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TALENT EVENS THE SCOEE. SEVEN FAVORITES FIND THE FINISH FIRST AT CITY PARK. Investigation of Steeplechase Races is On Much Rough Riding In Feature Race At the Old Track. New Orleans, La., March 20. Backers of the favorites came Into their own at City Park this afternoon. Every first choice won and the books lost back their winnings of yesterday. The Corrigan stable was much in evidence, Goldic and Begonia winning the sixth and seventh races, while Adare finished second in the fifth race, which lie probably would have won witli an equal break. Jockeys Nicol and Ilarrigan rode two winners each. The track was good and the weather, cold enough to make light wraps and coats a comfort rather than a burden. Kercheval redeemed himself for his defeat in the Derby by canteriug away from good company in the fourth race. William Phillips, acting for Fred Cook, today purchased Lady Mistake and Nevada. At the close of the racing season here these mares will be shipped to Cooks farm to join the hand of matrons which will be bred to English Lad this spring. Will Woodard has decided to ship Debar direct to Louisville, where he will be rested up aud given a special "prep" for the Kentucky Derby. A couple of Mexicans were at the track today buying up cheap horses to ship to Mexico, where races arc given every Sunday the year around. Among the horses purchased were Oceaner, Gasconne, Pathos and Suds. When starter Cassidy leaves on Wednesday his place at CiParkjwlUJfr;tokcnby.;jand juage. William Sheily, who will officiate at. the barrier until the .arrival of Richard Dwyer. Judges Trevelyan and Murphy held a star chamber session in the stewards room at City Park this afternoon. Several horsemen and riders were before them and it Is said that the Investigation had to do with some of the steeplechase races run at the new track. Furthermore it leaked out that the ban will probably be placed on a prominent western bookmaker who is suspected of being, mixed up in several shady looking cross-country races run at the track this winter. The feature of todays racing at the old track was the inartistic, but effective- "roughing" of Little Scout iu the fourth race, which brought about the defeat of the Bennett horse and which almost gave the race to Footlights Favorite, the rank outsider. Little Scout was outrun early, as usual, while Footlights Favorite was making the pace, a length or so In front of St. Valentine. Little Scout began to close upon the far turn, but as he went up Obert sent Hallowmas along with him. Footlights Favorite dropped back, but on reaching the stretch turn, St. Valentine went to the outside fence, aud Hallowmas carried Little Scout out to the same limit and McGce was forced to an outside position where lie did not have room to come through. While this was going on Footlights Favorite came down next to the inside rail, gaining u lead of about three lengths on the stretch turn, and it was only in the closing strides that the other three huddled together on the extreme outside beat her out, the four finishing heads apart. It was the most aggravated case of rough rldflig seen here all winter. R. F. Williams bad race behind Auruuiaster vvus explained as due to his rider, Bedell, belug struck in the eye by a clod in the early part of the race. The horse ran badly and the heavy betting on Auru-master was costly to the layers.
