lut RGSlrp p'als that II has Sor aes
had been stopped in these races. but the
contention has at times appeared to be un-
necessarily weak.
Unfortunately, at the opening Of the
meeting. the association allowed It's stables
to be filled up largely with cheap. no-ac-
been far better for the racing than their
company. A majority of the owners OF
these horses had been regular patrons OF
was first opened. and the club may have
felt that it owed some degree Of loyalty to
them.
and there Is no doubt but the association
could have secured a far larger number Of
class animals had the proper effort been put
forth in that direction. Racing cannot be ex-
pected to be consistent when. as often hap
pens here. a field Of eight or ten horses COM
peting for a 800 purse would scarcely all to-
gether bring the amount OF the purse If put
up at auction.
The suspension of Jockey Buchanan for
the meeting. on the. complaint of Hildreth
won February 5 by Old Hutch was a de-
cided surprise to turfmen, not because of
the punishment of the boy, which was mer-
tied by his previous riding. and ought to
have been melted out to him long ago, but
because Of Hildreth's complaint.
INTEREST IN RIDER.
Buchanan has been riding for Hildreth
most of the year, and 1t was supposed that
he had an unusually friendly interest in the
boy. In the Merchants Handicap, a few days
previously, Hildreth backed lebanon at a
long price, and thought Buchanan rode an
race taking the hnr,o foxo 81
deep going in the stretch. In the race won
by Old Hutch. when lebanon finished next
to last in a field of five, Hildreth claimed
that he bet $500 each way on the horse. 90
far as the ring was concerned, the indica-
tons showed plainly that the heavy play
was on Old Hutch. backed from 2 to 1 To
to 2. while lebanon receded from S to 3 to IA
to 8.
The accident to Jockey Redfern. which
was regretted on all sides. has spurred the
association to an effort at track imnrove-
ment. There have beer two bad pIaces In
the track all winter long. one near the three
furlong pole and the other at the fnish.
both on the inside. After a rain these
spots are slow to dry out. While dry on
top they are dead and sticky underneath. II
the soft spot at the finish that caused her
to stumble and go down. Various plans
have been suggested to improve these
places, but tho officials considered none Of.
them feasible until the idea was offered to
use tar. an aspha blower and roller. This
has evidently proved successful with the
mud hole at the finish unless the place be-
comes soft again when more rain falls.
Two more stakes for yomEsters will be