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MOISTY CITY PARK START. NEW ORLEANS RACING BEGINS WITH UNFAVORABLE WEATHER. Keator Runs Away with the Initial Handicap Frank Lord Defeats Platoon Incidents of the Day. New Orleans, La., November 23. The opening of the New Orleans legitimate racing season for 1907 3 could be called auspicious, due to prevailing conditions. The early hours held out slight prospects for good weather, but towards noon the sun came out and this had a tendency to brighten things. An estimated attendance of 5,000 was on hand. Thirty-one layers, twenty-eight in the big ring and three fielders, handled the betting which was of better volume than had been expected. For an opening days card it was below par the heavy track being held to blame for this. Only four starters accepted the issue in the Initial Handicap which featured the card, and victory went to Frank Browns Keator, the favorite. Plantland, the runner-up, might have been closer to the winner but for lunging in the air as the barrier was released. The mishap caused him to lose much early ground, while the winner went into a long lead. Gradually the Fizer candidate bore down on Keator, hut Nicol on the latter drew away in the stretch run to win as he pleased. Chief Hayes, which had been Keators most dangerous attendant for the first three furlongs, tired fast in the stretch, but was good enough to beat out Yankee Girl. The steeplechase resulted in the closest finish of the afteVnoon, the" leading trio coming ib the winning line only heads apart, Sam Hoffheliner, the favorite, winning, and W. K. Slade taking second place from the fast-coming Pete Vinegar. Under stronger riding W. K. Slade would have won, Wood on him losing much ground when approaching all the jumps, and at the fifth hedge almost fell off when he failed to steady his mount. The chief incident in a racing way came with the running of the closing race and was furnished by jockey Mountain astride of Jungle Imp. Mountain had the race won in the last sixteenth, but began easing his mount up with the result that he was almost stationary when Hearing the finish. Sumter, who had heen hard at work on Sea Salt from the half-mile ground, brought the latter up with a terrific burst of speed and almost landed the purse. A howl of dismay came from Jungle Imps backers, and they spent several moments of uneasiness until the official numbers were displayed showing Jungle Imp winner. Had Mountain been beaten the judges would probably have taken drastic action against him. Favorites were successful In three races besides the feature event. Frank Lords and Jungle Imps victories were costly to the layers. Among the principal layers that handled the money today wore: Cella, Fred Cook, Jack Sturgis, "Kid" Weller, Fontilieu, Tom Shaw and Fred Ad-ler. The new system betting did not cause1 any serious confusion and has evidently come to stay. Jockey Lee was the first to come under starter Dades displeasure and was given a four days suspension for misbehavior while at the post in the stake race. Fred Forsythe arrived today from Lexington with sixteen horses that will be campaigned herd. C. W-Patterson came from Latonia with seven racers, including Telegrapher and Carew. Riley Grannan was among the visitors and will operate from the ground for some time before joining the ranks of layers. A. L. Kirby, who Is in charge of the field books, returned todaj; from Xew York, where he attended the funeral of his brother. The report that Fred Cook would remain here but a short while before going on to California, was denied by him today on his arrival from his farm in Illinois. It is Cooks intention to hook, here for the entire season of racing. Several of his horses will be shipped here from Nashville next week. Herman Brandt, in charge of Barney Schreibers horses, stated: today that he had turned out Seymour Rentier, his recent acquisition, at Schreibers Woodlands Farm in Missouri. Brandt expects -Seymour Beutler to rank with the leading three-year-olds next season and intends to give him every opportunity to develop. Tom Shaw reports a successful eastern season and will remain here throughout the winter.
