view raw text
KENTUCKY IS ATTRACTIVE HORSEMEN AT JACKSONVILLE PREPARE TO SCATTER FOR SUMMER CAMPAIGNS. Greatest Number Will Patronize Tracks of Blue Grass State Because of Favorable Conditions High Brow Wins Florida Juvenile. Jacksonville, Fla., March 25. Tfie exodus from Moncrief Park lias begun, about fifteen owners having already packed up and departed. The major portion of them went to the Kentucky tracks, while some few shipped 1o Norfolk. When the announcement, was made that there would be no racing on the metropolitan tracks this summer, many of the horsemen racing here changed their plans and instead of going to Norfolk or Pimlico, they will ship in Lexington or Louisville. The fact that there will be sixty-five days of racing on the Kentucky courses before the summer respite, with few and short shipments, has impressed the horsemen. About eight carloads of horses will leave here for Denver nt the conclusion of the meeting. Included in this shipment will be the strings owned by R. D. Williams, S. A. Clopton, Rexall .Stable, a division of F. J. Pons stable, W. 0. Westmoreland, J. O. Holder. .T. II. Morgan, S. J. Warner and T. Pettie. Mr. Clopton is gathering together a new string to race on the inter-moiuitain circuit. lie has recently purchased or claimed Merman, Annie Russell. Eagle Bird and Marie Hyde, and these, together with Muff and a couple of others that he reserved from his sale, will make up his string during the coming summer. It. 1. Williams was talking of sending his stable east to be disposed of, but the announcement of no racing there was responsible for his decision to ship to Denver. About ten carloads will go direct to Marlboro track from here and from there to Montreal to take part in the half mile track racing. C. C. Campau, who has been connected with the Moncrief management all winter, has been engaged to act as secretary for the King Edward . Park and Deloriniier Park meetings, and John Bodeu will be steward at both courses. It is said that tbe King Kdward Park plant has "been improved. William Murray wilfjlo the starting at his track and also at Dufferin Park, while James Milton will start at Deloriniier Park. In the meantime- the big tracks in the Dominion have announced that all pf their purses and stakes this year will be intreased. Woodbine, which is lirst mi lie circuit, will open with the pari-mutuels. It will be the lirst time that the mechanical method of betting lias been operated on any of the Canadian tracks and it really looks that they will be installed at other Canadian tracks if they prove successful at Toronto. The meeting here this winter has been a most successful one. The management has ruled with an iron hand and many supposed wrong-doers have been brought up with a sharp turn. The sport has been uniformly clean and even the chronic kickers have found little to complain of. It was supposed that the ndmissiou fee would reduce the attendance, hut the patronage has been fully up to the standard of last seasoii. The ladies days have proven strong attractions with local folk, the novelty races provided on these-occasions arousing much enthusiasm. One who has never witnessed a race between man, beasts and muchiues can hardly realize the excitement that these contests produce. Manager Brown had the capabilities of all three well sized up and the handicaps were excellent. The American Derby, which will be run on Saturday next, is keeping alive interest in the racing during these closing days of the meeting. The field is narrowing down to about half a dozen. Despite the story sent out that Albert Simons had engaged Eddie Dugan to come down and ride Lahore in the American Derby, it is said that James Rowe lias sent instructions not to rush Lahore, which meaus that he is a doubtful Derby starter. Lahore was stricken with an attack of skin disease about a month ago, which necessitated his being temporarily thrown out of training. The Schorr stable, which sprang a surprise in the Florida Special, may repeat with Star Charter in the Derby. This colt has not been running to his best form in recent races, but his people may have been reserving him with an eye on the Derby. Star Charter is a fair colt. Jockey J. Wilson will probably have the mount. John Duffy, who is giving The Nigger his preparation for the Derby, reports that the black son of Hamburg is doing all that is asked of him. The Niggers race in , the Florida Special earned him .many friends, who look to him to win the Derby. This good colt has demonstrated that he is fast, game and a stayer. He is not an easy horse to ride, because he will not stand for being placed. MeCahey attempted to place him in a race one day and lie quit almost to a walk and tried to savage his rider. Loftus, who has ridden him in his recent races, will have the Derby mount on The Nigger. Governor Grays showing in a throe-quarter mile race" here a few days ago, when he won in fast time after lieing almost left at the post, was a meritorious performance and one that indicates he will have to be reckoned with in making calculations on the outcome of the Derby. This horse has improved a lot in the last month