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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. The Cotton Steeplechase Stakes at Memphis only secured fifteen entries but they are worth comment. Most of the horses entered have never gone over the jumps in public and when one finds in the list such well known performers on the flat as Sutton, Hampden, Zufallig, Peter II. and Amateur it appears probable that the jumping division in the middle west is to be reinforced with much new material this year. Of horses now in California Monita, Captain Reese, Viking and Octuruck have done well over the timber at San Francisco this winter; all will be new to patrons of racing on this side of the Mississippi. In fact the list of entries is almost completely made up of horses new to the.game. The stake and entries are as follows: The Cotton Steeplechase Stakes. A steeple chase handicap sweepstakes for 4-year-olds and upward, 0 each, half forfeit, or 310 if declared. 50 added, of which 00 to second and 0 to third, the fourth to save stake. Weights to be announced and declarations to be made two days before the race. Four or more horses of entirely different interests to stait, or the race may be declared off. About two miles. A. G. Blakelys Monita, b. g, 8, by St. Saviour Night Hawk; Peter II., b. h,7, by Brutus-Bonnie Jean. P. M. Civills Savarin, b. g, 5, by Hindoo-Ricochet. J. Deshas Bellamy, b. g, 4, by Eberlee Fon-sica; Discipline, ch. h, 5, by Order Fonsica. L. H. Ezells Octuruck, ch. g, 4, by Rio Bravo Johanna; Captain Reese, ch. g, 7, by Rossing-ton Ada Reese. D. J. Learys Sutton, ch. h, 5, by Rod Iron-Lily Wright. J. B. Lewmans Amateur, b. c, 4, by Laureate Behearsal. Mrs. A. M. Linnells Viking, ch. g, 5, by Herald Eileena; Tom Smith, blk. g, 5, by Clarendon Sparrowgrass. A. M. Orpens Florida Rose, ch. f, 4, by Far-andole Jennie S. W. F. Schultes Zufallig, ch. g, 6, by Argyle Per-adventure. C. Van Stnddifords, Mystery, b. c, 4, by Favor Mysterious. W. M. Wallaces Hampden, b.c, 4, by Hanover Altivola. The Coney Island Jockey Club has gone into real estate purchasing on an extensive scale. It has within a few days completed its purchase of additional real estate at Sheepshead Bay. On Thursday it paid the Fitzgerald-McNulty Syndicate 00,000 for 150 acres of land. The Coney Island Club has a surplus of half a million. Property at Sheepshead Bay is appreciating at the rate of 10 per cent a year, so that from any point of view the investment is a good one. The land will be worth ,000 an acre in six or seven years. The club, as is known, intends to beautify this property, and with the woodland and meadows it now possesses on its beautiful course, turn all the property into a magnificent park, which will be free on all days except when racing is under way. The club is not unselfish in giving the public a park free of cost. This act probably saves the racecourse for many years to come, probably for a decade. The movement to cut streets through the race track and connect Sheepshead village with Ocean avenue was very strong. The residents have to make a long detour now. With a public park there, however, there will be strong opposition to the opening of avenues now laid out on the city maps. At the next meeting of the directors it will be proposed to lengthen the Futurity course to seven furlongs and make it a straight course so as to do away with the turn called the elbow, that has proved fatal to the prospects of so many Futurity candidates. Of the two-year-old filly Ella Boland, that won at Ingleside last Saturday, the San Francs :o Examiner says : "Ella Boland is the first galloper to start in Marcus Dalys colors since Senator Bland won the Farewell Handicap at Bay District track in the spring of 1895. The filly was aho the first to carry the colors of the Copper King copper, green cap over the Ingleside conrse. Ella Boland is by Sam Lucas, the young sire of Sam McKeever and Ballista, It begins to look as if Lucas would make a sensational sire of racers. Trainer Billy Randall advised all his friends to bet on Ella Boland, and they got as good as 10 to 1 for their money." The filly is handled, however, by the veteran trainer Dan Dennison, who recently reached San Francisco in charge of a stable of horses belonging to Montana owners. George C. Bennett has purchased the betting privileges at Memphis for the coming spring meeting, outbidding John Condon, C. A. Tilles and Co., E. L. Applegate and Marcus Cartwright. The betting ring will bs free to all bookmakers, as in the past. It is said that it cost Bennett in the neighborhood of 0,000 to secure the privileges. Last year Capt. C. A. Tilles of St. Louis was in control. Efforts are being made to reinstate jockey "Patsey" McDermott, who was ruled off at Brighton in 1894. The jockey has now been on the ground five years. Ho was reported worth 00,000 when ruled off, and is said to be penniless now.
