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WINTER TRACK POLITICS. "Naturally the California tracks have made inroads on New Orleans. Hundreds of horses and scores of turfmen, billed for the Crescent City a month ago, are nOw heading toward the Golden Gale," says a New York letter to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "On the turf, as well as in commercial lines, old-time conservatism does not pay these days. . Perhaps the most striking coup brought off was the luring away of Sam Hiidretli and his big stable from the Louisiana winter field to San Francisco, Cal. It took three weeks of talking" in the paddock by day and about the Imperial Hotel corridors at night on the part of an agent before Sam finally broke away from the Fair Grounds, where he has been racing and spending 50,000 eacli winter, to the far west. Hildreth has already shipped to Oakland thirty-one head with Guiding Star, winner of the last Crescent City Derby; Security, Rapid Water and old Van Ness, all New Orleans favorites, in the Hildreth special palace horse cars. Jockey Knapp will ride for him. Getting Hildreth to San Francisco was quite a thing, when you consider that his presence in any town during three mouths of racing means a turnover among the citys merchants, theaters and hotels of almost 00,000. "Hildreth has always an entourage of big bettors and a staff of twenty highly paid employes. As soon as "Boots" Durnells reinstatement was announced, Williams and Scanlan nailed him for Oakland, too. It Is supposed Durnell has the financial support of John W. Gates. He will take twelve useful horses west late this "Week, with Arthur Redfern as his jockey, the latter agreeing to make 105 pounds for Durnell by December 15. These two big stables might have gone south instead of west with a little timely persuasion. Los Angeles is liable to steal Alex Shields from the Fair Grounds, too. However, New Orleans is in for one grand winter of racing and all-round sport. Mr. Nathanson says every stall at the Fair Grounds has been let. while he expects about thirty bookmakers to declare in on Thanksgiving Day."
