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COLUMBIA MEETING CLOSES PROSPECTS GOOD FOR SUCCESS OF FUTURE . RACING AT THAT POINT. i Meeting Just Ended Regarded as Unsatisfactory Only , from a Financial Standpoint Townspeople Anxious for More. Columbia, S. C, December .10. Columbias expert- mental race meeting came to a close today under 1 auspices that promise well for the future of racing in this locality. The attendance was easily the best of the meeting and among the visitors were many ; distinguished persons, including Governor Blease and other high state otlicials. From an experimental standpoint the meeting terminated was a huge success and served the sport a good purpose, for there was genuine regret among the merchants and many of the prominent business men that the meeting was wound up this afternoon. They showed keen anxiety for a continuance, but it was deemed to lie for the best interests of racing in general to close down while everything was so propitious for the future of racing here. Financially the meeting was a disappointment to its backers, but the fault for this was due to bad management. Too many had a voice in affairs. Under a one-man business regime, the meeting would have shown a profit. The loss incurred was trilling and really not worthy of consideration. From present indications the next race meeting will be of a different calibre, as, according to rumor. President Lvnch will interest local capital and start remodeling the plant. It also is intended to branch out on a more ambitious scale. The purse offerings will be nearly double those given during the meeting just ended and efforts will le made to attract the best class of turfmen. Whatever opposition there was in the early part of the meeting was effectively dissipated during the last two weeks. The people here also are figuring on legislative re lief from such harassment as came during the first two weeks of the present meeting. For a getaway offering todays card was an ordinary one. Several of the races also had a peculiar aspect, particularly the third race, in which Love . Watches Was an overwhelming favorite and made Rood nfter being apparently a forlorn .hoie. Sea Swell, looked upon as a dangerous contender in the race. was. "herded" all over the course by several of the riders. V. Powers defeat in the fifth resulted from excessive use during the first three-quarters, which left him an easy victim to Our Nuggets final challenge. The string of racers that have been running in the name of W. 15. Carson were transferred today to X. A. Clopton. The transaction also included the contract on jockey W. Hopkins. The following racers figured in the deal: Myles OConnell, Top Noli, .Tessup Buru Smirk, Elizabeth Hhrwood. Judge Qtiinn, Billy Hancock. Dacia, Quality Street and the two-year-olds Surfeit, Jawbone, Bepublican and Emerald Isle At the conclusion of the afternoons program, the stcwauls announced that the suspension against jockev J. Williams had been lifted. Williams got into trouble through his handling of the mare Dolly ISultmau. Blue Mouse, a heavily backed second choice in the second race, pulled up lame, which accounted for her poor showing. T. J. Shannon, trainer of Tom Massie, and P. Knebelkamp, owner of Uncle Jimniie Gray, and J. C. Gnllalicr and A. D. Steele, owners of the horses which finished second, when the two former were bid up, had a conference with the judges and it was agreed that the run-up money should be turned over to the officials pending a decision of the protest lodged bv Messrs. Shannon and Knebelkamp ou the ground that W. Shields, who did the bidding, was ineligible for the reason that he was not in good standing on the turf. Jockey Grands handling of Iloricon in the fourth race was unsatisfactory to the stewards and the lad was sharply Questioned after he dismounted. Frank M. Taylor was a- visitor here this afternoon. He came over from Aiken to witness the closing days sport. Mr. Taylor is well pleased with the way his good two-year-old. Worth, is wintering. He savs that while the colt has grown some since being "thrown out of training, lie has not filled out. Worth is taking just enough exercise to keep him heal I by. Mr. Taylor did not contemplate racing his string at Charleston and for this reason he failed to enter any of the Hallenbeck horses in the stakes there. It is his intention, however, to ship the string lo Charleston for the last month of that meeting to iit them for the early Kentucky meetings. He realizes that Worth will be an overwhelming favorite in the Derhys up the line and it is his wish to have him in line fettle. All of Richard F. Carmans horses are doing finolv and will be ready for the early days of the Charleston meeting. The youngsters in William II. Karrieks charge appear to be a high-class lot and all are going well. Mr. Karrick will also ship his stable to Charleston when the Carman lot leaves Aiken, which probably will be within the next ten days.
