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SPORT RECEIVES IMPETUS ARRIVALS FROM WESTERN TRACKS INFUSE NEW LIFE INTO MONCRIEF RACING. lonjr Winter Meeting Now Approaching Its Fas End, but Only Drawback Is Scarcity of Competent Riders. Jacksonville, Fla., March 4. In four weeks inure the racing season of 1110-11 at Moncrief Park will have, come to a close. These closing days are marked witli more life and action than those of last season. The sport just now is at its high water mark and therO is" probably as much, if not more, activity in the ring than at any time during the winter. The:v nfe Several reasons for tlds. One its that the public lias confidence In the sport, another that the racing lias been spirited and clean, and still another is that numerous arrivals from California and Juarez havt infused new life into the sport. The one drawback Is a lack of competent riders. There arc plenty of .misfits parading as real jockeys, .who can do little more than sit on a horse. Many or the best riders have either left or have been suspended. The lirst two-year-old stake of the season at Moncrief was run on Wednesday and Luke LelJloud furnished the winner in his good Ally, Gold Mine. Mr. LcBloud has worked this promising filly into good condition, Her ankles look much better than the did a month ago and she lias just about learned what is wanted of her. She runs straighter and truer and there is no question as to her gameness. Gold Mine has been entered for several stakes in the north and should give a good account of herself as the season progresses. O. J. Decker will leave for New York next week With his good racer, Master Robert. The latter pulled up a bit lame in his last race a few weeks ago. but has again rounded to and is going along soundly. Mr. Decker does not care to take any further, chances with him oyer the Moncrief track, which is in none too good condition just now owing to lack of rain. Muster Robert will be shipped uotth liy one of the Clyde Line boats. He will be rested Ht Graveseud and if things look favorable for racing on the. metropolitan tracks he will do his racing there. If not ho will be shipped to Pimlieo and from there to Toronto. "Donald Macdouald is another good racer that will lie sent back to New York shortly. Trainer Powers! "will remain here until after the running of the lloriUli Special and then will go to Ncw York, -where he will take tip some horses that Harry Shaw raced last ycar ami, also the Keeue castotf, Grusmcrv. The. latter is reported to have wintered well and his bad leg has so improved that Louis Martine, his owner, is confident that he will stand training. Application blanks for jockeys and trainer licenses from the Jockey Clubl at New York have arrived and were distributed among those who contemplate shipping from here to Norfolk. Fred Gar-hardy, who is looking after the interests of the Jamestown Jockey Club, reports that everything indicates that the meeting at the Virginia track tlds spring will be highly successful. Among those who have reserved stalls at Norfolk are 1. D. Weir, A. G. Weston, James Bluto, J. W. .Schorr, William Midgely. N. K. Deal, W. 1. Burch, Bcverwyek Sfable. J. W. May. James S. Everman. T. It. Cond-ran, James K. Gaffney, Jule Garson, Clint DeWJtt, John G. Greener. Samuel Itoss, William Garth. M. J. Caldwell, J. W. Burttschell, Sam Louis, V.igust Belmont, K. T. Wilson, J. S. Tyree, Frank Regan, Edward Peters. Frank K. Gardner. Frank Frisbic. W. O. Scully, G. A. Muller, 1. S. 1. Randolph and CI C. Smlthsou. Fred Gerhardy received a letter from Georire M. Hendrie a few days ago which contained the pleasing information that the purses at Windsor and other Canadian tracks would be increased this sum user. It is the intention of the Windsor Association to offer one stake every day. The value of the Frontier Stakes will be increased to ,500 and others in proportion. The Windsor Stakes will nut close until late in May. A number of improvements nri; announced by the management, most important or which is that a new grand stand will be erect.! at the conclusion of this season. News from Hamilton has it that the smallest purse at that meeting this year will be 00. The Hamilton mana-einent has spent upward of $.",0,000 in improvements- .since lust fall. A new steel betting shed has been built anil a large overhang has been built on the grand stand. The letting shed is a modern structure, similar to those on the metropolitan tracks. This afternoons program was the best provided during the present season of racing in Jacksonville and a record-breaking crowd turned out to witness the sortl The special attraction was the Amateur Selling Slakes, the conditions of which called for gentlemen riders. Society folk turned out in force and more interest was taken by the local people in the running of this race than in any of the others. Donald Tons, son of Francis J. Pons, won witli Dcs-eoinnets. Mr. Pons entered several of his best racers in this stake, but all are down with an attack of the skin disease so prevalent here, and on Thursday he purchased Descomnets so that his colors would be represented in the race. Young Pons rode cleverly and landed Descomnets the easiest sort of a winner from El Oro, on which Al Blutc had the mount. Tommy Wrights mount, Rosshampton, was last ami beaten ofT. Several of the prominent eligibles for the American Derby were among the starters in the second race. :i three-year-old allowance affair at three-quarters of a mile and the winner turned up in Governor Gray, which galloped home in front to beat Mclvor a length and a half. The distance was run in 1:1.!, a good performance over this track in the condition it is in just now. . The third race furnished a stirring stretch drive, T. M. Green and Irincelikc lighting it out throughout the last three-eighths so closely that it was difficult to tell which of the two was in front at the different posts. T. Koerner, on T. M. Green, rode a splendid finish. With riders reversed. Prince-like would surely have won. Ioftus made the mistake of going to his whip when he headed T. M. Green at the furlong post and in doing so let go his mounts head witli the result that he sprawled a bit. With a good strong hand ride Princelike would surely have beaten T. M. Green. Another tight finish came with the running of the sixth race, in which the first four horses finished in a bunch. Spindle was given the decision in this race. His margin was a matter of an inch or two. Wing Ting, a heavily bucked favorite, ridden by T. Koerner. was shuttled back on the first turn and was fiireeil to work her way up on the outside. Sue closed a gap of fifteen or twenty lengths and at the end was gaining on the leaders with every stride. Spindle was boosted 00 over his entered price of 00 and bought by L. Timber. This is the fifth time that this horse has changed hands this winter. Previous lo the races a sale wes held in the paddock, but only a few of those offered were sold. Reserve bids were placed oh the choice ones and they were led back to their owners barns. Those sold included Auto Maid, S. Louis. 25; Gus Hart-ridge, S. Louis. 50: John Patterson. S. Louis. 00; Kerran. George Semi. 50: Naughtv Rose. S. Loiiis. 75; Red River. W. . Westmoreland. 50: Tranquility. T. V. Cashen. 5: Onklev. 0. Westmoreland, 00: Stilenlir. J. Gonnlcv. 00; Ptarover. W. L. Williams, 50; Mabel Virginia, W. h. Williams. 00.
