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ENCOURAGING PROGRESS AT HAVANA. Havana. December 20. Large crowds have been turning out at the Almendares track during the past week. On Tuesday the attendance was the largest of any week day up to that time, while on Thursday as many persons witnessed the racing as were present on Sundays, which is the banner day of the week for racing in Cuba. The people in Havana apparently are just awakening to the fact that there is a Tace meeting in town. The club has directed jill its energies to interesting the fashionable people ir. Havana in the sport and their labors. are beginning to bear fruit. One day of the week. Thursday, is set apart as society day at the track and It is beginning to be the proper thing for the fashionable people of the city to be seen at tlie course on these afternoons. On Thursday last the fifty boxes in the rear of the grandstand were all crowded with family parties. The ladies were all I handsomely gowned and anyone at all conversant with Havana society knows what this means. Signor Maria Diaz Igrator. a brilliant young attorney of Havana, is looking after the society end of the sport and he has interested Fome of the most influential men on the island in racing. Several gentlemen prominent In the social life of Havana have become Interested to such an extent that they have expressed i wish to have racing establishments of their own, and with this end in view they Jiave commissioned a couple of Amerlcan owners and trainers who are racing here to purchase them suitable material to carry their colors. Al Hanicl. the clever young horseman who developed and raced that good "filly, Notasulga. is a great favorite with the Cubans. The fact that he is racing one of the best horses here has attracted their attention, namel brought the speedy Halifax over from the States and the old sprinter has won a couple of good races during the present week in which he simply smothered his opponents with speed. After Halifaxs last victory Hamel was approached by a Cuban gentleman, who is one of the principal wholesale merchants in Havana, and asked if he would consider an offer of ,200 for the horse. Hamel did not feel like parting with his breadwinner for that figure and he was told to look around and find a couple of horses which could win and that they would be purchased, provided that Hamel would agree to do the training. Offers have been made for Cloisteress, Sally Preston and Chief Hayes, but their owners have refused to sell except at an exorbitant figure. Young Hinchcliffe, the little apprentice that J. W. Pangle brought here from the States, is fast developing into a good rideri He is a great favorite here and has ridden a number of winners. Hannan. Hugh McCarrens lad. is also improving. He is a ten-pounds better rider now than when the meeting began and when he returns to the States lie, too. will be a good rider. M. Sheedys jockey. Tommy Harty, has finally struck his stride and lias ridden three winners during tlie past week, narty has put in some strenuous work on the roads surrounding Almendares and is three or four pounds lighter than lie was last summer. Young Rollins, who came down from New York with Frank Lightfoot. has ridden a couple of winners. Lightfoot won his first race at the meeting when Jeanette M. beat Eustacian a few days ago. A. Molinelli and jockey Liebert returned to New York on Saturday. Liebert got into trouble here with the officials for rough riding and was suspended lor one week. Molinelli won two races while here with LAmour. The hitter will remain here in charge of A. Albright for the remainder of the meeting, when lie will be shipped over to Tampa. There was a hurdle race on Thursday last, the first given since the meeting legaii. It proved a strong attraction despite tlie fact that only three horses went to tlie post. J. W. Pangle furnished the winner in George Lelper. which won off by himself. He was ridden by Dick Pending, who got in from New Orleans the morning that tin? race was run. Pending, not having had time to lose his sea legs, was a bit wobbly, but he rode a splendid race. Lizzie Flat, one of the others starters, proved a keen factor until at the fourth hurdle, where she fell. She and George Leiper took the two previous hurdles head and head and less than a length separated them when she fell. MeClain. who rode Lizzie Flat, was shaken up a bit. but fortunately escaped witli no broken bones. The mare fell heavily, landing on her bead and turning a complete somersault. J. F. Strode is talking of disposing of his entire stable and returning to the States. Strode is interested in the building of a race track in Jacksonville. Florida. Associated with him are several other horsemen, among them W. H. Fizer. It is not thought that the Jacksonville track will lie completed in time for racing next spring, lint tlie idea is to hold a meeting there next year, following that at Tampa. On Saturday a military race was run in which the horses were ridden by oOicers from the Rural Guard and from Camp Columbia. The three Rural Guard officers wore small Cuban Hags on their arms to distinguish them from the American officers, who wore their national colors on their arms. A tremendous crowd turned out to witness this race and so strong an attraction did it prove that there is talk of giving another race of this kind before the meeting closes. President-elect General Jose Manuel Gomez presented the rider of the winner with a handsome silver trophy. The presentation was made in the state box. which is situated in the middle of the grandstand.