or so and looks to have settled down to real work in his races. Unlike The Nigger he canvcasily be placed and can either go to the froiit or come from behind. He is the hope of the Kentuckians for the race and will have many supporters. The veteran trainer. W. P. Burcli, is fitting a couple of shifty candidates for the Derby in Joe Kenyou and Dr. Duenner. Both are doing all that their trainer lias asked of them and Dr. Duenner is especially good just now. The latter is rather a hard horse to handle. lie is a heavy-headed fellow and will not run for a light lad, requiring a hustling jockey. Messenger Boy and Mud Sill are the two dark horses in the race. The former is a good stayer and Is owned by Eugene Lutz of Covington. Ky. lie is n good looker. Mud Sill is a maiden, but has been highlv tried. He has been to the harrier only once. About a week or ten days ago Mud Sill worked well enough to warrant his having a chance, and he mav turn out to be a factor. The rain of this week was very welcome. The long-continued dry spell had made the track treacherous. There seemed to be no stability to the footing, the top soil cupping under the horses, which resulted in many of them. wrenching ankles, hitting themselves and grabbing their quarters. The rains k. of the past few days has improved the course won-f derfully and there is less complaint from the horsemen on the score of lame horses. An evenly balanced program of seven races was offered patrons of Moncrief Park this afternoon. The feature was the Florida Juvenile Stakes, a dash of five-eighths in which a field of ten of the best two-year-olds developed here went to the post. Thomas C. McDowell furnished the winner in High Brow, whicli came from behind in the stretch to win going away by a length and n half from Sold Mine, which in turn beat Duval a neck for second place. Joe Knight followed a head behind. The last-named ran a remarkable race and easily demonstrated that he is the champion, of bis age here. Jockey McTaggart, who has been riding in poor form of late, was unprepared when the barrier was sprung, with the result that Joe Knight was almost left at the post. The others ran away from him in lie first quarter and before they had gone an eighth lie was fully a dozen lengths behind the leader. In the run through the homestretch, when Joe Knight settled well into his stride, he closed with a great burst of speed and at the finish was outrunning all his company. He was much the best of his field and would have won easily with fair racing luck. It was a great day for followers of jockey T. Koerucr, which good rider scored with four of his mounts. Naughty Lad. High Brow. Parkview and Falcada. Two of them came from the stable of his employer. AVayno O. Joplin. Jockeys T. Quinlan and Jensen were suspended for the remainder of the meeting by the starter for disobedience at the post. Amoret, the beaten favorite in the sixth race, was claimed by C. D. Ray for ,025. A number of horsenien aud turf followers from Tampa were visitors at Moncrief tills afternoon. Among them was B. C. Smith, who acted as racing secretary at Tampa and Pensacola. Mr. Smith is on ills way hack to New York. He will leave for the north tomorrow morning. Col. J. S. Brown of Tampa has been engaged to act as presiding judge for the meeting which will open at Pensacola on Friday next. J. Rhinock arrived from the north this morning and witnessed the races hero this afternoou. He is on his way to New Orleans to attend a meeting of the New Orleans Jockey Club, which will be held on Tuesday next. J. B. Respcss will also be in New Orleans to attend this meeting. .T. S. Hawkins left for Lexington tonight t take up his horses that wintered in Kentucky. T. TV Johnson, the Oklnhoma banker, -who was interested with Guy Gray in the ownepship of the Roxall Stable, has announced his intention of retiring from racing, and his entire string will probably be sold in the paddoek before the meeting closes Onlj two more stakes remain to be run. On AVednesday the Palatka Selling Stakes, at three-quarters of a mile, will lie featured, while the American Derby will he decided on Saturday, the closing day of the meeting, after which will come a speedy scattering of horses in all directions. Recent work-outs at Moncrief. Weather cloudy; track heavy: All Red Three-quarters in 1:19. Allowmaise Throe-quarters in 1:185. Amoret Half mile in 514. Arany Five-eighths in 1:01. Auto Maid Half mile in 51. Babbler Seven-eighths in 1:."3. Beau Brummcl Mile in 1:40. Blossom Five-eighths in 1:05. Brevite Half mile in 52. Camel Half mile in 521. Ceremonitis Three-quarters in 1:20. Chief Jackson Half mile in 511. Choptank Half mile in 511. Dantield Three-quarters in 1:17-1. Dress Parade II.---Three-quarters in 1:1$. Elizabethan Mile in 1:401. Fabersham Mile in 1:47. Frank Purcell -Mile in 1:10. Gerando Three-qharters in 1:18;. Glandore Three-quarters in 1:18s. Guns Hill Five-eighths in 1:04. Heart Pang Three-quarters in 1:1S. Huck Se.ven-eighths in 1:31. Ida May Half mile in 52. J. P.. Robinson Three-quarters in 1:21. Jabot Mile in 1:47. Jack Parker Five-eighths-in 1:03. Joe Knight Half utile in 53,
