The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-11

In the dying days of the meeting Of
the Crescent City Jockey Club at New
Orleans there are but few bright spots
to maintain the interest. One of these.
however, is the fact that the Derby.
the commencement of these stellar"
events up the line from New Orleans
to Chicago, has yet TO be run. Starter
Fitzgerald drops the flag on the big
event tomorrow, when a none too
classy field will get away in the bat
tie for the rich stake.
AS yet there is no decided favorite
unless Ostrich can be called such. BY
the time his supporters in the ring at
New Orleans get through betting on
him the Order-Plumag colt may be
backed into pronounced favoritism, but
this will hardly happen unless the
race is run on a muddy or at least a
soft track. Ostrich belongs to G. L.
Richards, the Boston millionaire, and
is trained by the ex-joekey, Frank
Lightfoot In all his races at this
meeting Ostrich has shown a more
pronounced fondness for a journey than
any 3-year-old in the South. His race
Saturday with Tribes Hill shows his
quality.
1t is claimed by many that Auditor
is not good enough to win, and that
Capt. S. S. Browns chances are slim.
AS a 2-year-old Auditor did but little
to warrant a suspicion of his being a
Derby possibility. Bob Tucker has al
ways been pointed out as "a good man
with a horse" and he surely would
not send Auditor South if he didn't
think he had a royal chance.
Charlie E1lison's King Croker show
ed his ability several times this win
ter, and Trainer j. P. Mayberry thinks
he has got q good chance with this
fellow. He is an animal of good con-
formation, is a weight carrier, and can
go a route.
Ellison, however, has put a second
string in his bow with the filly Yes
tina Belle. Her. ability is questionable,
but it seems incredible that Ellison
would have left a useful one at Mem
phis when he found New Orleans
such an easy spot for him this win
ter.
Frisco Gardners Floral King a
month ago was looked upon as the
real thing among the 3-year-olds. In
fact Gardner actually put a price of
$4,000 on the iganteum-Rosa Re
the present moment Floral King is
amiss. Hard races such as he ran
and won, one of them being six fur
longs in 1:12 AS with 10 pounds up,
did the damage, and the colt devel-
oped bad legs.
George w. Poole's Foresight will
hardly receive support now because OF
his poor condition. Jockey Fuller will
have the mount if he goes. Sam Hill
dreth might have sent Monastic, Safe
ty Light or Burleigh to the post, but
he did not think them fit, and this
left Fuller free to accept any other
mount in the feature.
Nose Goldblatt's Rainland has had
good rest, and he needed it when the
Cincinnati horseman laid him up. He
has filled out a lot in six weeks, and
looks the better for it. His initial
start the other day cannot be taken
seriously, for Goldblatt is always look
ing for a price. He had w. Hicks
engaged to ride, but some misunder-
standing has arisen that may shift
Plain Rainland has to be figured
upon seriously.
C. w. Gassers Fort Plain has DEM
onstrated that he is of more than Or
binary ability His winning races
stamp him as an animal that can go
a distance as we'll as sprint. He can
handle heavy weight, is a free run
ming horse. and is sure to be in front
at some portion of the long journey.
He needs hustling ride, and for that
reason Hicks would handle him to
much better advantage than L. Will
son.
The two real outsiders are Davis
Blue Darter and Streets Leila. The
Iatter's victory last week was "fiuky,"
and does not stamp the FLY as a good
Derby proposition.
Blue Darter has shown in her work
that she can go a route, but her last
put was fiat contradiction Of her
ability to negotiate a distance.
The Derby really looks like a two
horse race, with Ostrich and Rain
land the contenders. Auditor and
the Ellison entry have outside chances.