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CUBAN CAPITAL GOSSIP RACING GETTING INTO FULL SWING BUT THE BEST HOBSES ABE YET TO STABT. Bough Biding Nearly Eliminated by Certainty of Severe Punishment — The Clubhouse a Beautiful and Popular Besort — Yearlings Thriving. Havana. Cuba, December 24.— The good reports sent out by some of those on the ground of conditions here are bringing results for the Cuba-American Jockey Club. The beautiful plant, the condition of the track and the ideal weather have t im ply eapitivated visitors from the States and, within the next two weeks, a big influx is looked for. The attendance, up to date, has been highly encouraging. An immense gathering turned out on the opening day. It was a si eculativel.v-inclined crowd and they kept the layers busy. The better class of horses have not been sent to the post as yet, their owners wishing to give them a short let up after their shipment from Maryland. The fields, however, have lieen well matched and good racing has lieen in order. Form has been much in evidence and the backers have had way the best of it so far. The stewards Lave been active and the riders and owners have already learned that the management will insist on the sport being clean and above reproach. 11. G. Bedwell gathered in three purses during the first four days of the meeting. Eddie Taplin is doing Bedv.ells riding and he is the stables one best bet. Taplin is a vigorous finisher and there is not a boy at the track who can outride him when it conies down to a finish. Young Smyth is also here with Ili-dwell. Bedwell released Wolstcnholm to Dom Kinney last fall and that lad is also in good form. A couple of horses have changed hands at private sale since the meeting began. There have been no runups and it looks as if there will not be many here this winter, owing to the new rule which manager Brown made relative to selling races. J. W. Dayton purchased Golden Plume of W. P. Head, and Ernest George bought Stoneheuge of G. Alexandra. .Mr. George will Ik? reniemliered by race goers as the gentleman who raced that good sprinter John Griffin II. at Jacksonville and on the Canadian tracks a few years back. Mr. George is a recent arrival from Eos Angeles and will remain hero for the winter. The stewards issued the following rule on Saturday, which speaks for itself: •"Any owner or trainer having two or more jockeys under contract, or in ii care, shall not be permitted to engage them for mounts in races iu which they . themselves have nominal ions." "f The name Manokin has been confirmed by Registrar Rowe of the Jockey Club for the only yearling that H. G. Bedwell brought to Cuba this winter. He is by Rapid Water — Eittle Buttercup. Mrs. Godfrey Iearce has eight yearlings here in charge of Tom Davis. Young Iearce is also here and will do the riding for the stable. A. L. Taylors two yearlings have been named Oriental Cold and Ooldcn Chance. The fcrmer is by Hanbridge — Oriental Queen and the latter by Zal— Bernice. Albert Dobson. one of the stewards, views the races astride a |ion.v at the three-eighths post. There lias lieen little crowding or rough riding in the last couple of days. The jockeys here were given to understand on Hie first day that rough riding would not lie tolerated by the officials at Oriental Park. Iitz. the first offender, was suspended for fifteen days. Previous to the races on the opening day. Christopher J. Fitzgerald, the pcrsding steward, called the riders together and explained to them that tlier would be expected to keep their positions during the running of a race and that swerving and pulling iver in the homestretch would not be tolerated. The ltoys were told that the first offense vould result in a sus .ension of fifteen days and the second suspension fur the entire meeting. Mel Collins, who is here working in the muttiel department, is having the time of his life. Mel is a great favorite with the American colony unit las; winter eomiKised a sung on local topics, which was sung at one of the stag parties at the American Club on the Prnd.i. Mel is looking for his old chum. George Reardon. who. by the way, is ex-liected to arrive after the holidays. There are a great many people coming down this winter. The time made in the different races is convincing proof to those lip north that the track at Oriental Park i* in spbndd condition and that good sport can be l M ked for here this winter. Thomas J. Reagan, who is connected with the Harry Payne Whitney stable, writes that he will 1m* here MM time in January. He will be MB of u large party Ibat is coining down from New York. There are a lot of go xl riders here this winter. Collectively they are a big improvement over the jockeys that were here last winter. Lapaille looks like the best of the aporentiees. Frank Baccioceo. the major donio of the clubhouse, lias a big staff under him looking after the comfort of the club members. A French chef is iu charge of the restaurant and dinner parties are becoming the real tiling. The clubhouse is a beautiful structure. It was built at a cost of 3.00 i and is striet-Iv fireproof and is furnished throughout in solid mahogany. President Menocals Jiox is now located on the clubhouse balcony. There are liesides about fifty ether boNes in the clubhouse. Secretary Martin Nathanson is compiling a list of th" yearlings here. There are some real g .ind lookers among them and the youngster* develop fast in thi. climate. John Powers reports that the racer Harry Shaw, which was on the ailing list after his arrival here. has rounded to and will be in condition shortly to go to the races. An effort will lie made to get him ready for tli- New Years Handicap.
