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HORSEMEN TAKE A STAND OWNERS AT NEW ORLEANS TO RACE TWO-YEAR-OLDS DESPITE NORTHERN RULE. Race for Two -Year-Olds on All Days Except Wednesday and Also at Hot Springs During Thirty-Six Racing Days. New Orleans, La., December 19. Responding to a call issued by Judge Jospeh A. Murphy, seventy-five horsemen held a meeting in the jockeys room at the Fair. Grounds race track today and pledged their unqualified support and co-operation in the matter of filling the two-year-old races during the coming winter meeting, regardless of the ruling of the turf-governing bodies in the north and east, which disqualifies any two-year-old starting before April 1, from racing over their tracks during the remainder of the year. Judge Murphy took a poll of the owners and trainers present who have two-year-olds here, and there was not a dissenting voice. Charles Patterson, who has charge of the Billings and Johnson two-year-olds, however, was not put on record before hearing from C. K. G. Billings, who is a member of the Jockey Club. Patterson will abide by Mr. Billings decision as to whether or not to race the hitters young horses here. Judge Murphy explained to the horsemen the exact terms of the rule and said he wanted every owner to know just what he was doing, when he raced his two-year-olds here. "If you horsemen will cooperate with me and fill- the two-year-old races," said Judge Murphy, "there will be one every day with the exception of Wednesdays. When there are six entries in a race it will stand, regardless of how one-sided it may look, and where there are only five it will hold if it has any appearance of a contest at all. There will be forty-four days of racing at the Fair Grounds, and witli Wednesdays the only day on which there will not be a two-year-old race, the young horses will have an opportunity to compete for purses aggregating 20,000. "Then, also, I can assure you that there will be thirty-six days of racing at Hot Springs, following the close here, and two-year-old racing will be featured there. Before leaving St. Louis, Jospeh Martin, general manager of the Oaklawu race track, told me of his plans along this line, and while I do not know whether or not I will be officially connected with Essex Park, I will assist in shaping its policies." ,C. T. Worthington said that he had been notified by II. P. Headley that the Thoroughbred Horse .Association in Kentucky was now trying to get the Kentucky State Racing Commission to rescind its ruling, and. that he was practically advised by Mr. Headley to race his two-year-olds, just the same as if the rule was never passed. According to his advice from Mr. Headley it is more than probable that the rule will at least be amended in Kentucky, lie said. Al Kirby made a suggestion that in case a two-year-old condition race does not fill, that a selling race be substituted. This was not decided upon. The present rule by which an apprentice jockey gets the five-pounds allowance only while riding for his contract employer, will in all probability be changed tomorrow. Judge Murphy, racing secretary Joe McLennan, associate judge J. B. Campbell, and Herman Conkling will meet to consider the modification. An enthusiastic turf writer on the New Orleans Times-Picayune paid a visit to the Fair Grounds with the following result: "One doesnt have to walk far at the Fair Grounds if he would look Upon famous horses. They are all about. In fact, tis best to keep a weather eye open, for so numerous are the stars of the turf at the historic nice course they fairly walk over you if youre not spry. "An early morning visit to the track will present most of these crack performers to the casual onlooker. They can be seen as they go by Leoehares, Pan Znrota, Fair Mac. Arriet, Polroma. Omar Khayyam nnd a host of others all blue-blooded and all being put in best condition for the 1917 racing season. "Promenade about the stalls and youll become acquainted more closely with other cracks. Perchance these already have had their work-outs, or maybe they are not quite ready to be sent fast. "Others are being cooled out by walking about the barns. They are all effervescing with vim, and it isnt considered good policy to get too proximate. A stray hind leg might lash out playfully, but harmfully. "Anyhow, royally-bred thoroughbreds are on every hand. .Many of the speediest are foreign-bred, and therefore consider themselves among the elite. But witli stars like Leoehares, Pan Zareta and others to uphold its aristocracy, American horsedom does not suffer in a comparison witli the furriners. "Still, however, the imported racers are so numerous and, as is their luck, are so well cared for that they carry with them an atmosphere of something princely, that one feels out of place in the absence of a monocle and English drawl. "It would seem perfectly proper for one to have on a monolamp when giving one of these bally Britishers the up and down. It also would seem in keeping to exclaim, as the Irish horse, Fair Mac, was led out: " My word, ol top, what a rare bit of horse flesh he is, y know! "Chief among these imported racers is the speedy mare Arriet. She is in the stable of E. W. Moore. Mr. Moore doesnt own Arriet he has leased her racing qualities. The mare is owned by Irving II. Wheatcroft of Oklahoma, and was brought to the United States in September, 1915. "So much has one heard of Arriets breeding and her speed that he draws a mental picture of a thin-legged, slender-bodied and silken-skinned bundle of iierves-. "An introduction to the lady Arriet furnished a startling revelation. At first one is convinced that Mr. Moore has brought forth the wrong horse. Some stray fire engine horse has wandered into Arriets stall, one reasons, and Mr. Moore, absent-mindedly, has dragged him forth in place of Arriet. ."But Mr. Moore chases all doubt when he, with a proud wave of his hand, says: " litre she is, gents, and adds, a la Young Lochinvar: Theyll have fleet steeds that beat her this winter. "It would be harder to imagine a stronger-built animal than the imported Arriet that is, as far as race horses go. Arriet, while she by no means resembled a fawn-like tiling of speed, carries herself with a pose which bespeaks her self-confidence. Evidently Mr. Moores mare has a keen knowledge of her own powers and is proud of it. "Arriet does not impress one at first sight except for size, but a close scrutiny brings her out at her true worth. "Since coming to America Arriet has won-five races. One of her victories was In a field in which was A. N. Akin, a sprinter of note. A. N. Aiken has a triumph to his credit over the redoubtable Leoehares, and in horse circles it is considered the height of ambition to outrun Leoehares. "Arriet has seven stable mates, but none appears to be quite up to her standard, though several of them are better looking. Joe Finn, Sea Urchin, Jack Reeves, Bill Simmons, William IV. and Don Thrush are others in the Moore string. William IV. and Don Thrush are, like Arriet, imported. "Jockey William Crump, looked upon as one of the most promising apprentice boys riding during the past year, will have the principal mounts of the Jloore stable."
