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FRESH HAVANA TURF TALK ORIENTAL PARKS ATTRACTIONS EVOKE THE GENERAL ADMIRATION OF ALL VISITORS. Iron Mask Being: Prepared to Show Cubans a New Brand of Speed — Secretary Edwards an Interested Arrival. Havana, Cuba, January 17. — The racing at Oriental Park during the past fortnight has been Marked by splendid contests, the number of close finishes Mag quite numerous. There has certainly beta plentiful contentful ami the sport, considering the class of horses, lias been particularly good. The horses that came here sick from Maryland are rounding to and every clay rinds new material in some of the races, tuha is probably the greatest country in the world for live stock, and it is rare for a horse to develop sickness here. The new top dressing that Harry Brown. Jr.. placed on the track lias worked wonders with tin going. Owing to the lack of rain and the long dry s|»ell. the footing was getting a little hard and. unlike last year, the horsemen were praying for rain. Early Sunday morning heavy showers fell mid it was just the thing needed to improve things generally. After the rain the California barrow was run around the track and in the afternoon the going was faster than ever. When Star Kdgar. Anita, Harry Shaw and others of that class round to it will be interesting to see just how fast they will run over the Oriental Park track. If a horse like Roamer was here there is no question but what some worlds records would be hung up. Manager Brown is now devoting his attention to the intield. That part of the course is being made as level as a billiard table. It is the intention of the landscape gardeners to make the infield most picturesque and in keeping witli other parti of the course. Flower beds will be laid on: along the rail fronting the grandstand and a grot-clam polo Held will be constructed, on which international watches will be played in the future. The Cubans are adepts at all sorts of games and it has been predicted by those who are conversant with the temperament of the people here, that they will take to polo like a duck to water. ll is the intention of the management to promote shooting contests, automobile races, aeroplane races and motor boat racing next winter with the idea of bringing together the cracks of the world. It is expected that 1 lie government will lend its aid in a substantial manner, as tliei-e contests will be a great advertise ntent for Cuba and will attract the attention of the tourists the world over. There have been a number of arrivals here during the past ten days. O. W. J. Bissell. a well-known manufacturer ot Pittsburgh, returned after spending a couple of weeks at his home. Mr. Bissell has several horses here, most of which are two-year-olds. One of them. Helmets Daughter, won a race here a few days ago. Mr. Bis«ell owns Rapid Water, the sire of Mauokin, another winner here. Mr. Bissell received word from Registrar Rowe of the Jockey Club that the names Seminole and Police de Lean had been allowed for two of his youngsters, the others in his stable, besides Helmets Daugh-ter. arc Curls, [diolita and Sister Emblem. The stable of Jcoffeison Livingston lias done par tieularly well since its arrival here. The Goldblatt-l.ivingston combination lias won several races and a majority of the winners have paid handsome dividends. The stable was strengthened materially tlie acquisition of jockey Clarence Turner. There is no better rider here than Turner and he is sure to win his share of the races, ioldblatt is preparing the sprinter Iron Mask for a record-breaking performance anil, it is presumed, that an effort will be made to have him reduce the mark be hung up al Juarez sense time during Mr. Liv-iagstons visit here. Mr. Livingston and a party of friends are expected here next week for an extended stay. v. c. Edwards, secretary of the Metropolitan Jockey Club, accompanied by Frank Flood, was an arrival from New fort on Tuesday. Mr. Edwards was surprised at the magnitude of the sport and the plant that manager Brown has constructed at Marianao. Mr. Edwards is quite a globe trotter and has visited many of the largest race courses in the different parts of the world. He considers Oriental Park one id the tinest courses he has ever seen and says that ii is certaiarj the fastest. He predicts that the meetings here will develop into the greatest ever given at any place in the winter. George Considine. Jimmy Kellar. George Orant. Pat Shannon and George Steward are other new-eiineis. who are daily risitors at Oriental Park. ef week John Cavanaugh, John Walters and : Byuu are looked for. It Is expected that there nill be a large Indus from New Orleans at the conclusion of that meeting. Harry White, who i* in tin Crescent City soliciting horses, succeeded in shipping over a half dozen a few days ago. Tbej comprised the division of the stable that C. A. Alexandra was racing at the Fair Grounds. About thirty more will ! e sent over. Pat Shannon joined the ranks ..f the layers a few day- back ami i- a little winner. Some of the other* in line are John Hare of Toronto. Charlie Rrogaad B. .V O. of Chicago. Fred Cook. Tom Buckley, Henry Wells and J. Griffith of New .rk. Walter Carter has a couple of horses here and lias been quite successful. One of them. Natb:in K.. litis developed Into quite a sprinter. He secured this none at Ratlimore. paying 00 for him. In his six starts here Nathan R. has won rive times, lie whs run up to 11.200 and taken from Carter In Of his races bv G. Alexandra, who afterwards sold him back. Carter then sold the horse to a local dentist who paid him ,250. and the horse Moonstone, which be bad purchased of John Pangle a few days previous, for 1800. This made Nathan R. cost his new owner ,000. The horse beat In -lierator the Hrst time he started for his new owner. Carter has a promising apprentice named Hall under contract. The lad rede his first winner here and looks like one of the best prospects of the season. BOUM shrewd judges have picked Ball out as n comer and Carter will lake the bay from here to Maryland next spring, tarter, bv the way, was foreman for S. A. Otoptoa at one time. Karriona. the dam of Nathan K.. established a track record at Pimlieo for three and a half furlongs, the first time she ever laced the barrier.
