The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-20
CENTERS
 IN NEW ORLEANS Western Turfmen Meet to Dis-
 cuSS Racing Dates
MANY DERBY CANDIDATES
Two Big Events Before the Close of the New Orleans Season VIII Be Run-Each With a Value to
 the Winner of $1o, 900.
BY BERT E. coLLYER.

New Orleans, January Especially l. This week and next will be fraught with incidents of no little importance to west ern turfmen, as within that period repre- sentatives of nearly all the western race tracks will have met here to discuss dates and other matters of weighty importance. Besides formulating a date schedule. tho A. T. A. directors will pass upon applica- tions for licenses, and whether these nec- essary documents are granted or tabled. In some instances, such as that of Jockey Mountain, will throw much light on the attitude of the turf moguls as to some of the scandals that have cropped out here so far during the season.
 The annual meeting of the Crescent City Jockey club. which was held Tuesday, had for It's object the election of officers and the transaction of other business in connection with the affairs of the club
 L. A. Celia remained away from New Orleans during the opening weeks of the season. mainly for the reason, it is said, that many points of difference had to be threshed out between the two tracks and had he been present conflicting clements would have been running to him for coun- sel and support, whereas in his absence his representative, John Hackmeister, and Manager Vim have had to shoulder the brunt of the worry and bother in straight ening out such tangles as have come to surface.
 Besides his original holdings in the re- organized Crescent City Jockey club, con- Siderable stock of one or two members of the club was hypothecated to Celia during the past year collateral for cash loans, so that now he is practically the boss of the Fair Grounds race track.
 While the running of the local derbies is still a long way off. yet their greatly increased values over the California events-they will be worth s1OoOO each lends a great deal of interest to any per formances in the 8-year-old division that may have bearing on derby prospects.
 Among all the candidates that have so far been shown in public, Burlew 6 ONeill's Chapultepec stands out in the light as being in a class by himself. He is an ideal derby machine from the fact that he possesses such a great turn of speed that he will be able to go to the the redoubtable Sysonby did in the big eastern events in which he started
 In my opinion, Chapultepec, a much improved colt over his last summers form. is the fastest and best race horse ever seen in this section. Rumor had 1t that Burlew & O'Neill were parading his marvellous speed in soft spots to entice probable buyers. But the two derbies are valuable plums, and as they, with Cha pultepec fit and we'll just now seem to be at the mercy of the stable it is difficult to imagine why the eastern owners should be in any hurry to part with the colt.
 Since his brilliant string of victories early in the season here, Fizer has been keeping Pinkola under cover. The colt will have little or no racing between now and the decision of the derbies, it being Fizer's intention to give him a special derby preparation. Much doubt has been expressed as to Pinkola's weight-carrying ability. He was not asked to take up weight in any of his races here, but he looks like weight carrier and he has handled weight advantageously in his work He is a game. sturdy colt and will be derby factor.
 A derby feature that looms up with im- portance to the local horsemen is the fact that letter received here recently from s. c. Hildreth states that this well-known owner will send on his Uncle and Meelick from Santa Anita to take part in both derbies. Another derby candidate that Is bothering local aspirants for honors in that direction is Fred Cookes crack colt, Lawrence P Daley, which Is wintering at Louisville. in charge of Trainer Bill Phillips. Cook Is reticent as to his in- tentions with regard to the colt, but if the youngster trains on well it is a prac- tical certainty that he will be shipped here to go in both events.
 The 2-year-old races, which, with the large number of youngsters here, have been filled to overfowing, have added much zest to the winter racing. The ju- veniles collectively. are a well-grown, good-looking lot The best that have so far been seen in public are the winners, Irfaneh, Shone, Cunning. Maritza and Brougham. Shone and Brougham belong to Burlew & O'Neill.
 The former Is very racing-like colt one that looks as though he would hold his own in any ordinary company. Brougham is regarded as the pick of the Burlew & ONeill stable lot He is a big, splendidly topped youngster. In his first start here he ran green. He is q slow beginner and will, no doubt, do bet ter when the juvenile races lengthen out to four and five furlongs.
 Trainer Robert Walden thinks highly of his Ally, Cunning. which is built on speedy lines and Is a robust type. In her starts away badly. This also applies to Marltza. Both these 2-year-olds can do much better than anything they have yet shown.
 More good joclxies are riding here than in any previous season, half a dozen or more, such as Mountain, McDaniel. Not ter Nicol and V. Powers, ranking as first class ones. What Mountains ultimate fate is to be- in connection with the rumpus raised over two or three bad rides perpe- trated recently, can only be guessed at But 1t Is probable that he will remain out of the saddle for time, at any rate Notter has just finished his two weeks suspension. He and McDaniel are likely to rank right up close on top next sea- son, Notter especially. in view of the fact that he will ride for the powerful Keene stable.
 One of the most promising riders here is V. Powers. Powers uses good judgment | in races He has fine pair of hands as | shown in his management of 2-year- -olds. l is a good post rider and a strong finisher. ] He is an especially clever rider over dis l tance of ground, as was demonstrated re- l cently in hls well earned victories with