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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. W. B. Jennings will close his season here about April 5 and leave for Hancho del Paso, where he intends spending a few weeks prior to shipping east. While at Sacramento Jennings will pick the horses for his eastern campaign. In the meantime he will try out several two-year-olds in races at Oakland. "I will have about twenty two-year-olds in my string," said Jennings yesterday, "most of which I will try in races before leaving here. I have a good looking filly by Tenny which will ba started soon, and several other smart looking youngsters which will face the barrier in the near future. Bendorans lameness does not amount to much. I will take him east with the others." "What do you think of Andrisa?" Mr. Jen-nings was asked. "I think she is the biggest filly of her years I ever saw," he replied; "when the two-year-olds are asked to carry weight, it is my judgment that she will be in the finish with the best of them." San Francieco Examiner. The outlook for the Washington Jockey Clubs spring meeting that begins at Bennings next Monday, is satisfactory. Two hundred head of horses are already at the course and three score more are expected from New Orleans by next Saturday. Frank Reagans Sir Florian, the most improved three-year-old at the Crescent City, is expected on Thursday. Sir Florian has no stake engagements at Bennings, but he will find an opportunity to meat Gsneral Mart Gary, Prestidigitatrice, Dr. Parker, Ben Viking, Leando, Boysterer, Boney Boy and Colonel Tenny in some of the overnight events. Five races will comprise the daily program and the first race, in order to give business men and department heads a chance to attend, will not be called until 3:15 p. m. At Memphis, Monday, Leo Planter, b. c, 3, by Leonatus Plantress, did a sensational mile which puts a new phase on the outlook for the Tennessee Derby. With Everett up, weighing, with all paraphernalia, about 115 pounds, he worked a mile handily in l:45i. The fractional time was 0:28,0 :38i, 0:51i, 1:041, 1:185, 1:32 and 1 :45i, pulled up. He did the mile and an eighth in 2:01. The work was highly satisfactory to Mr. W. W. Darden, who has always believed bis cole had a royal chance for the Derby. The Eentuckian breezed a mile in 1 :4Si, accompanied by Sacket. Sunday W. Overton galloped a mile in exactly the same time. Mariti and Matanza worked seven furlongs inl:34i, Dick Collins wont a mile in 1:19, and Wilson a mile in 1 :47. J. E. Murphys Eschscholtzia, b. g, 2, by Deceiver Giddy Girl, worked four furlongs in :50i, Silver Fizz a half in :51, and Bon-nivard and Petit Maitre five-eighths in 1 :04. All lovers of a good horse will feel regret if the two famous antagonists of last year, Plaudit and Lieber Karl, have gone wrong. Such appears to be the case at present. Lieber Earl fell lame at Memphis recently, and if reports are to be believed Plaudit is in a bad way also. In relation to his case a New York dispatch says: "Lameness, the result of an injury in the knee, has prevented his going on with the other horses of the Paget string in their training at Mr. Whitney 8 Long Island farm, Ex perts think the horse will never recover from the disability, and say that even should his clever trainer, Sam Hildreth, be able to cure the trouble, it will be too late for Plaudit to run for any of the important spring handicaps. "The trouble is in the whirlbone. and though Plaudit has taken light exercise when the weather permitted he has invariably gone to the stable lame. The report was circulated several weeks ago that Plaudit suffered from rheumatism, but Hildreth made no such mistake. The trainer, famous for his successes with crippled horses, has done all that could be done to save the great colt, but whether Plaudit will ever race again is still an open question. "Prospectors for the best prices thought they saw a stable ruse to get long odds against Plaudit, when diligent inquiry was made nearly a month ago for the highest quotations against George Keene, also entered in the Brooklyn and Suburban Handicaps in Mr. Pagetfs name. The suspicious ones who hurried to back Plaudit then, because they imagined a trick, now have cause to regret it. The effort to back George Keene whoover made it, was genuine, and based on the knowledge that the Paget stable would have to depend on him and the three-year-olds Jean Berand and Mr. Clay in the early handicaps."
