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GOOD OUTLOOK IN VIRGINIA LEGISLATORS DISPOSED TO LOOK WITH FRIENDLINESS UPON RACING MEASURE. Meeting at Norfolk Financially Successful Despite Unfavorable Weather and Legal Attacks Instigated by Governor Mann. Norfolk, Va., December 2, 1911. Although handicap! ; 1 by the worst sort of weather, the meeting f the Jamestown Jockey Club, which came to a dose on Thursday last, was a highly successful one. An average of fifteen layers were in line throughout he meeting and the attendance was larger than tvtr lictore in the history of the track. The ex-kiiss of conducting a meeting here arc greater t.ian at many places, owing to the large number of . ple that the management is forced to employ. 1 icn again, the constant litigation with the state authorities has been expensive. Notwithstanding all this, the Levy brothers made money on their .f uture. They have still another years lease on the plant and. provided the governor is unsuccessful in his cfforl to close the track, a spriug and fall liiecting will be held here next year. Much of tlie trouble bore appears to have emanated from the jealousy of the Richmond people over the progress made by Norfolk iis the past few years. Richmond holds a fall meeting every year and jetting is conducted in a public manner, with the bookmakers operating with the old style booths and flutes. In Norfolk the layers stand about and dis-l !;iy the odds on programs and no tickets are given i t There has never been any complaint about lulling at Richmond, but the state olllcials are cer-;iii:ly worrying the people here ou this issue, in Ijjvaking of the matter a few days ago in one of I.x hotel lobbies, a Virginian expressed himself freely. "I cannot understand why they should ingle out Norfolk for race track betting prosecution," remarked this gentleman, who hails from Richmond. "Why do not the state authorities go , nearer home, at Petersburg or Richmond, for in-LwtaiiicV I understand that the Legislature will traut the racing interests some sort of relief this W.mtvx and in that event there will be good spring sand fall meetings both in Richmond ami Norfolk, r I understand that every member of the Legislature interviewed on the subject has expressed himself .avorably toward the racing interests, provided the lacing bill that will be introduced is within reason." The recent action instituted by Governor Maim was unsuccessful in its object. The commonwealth attempted to have the Jamestown Jockey Clubs charter annulled on the ground that gambling was permitted on its grounds. The trial resulted iu a hung jury, seven being for acquittal and live for conviction. It is said that the governor will order mother trial following the close of the meeting, but it looks improbable that a Norfolk jury will convict the jockey club, as the local people want t e races. The meeting received the endorsement cf all the business organizations, including the hoard of Trade. The meeting was not an especially auspicious one for form. The frequent changes in track conditions had much to do with form reversals. The riding i some of the jockeys was not up to the mark, Iy-nes exhibitions in three or four races being decidedly unsatisfactory. The only otlicial action taki n by the stewards was the suspension of jockey J Melntyre for his ride on Dreamer the day that fie old sprinter lluished behind Fond Heart. Of i jc j jekeys that rode hero, Schuttinger, Ryrne, lie- ihcy. Peak and Bruce were most successful. C. Turner, the lad who came from Kentucky after the clos of the Latonia meeting, created a furore in file few days that he rode. He had eight winning mounts in four days, then was susiended for rouh riding. Bruce, who is a diminutive colored lad, is one of the few negroes now riding. He is a fear-1 ss little chap and, if he was white, would be one of the most sought after apprentices in the country. Bruce is under contract to W. T. Anderson, who is training a string of horses owned by A. L. Astc or New York. Cant. 13. 1!. Cassatt has made an arrangement with Frank Nolan of Albany, which insures to his I.-sterfield Stud in Pennsylvania the i-crviees of i:e of the best bred stallions in the United States a id a race horse of uncommon merit. The Fenu-yvania turfman has secured the brilliant Sir .John Johnson to begin service next spring. Sir John Johnson comes from one of the best producing families in the American- Stud Rook. His grand dam. La Tosca. daughter of St. Rlaise, winner of the Epsom Derby of 1SS3, was a great race mare herself and. after retiring to Gen. Stephen Sanfords llurrlcana Farm iu the Mohawk River country in New York state, she quickly made a name for her-lf. Her first foal was La Tosca II., the dam of Sir John Johnson and Montcalm, another fast horse. I.-i Tosca II. was a daughter of the English stallion. Laureate, and a sister to Chuctaniinda, La Toseas veond foal, and the greatest sprinter of his time. Sir John Johnsons sire. Isidor, was a son of Am-IMon and Isis his dam having been by the Derby winner Rend Or and he was brought to this country and meed by the late Marcus Daly, who retired him t the Ritter Root Stud in Montana iu the late nineties. Isidor was a captital sprinter when he raced under the copper and silver silks of the Mon tana miner and at the Ritter Root Stud he got Israelite and one or two other good ones. After Mr. Dalys death he was purchased by the late Plunger "Pittsburgh Phil." and put to racing again and he won once at a mile and a sixteenth, his fine turn of speed seeing him through. General Sanford purchased Isidor from "Pittsburgh Phil" for stud service and with but few opportunities the son of Anipliion has had unusual success. Sir John Johnson is. of course, the greatest of the IsOdors and one of the best horses that ever came from llurrlcana. At Saratoga, in 100!, he established a track record of 1:58 for one mile and three-sixteenths in winning the Merchants and Citizens Handicap. In 3!R he took up 122 pounds and again won the Merchants and Citizens Handicap, de featin" Olambala, tho champion handicap horse of the year, and other good ones. . .... , It is the intention of Captain Cassatt to breed Sir John Johnsom to all his choice mares. The horse will also be permitted to serve twelve outside mares. Captain Cassatts arrangement with Mr. Nolan pro-f vides that the horse shall be returned to the latter , mxt June. Captain Cassatt sent seven mares to Kentucky last spring and they were served by Hip- iwdrome. Voter. Peter Pan, Hastings, Rock Sand, Fair Play and Singleton. Many owners who contemplated remaining here until the opening at Charleston, have gone to Columbia, where tho management promises that the ring will be open. Reports from Juarez to the effect that the ring at that lwint will lie an open one this winter has resulted In a change in the plans of several layers who had previously arranged to go to Charleston. . . r . , , Fred Luzader has returned to Latonia from a trip to Charleston. S. C. He is greatly impressed With the racing prospects at that South Carolina ""some of the horses that racwl here during the recently ended meeting are still occupying stalls at the Jamestown Jockey Club track, but ail will be shipped away shortly.
