Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-21

Rain, the only bugaboo Los Angeles
ever recognized, will spoil track con-
ditions today, but the card for this
afternoon has been framed with a view
to rain, hence form will not be much
out of line. The wise horsemen have
put their mud runners in because they
took warning of the fogs which have
prevailed lately, and track conditions
will not affect the form today to any
e-tent. The fourth race, which was to
have been the feature of the card,
failed to fill, but the substitute will be
as satisfactory as the original race,
because a number of popular favorites
have been entered. 1t is probable that
the fifth race will be the feature event,
and the rains last night indicate that
it will be a one-horse race, as Carthage,
the crack mudder, will hold the post
of honor as favorite. Horsemen have
generally anticipated track conditions
and while the card has fair class to
carry it, it will not compare with that
of the two preceding days. Popular
favorites and ordinary fields will pre-
vail throughout and he who can guess
the winners should be amply rewarded
in long prices against his selections.
There is nothing much to recommend
the card save that horses of known
form in the going will race and the
regular players will have plenty of
chance to cash.
John w. Gates, who will "bet a mill
lion" on a one to two shot and make
his plunging son look like a piker, ar
rived in town yesterday morning and
will divide his time between the golf
links and Santa Anita. Mr.. Gates Is
headquartered at Pasadena and VIII
put in the entire winter trying to out
nt Anita
There is no gameness involved in John
WIS betting operations, as he has the
money to spare and is more than will
ing to take a chance with it. The eX-
tent of Gates transactions will be gov
erned by the courage of the men who
take the money at the local course. He
is not a piker and does no business
with any but the largest operators, and
is so accustomed to the other fellow
saving Nothing doing" that it is no
disappointment when he is unable to
make bet.
Monte Preston, who was one Of the
gamest Jockeys ever astride a thor
oughbred and who was ruled off 1mme-
diately after the close of last season
for a questionable transaction at Santa
Anita, was on the course yesterday
and held an impromptu levee in the
ring. Monte, because of his excellent
riding ability, always has been popular
with the racegoers at local meetings,
and his suspension came as disagree
surprise to them all. This suspension
does not expire until next May, and
Monte is not making any extraordinary
efforts to get back before that time,
but a race meeting in this portion Of
the country hardly seems complete
without Preston, Newman and old Don
Domo. There are lots worse than
Monte.
R. F. Carman lost another horse yes
terday when B. F. Hobart claimed Tay-
lor George out of the first race. 1t is
remarked that a sprinter of the capabil-
tiles of Taylor George could permit
horses like Smiley Meter, Sibari and
others to beat him to the wire. Car
man is always trying, so it looks pretty
bad for Taylor George.
Weights for the Burns handicap will
be announced Monday. About three
fourths of the starters in this great
event are at present at Santa Anita,
and the biggest shipment of horses to
Frisco from the local course that ever
occurred will be recorded. Jack Atkin,
Chapultepec Pinkola, Gowan, Mont
gomery, Dandelion and King James,
who had his preparation yesterday, will
be among those sent up from here to
start in the big feature, while Stanley
Fay and Big Chief are also among the
probable starters and contenders. The
Burns handicap has $4,000 added, had
an even 100 entries at $40 each, and all
horses left in by o'clock Wednesday
afternoon will be penalized by $50 ad-
ditional Starters will be charged $100
additional for the privilege of going to
the post This makes the probable
gross value of the event close to $4,000,
and is the richest winter stake ever Of
fered. The net value to the winner will
in all probability be about $4,000, as
second and third horses split $4,000 be-
tween them. Jack Atkin and King
James are already certain starters.
Big Chief was ridden out to a mile
and an eighth after he beat King
James yesterday afternoon in the third
race in the remarkable time Of 1877 3-5.
and did the mile and a furlong in
1850 2:5. The turf czar of the coast,
Tom Williams, will have a prominent
contender in the Burns in this son Of
Pontiac, which was sent south for no
other purpose than to prep for the big
event, and which demonstrated clearly
that he is ready by administering such
decisive trimming to King James.
Big Chief will take a lot Of beating in
the Burns, as his mile in remarkable
time proved that he is right on edge.
Thirty books came in yesterday,
which is an increase of one over the
previous high mark. Hughey Jones,