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MAKING PLANS FOR SUMMER HORSEMEN RACING IN FLORIDA NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO NORTHERN MEETINGS. Kentucky Circuit Likely to Be Patronized by Majority of Stables Now Quartered in the South Many Good Horses in Temporary Retirement. ."Jacksonville, Fla., February 11. Owners of horses with mud-running proclivities are praying for rain !it Moncriof Park. There has been a long continued dry spell and horses that do well in heavy going have had no opportunity of paying their way. With the elose of the meeting little more than a mouth away horsemen are already talking of their plans for the coming summer. A great many of them have decided to. ship from here to Lexington and I.ouIsvllle and confine their racing during the summer months to the Kentucky tracks. Many that heretofore raced exclusively on the metropolitan courses are talking of racing in Canada, but it- is feared that the short meetings and frequent shipments on the Canadian circuit will keep away many who in former seasons raced in the Dominion. As to where the horsemen will race next winter is a que:-1 ion. Just now Juarez is the only spot that is a certainty. There is talk of a new track for Havana, also of one at Charleston, anil there is still a chance that relief may be had from the legislature in this state. It will be a pity if the sport fails to survive here, as racing has become a strong attraction in Jacksonville. It brings a large number of visitors here who remain throughout the entire winter and their absence would certainly be felt by the local merchants. Tuesday next will be ladies day and the management has arranged to make this occasion one of . the most brilliant of the meeting. There will be two novelty races on that day, one for mules and another, for goats. After the races every night a number of mules have been on the track and several of them have showed some speed. The novelty races that have Ikjcii run here have proved a strong attraction and are exceedingly popular with the local element. Tile layers have been called upon to meet heavy losses of late. Tom Shaw has dropped about 3,000 during the last few days. E. J. Callahan quit ,500 loser last Tuesday and Frank Tyler quit on Tuesday after losing .5,000 luring the previous L three fays. Steve irilommedieu has lost his bank roll and is"ixw operating from the ground. C. R. Ellison is still operating from the ground and is a big winner on the season. Joe McLennan is finding it rather hard to fill the races that are offered for the better class of horses. The reason is that a majority of them are ou the shelf. Just as It. D. Williams had Pretend ready for a race ho pulled up lame in his "good leg" and it is doubtful if ho starts during the meeting. George Ham experienced exactly the same trouble with Ilanbridge. Master Robert broke down in lils last start. John Reardon has been fired by J. W. Schorr, and his other good horse, Aylmer, developed serious lameness. Banives. in the same stable, Is also a cripple. Pantoulle is sore and nothing like the mare she was last winter. Boca Grande lias gone amiss and is being rested up. Sandrian was taken sick recently. Frank Purcell has been down with an attack of fever. Carlton O. and lluck are both lame. Kacqnet and Besom have failed to do well all winter and are nodding in their work. Great Heavens spread a foot. Tony Boncro has been lame off and on and his trainer finds it impossible to get hlin up to a race. Glucose has been ailing since his last effort. Ragman has been lame for a month past, his trouble being bad knees. Friend Harry hit himself in his work and has been let up on. Antenor is down with an attack of fever, iarneau is also sick and Pharaoh was stricken with fever recently. Countless and Sir John Johnson are both about ready for the races. "Hub" May has been going along with the former, while Sir John Johnson has been getting work for a month. The latter looks big. but he raws that way. Trainer Woodford is probably iioiiiting Sir John Johnson for the Live Oak Handicap, at six ami a half furlongs, which will be run next Saturday. The horses owner, Frank J. Nolan, is expected here next week. The Yankee Handicap, the feature race of the card offered at Moncrief Park this afternoon, was overshadowed in a measure by the third race, an allowance affair at seven-eighths, contested by one of the best fields seen in action during the meeting. This race was won by Donald Macdonald in a sinew-straining finish with The Nigger. There were only four starters in the Yankee Handicap, but it resulted In a splendid stretch drive between Mary Davis and Guy Fisher, in which the former lasted to win by a short head. Mary Davis was ridden by McTaggart and drew away into a long lead rounding the far turn, but at the finish was tiring badly. Donald Macdonald ran seven-eighths in 1:20. It was his first appearance in some weeks and he showed a good performance. The last two races were selling affairs and both of these winners were boosted. Toison dOr was bid up from 00 to .,100 by Guy Gray, but was protected and bought in. Third Rail was lxosted .hB00 by W. E. Suggs, but Hugh Penny protected the horse and bought him in at .,000. Jockey Gross was taken sick after the first race and was unable to fill his other engagements. Jockey Wilson was given a weeks suspension by the starter for all but his contract stable. He kept kicking Guy Fisher at the iost and was responsible for the delay. Dunn was given ton days by the siime otlirial for pulling up Aldcn and Evia at the post in their respective races. W. P. Austin purchased the three-year-old. Judge Monck, from G. P. Chinn last night. It was a disastrous day for favorite followers, all nix first choices being beaten. Three of the winners were second choices. W. W. Lylcs, who is one of the patrol judges here, has been engaged as associate judge for the half mile tracks on the Canadian circuits. Victor I.emack. promoter of some of these tracks, will be here from Montreal on Monday. James Milton will once more be engaged to start at Delorimier Park. Montreal, and at Quebec, having closed the contract this morning.
