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MARCH 17 DERBY DAY FOR NEW ORLEANS. Both Tracks to Have Their Features Decided on Same Date Gossip Ahout the Candidates. New Orleans, La., February 11. New Orleans will ; this winter be treated to the novel spectacle of the running of two Derby on the same dale, March 17, St. Patricks Day. The Crescent City Derby is and always has teen, the one big feature, the climax so to speak, of the meetings at its track, and in previous years the decision or it was placed late ou the calendar, just a few days before the close ot" the winter racing season. That It has been set back to March 17 this winter is due to the tdmous "parallel" policy of the Western Jockev Club. When the City Park people issued their stake book they announced at the same time the date of the running of each of the stakes, and as the old track already had a fixture for that date, the St. Patricks Handicap, they concluded to offset this atractlon with their Derby. The Crescent City Jockey Club evidently concluded that it would not do to let the new track have the unhampered prestige of a Derby, so they announced March 17 also as the date for the decision of their big three-year-old event. Bofti these Derbys are among the most valuable events" decided ou the western turf. They both have ,000 added. The Crescent City Derby has a decla ration clause in its conditions, but owing to the lateness of the season when the City Park stakes were issued, the conditions of the new tracks Derby were made to read merely a subscription of 0, half forfeit. Both Derbys have been liberally patronized by the horsemen, botli will bring out big fields of good class three-year-olds, and both ought to result In splendid contests. These winter Derbys usually turn out to be much better races than early anticipations would indicate. At the beginning of the winter meetings the then two-year-olds hold the center of the stage, but after the first of January the juveniles arc of absorbing Interest. Few races of any account arc given for three-year-olds exclusively, and so for a matter of six weeks or more the colts and fillies that had previously been much in the public eye as Derby prospects are seldom seen in public and but little thought of. With an entry list largely made up of fair class eastern material, this years Crescent City Derby ought to bring out the best field and provide the keenest contest In the history of the race: A dozen, or more good ones are receiving careful preparation for the race, among them Sam IHldreths Guiding" Star and Security. M. L. Haymans Waterwlng, C. R. Ellisons Lady Navarre and James Refldick, Alexander Shields Lieber, Johnson and Dodsons Hallowmas, W. Shields Ben Hodder, W. II. Snyder and Co.s Third Alarm, T. E. Mannixs Disobedient and A. n. and D. H. Morris Lotus Eater. These candidates have all shown good form, and In the matter of class they themselves, not to mention others of the entries, will make the best average Derby field that has gone to the post In the south in a long time. While the unexpected is always liable to happen in an Important race for young horses, run so early in the year as the Crescent City Derby, yet at the present time it looks as though Hlldreth, the Morrises and Ellison hold the winning cards. Guiding Star, Security and Lady Ellison have all conclusively demonstrated Derby quality. Lotus Eater Is In a way an unknown quantity. He won the Triumph Stakes at Brighton Beach in the manner and style of a good one and was second in two of his other three starts, which were at Providence. Possibly he may bo paraded in public before Derb: Day, but at any rate critical horsemen credit him with being a high-class colt a youngster a bit above the usual local Derby standard. At their best both Guiding Star and Security would take a lot of beating In any Derby field anil In the hands of a past master in the training art, such as Hlldreth is, it can be depended on that this pair will go to the post fit to do the best there is la them. Ellison is especially sweet on his Lady Navarre, which won at the old track recently, and he makes no secret of his belief that he will add another filly to the list of Derby winners here, Witfull now holding that honor exclusively. The City Park Derby will also bring out a good class lot, a field in fact, of far better quality than present indications would lead one to anticipate. As at the old track, the three-year-olds, that Is the good ones, have been temporarily shelved and half forgotten in the furore over the juvenile racers. But a lot of them are getting keyed up to the Derby mark all right enough, and they will be there and ready for business when the bugle sounds the call to post on March; 17. The pick of the City ; Park candidates appear to be the following: E. Cor- ; rigans Hadur and Kargut; Fred Cooks Minnie Adams; M. J. Dalys St. Joseph; George Hendries Awawegang; W. Hollars Tambeau; George Holles Goldniate; G. B. Morris Flimnap; T. Murray andCo.s Orbicular; J. Phillips Jack Dolan and A. Simons Monterey. Most of these are quite a bit above the average. Simons is more than confident that Monterey will laud the big end of the prize and especially if the track should be heavy there is no doubt that the son of Montana will be a hard one to beat. Monterey is a big framed, muscular colt. He can handle weight and he looks as though he would travel any distance that three-year-olds are called upon to go. Orbicular, Jaek Dolan and Goldiriate have all shown form above the ordinary and Goldmate especially has Improved a great deal during the winter. He is a big colt of good substance and bone and is an undoubted stayer. St. Joseph is a high-class colt, In spite of inconsistent performances, which may be due to an clement of sulkiness in his composition. He has taken up weight at times and runs so well witli good older horses as to make him look a whole lot more than a mere Derby prospect. The dark horse of the race is Tambeau, which went amiss in the east last fall and has not. yet i started here. He Is going along In his work and If J he can be ready in time for the race he will be sure to give a good account of himself. Both these events will draw out big fields of starters. Of course with a division of patronage neither track can hope for a typical overflow Derby crowd, but much charm hath a Derby in this neck j of the woods, so that with fair weather the 17th of March will mean record crowds for both the rival j racetracks, with food for gossip to last a month or more after the running of the events.
