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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. They are anticipating a big day at Latonia next Saturday, some reasons wherefore being given as follows in a Cincinnati newspaper: "On Saturday the Latonia Oaks, the only one of the series of Western Oaks at the regulation Oaks distance, one mile and a quarter, is to be decided. It closed with sixty-two entries, and with the exception of the Kentucky Oaks winner, Etta, the best of ththree-year-old fillies in the west are named for it. Several candidates for the event are carded to meet in the mile condition dash for three-year-olds this afternoon, among them Unsightly and Anna Bain, who will probably be the betting choice* in the race. "If Saturday is a bright, pleasant day, there will be an outpouring of society at Latonia such as has not been known in a long time. The race of the meeting for the social element in the three cities is scheduled for that day. It is the Gent lemens Cup race, at one mile. One condition of the race prescribes that the horses shall be ridden by members of the Riding Club of Cincinnati exclusively, and half a dozen prominent young society leaders have signified ttieir intention to take mounts. It goes without saying that the friends of each will be on hand to cheer him on to a victory which will carry with it for the successful one silver plate of the value of 00." Many reasons are given for naming horses. The cognomen of a horse is brought to light from many sources. "How did he get his name?" is inquired every time Syncopated Sandys name is on the card. "How the colt got the name is explained by a turfman as follows: Last winter, said the horseman, Henry Wehmhoff came down to Memphis for a few days visit. While there he and Jake Marklein went to the theater. During the performance a black-face team sang a song which bore the queer title now held by the colt. Marklein turned to Wehmhoff and said : Thats an awful rotten song. Ive got a bad race horse out at the barn which I will name after it. Jake did name the colt after the song, much to the annoyance of a certain contingent of race followers who insist on calling the colt Syndicate Sandy."— Cincinnati Enquirer.
