The Cordova daily times., 1923-03-24
HANDICAP CHIEF ATTRACTI0NAT
 TIA JUANA
Fat Purse Hung Up for Feature Event May
 Reach $30,00O
FAMOUS HORSES ENTERED
Mile and a Quarter Race Be Run Tomorrow;
 Crowds Attend

SAN DIEGO, March 24.-At every race track in the country, from the metropolitan circuits of New York and Maryland to the half mile "bush" ovals, there is always one race that stands high above the others and around which the season hinges.
 Tia Juana is no exception. At the picturesque racing plant just across is the Coffroth Handicap at mile and a quarter. It will be run to- morrow.
 While the Coffroth Handicap does not carry the prestige of the Ken lucky Derby, the Preakness or the Belmont Futurity, 1t has attracted considerable attention throughout the country among horsemen and turf followers this year owing to the fact that James Wood Coffroth, presi- dent of the Lower California Jockey Club, for whom the stake is named, has increased the purse so as to make it the richest "all-age" stake race in America.
 BuIainq Purse Offered
 In raising the purse from $20,0oO to $3O000, "added," Coffroth has gone far beyond any other Winter track on the continent in size Of purse hung up for a single race. The added" will mean, it was said, that the fortunate owner of the win ming horse will receive from $25,00O to s3O,0OO, as about $10,OO0 in sub scriptions, starting fees, etc., will bring the total value of the event close to $40O0O.
 Juana race track in 1916 the patro mage and financial success were prob- lematical Consequently the purses were small. The big race of that year was the Coffroth Handicap, but with a purse of only $5,000. The race was won by Sasin, gelding by The Picket out of Queen, who raced for Clarence Buxton. Lahore fin ished second and Slippery Elm, who today still runs in high class com pany, took the show.
 In 1918 and 1919 there was no racing at Tia Juana, owing to the United States having entered the World War With the signing of the Armistice, however, Coffroth re- opened the track in January of 1920. The purse for the big race that year was set at $2,500, and the event was run under the name of the Monte Carlo handicap. Breeze, running in the colors of Mrs. G. H. Abbott, set the track record in win ming the race.
 Patronage Increased
 Interest in racing at the border course grew so rapidly towards the close of that season that the man agement in naming the stakes for 1921 decided to change the name back to the Coffroth Handicap, and boosted the purse to $20,000. The winner turned up in Be Frank, who was purchased especially for this race by George P. Fuller, who races under the name of the Bronx Stable.
 In 1922 the purse was again set at $20,000, and two other stakes of $1O,OOO each were carded. Mulciber, owned and trained by G. R. Allen, won the race, with Be Frank, the favorite, finishing unplaced. The race was witnessed by a crowd esti- mated at more than 25,O00 persons.
 This year the Tia Juana Jockey Club decided to abandon the two $1O,OOO stakes and increase the purse of the big handicap to $30,000 added.
 Seventy-five horses were nomin- ated for the handicap this year, 25 of which were "declared out" Feb ruary 1. Commander J. K. l.. Ross, whose horses have run on practically every track in the country, heads the list of nominees with five, includ ing Spanish Maize, winner of the Canadian Derby, and Rebuke, winner of the Cuban Derby.
 Fine Horses Entered
 A. c. Bostwick is second with four nominations, one of which is Fair way, who ran many fine races in Canada last season.
 Harry Payne Whitney, the New York sportsman whoses horses are known wherever a form chart is compiled, has Spot Cach three year-old for which he recently re-