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CHANGING TIJUANA RING BRINGS RESULTS. End of Rainy Season in Sight and Improved Racing Expected to Follow. Ry J. R. Jeffery. San Diego. Cal.. January 28. — The Tijuana race meeting has taken on a new lease of life, as one result of ■ change in the management and methods of the betting ring. Roy Offutt, whose methods as ad« r of the layers in control of the ring after it was syndicated, aroused much criticism on the part of patrons of the fart, has been relegated to the rear and a much more liberal policy is being pursued in quoting odds, with the result that there is a greatly improved feeling all around among the followers of the sport. The bookmakers themselves are responsible for tiiis desirable change. Realizing that the tight- fisted policy that was being pursued in connection with the laying of odds was operating to their financial disadvantage, as well as against the general welfare of the meeting, they had a conference and decided upon changes Which virtually restored the open ring status of the early days of the meeting. Coincident with the new regime in the betting ring, manager Coff-rotii announced that the ring would be open to all reputable bookmakers desiring to cut in. The response upon the part of the public was immediate and betting lias been indulged in during the past week on a much heavier scale than at. any time since the inauguration of the present plan of prorating the ring. Zeke Caress, a Los Angeles layer, was chosen as leader of the bookmakers under the new arrangement, and his methods are meeting with general approval. It has been agreed that only a reasonable percentage shall be allowed to show on the slates of the bookmakers and that there shall be greater freedom of action to induce speculation in instances where the public shows an indisposition to back a horse. Inder the Offutt regime, the bookmakers were left with many unbacked horses on their hands, because of the tight -wad methods pursued. The betting public nowadays is much wiser and more independent than of old and it is evident tactics that might have passed muster once upon a time are now no longer practicable. It does not take long for information of such changes for the better to come to the attention of the race-going public, as shown by the re-appearance at the track of many who had dropped out when the close corporation plan of conducting the ring went into effect. Extension of the Meeting. The ir.eeting is now pro ceding in such a satisfactory way in all respects that it is altogether probable general manager J. W. "off roth will see his way bar to shortly announce an extension of the season, beyond the one hundred days originally scheduled. :.nd of which only about thirty days remain. With other winter meetings out of the way. it is figured that Tijuana racing, continuing practically up to the time for the opening of the eastern racing season, will attract many followers of the sport from other points, who have not yet had the opportunity of appreciating what a delightful place this is to visit at any season of the year, but more especially in the springtme. The rainy season, if such a term maybe applied to the climatic conditions of the past month, is now virtually at an end and race-goers here are looking forward to an uninterrupted spell of the finest weather California can provide. The gardens and countryside of Southern California will shortly be it their best and, with the return of fast track conditions, the most enjoyable and formful racing 01 the si asm is confidently anticipated. It is generally agreed that if conditions continue as at present, the latter n.-rt of the meeting will by-far eclipse that wnich has already passed into history. That the majority of the horsemen racing here are satisfied with the rule governing selling races, put into effect at their request by manager Coffroth was absolutely demonstrated when they recently voted, US to 80 for its retention. The fact that there was some difference of opinion among them as to the desirability of the rule led Mr. Coffroth to arrange for the taking of a ballot on the matter. The result was that the so-called Canadian rule of claiming, instead of bidding, with only those having horses in the race eligible to file claims, was strongly endorsed. Some few owners, who did not approve the plan, hive moved on to other racing points, but as a general rule the horsemen arc satisfied with the results of the plan, which is a new thing in western racing. When the rule first went into effect, there was a virtual epidemic of claiming and horses changed hands with much frequency, but nowadays there is comparatively little of it and the general opinion prevails that the rule is accomplishing all that it was intended to, in that horses are now being entered for their proper value and are running where they belong. Barney Schreiber Popular. Rarney Schreiber, than whom there was no more popular bookmaker in the days when racing flourished in California, recently joined the ranks of the layers at Tijuana and the applause with which his entrance into the ring was received, demonstrated that he still has a strong following among California race patrons. The defeat of Slippery Elm, the star of George W. Wingfields Nevada Stock Farm stable, in the valuable San Diego Rusiness Mens Handicap by A. Neals good colt Ed Cudihee. may have been due to unfitness upon the part of jockey Roscoe Troxler, who left a sick bed to fill his engagement to ride the Wingfield colt. Troxler. who has never ridden better at any time in his career than he lias here this winter, was the victim of excessive reducing to make a closer riding weight than he can conveniently do and likewise suffered from a severe cold. Happily lie has again rounded into condition. Close observers are of the opinion that he was unable to do full justice to Slippery Elm when Ed Cudihee. admirably ridden by Earl Pool, took his measure. It is evident however, that Ed Cudihee is a good colt himself. He is in much better condition just now than in the early days of the meeting, when he had not fully recovered from the effects of sickness contracted in Kentucky-last fall. The plans for far-western summer racing during the coning season are still being Ik Id in abeyance, pending developments in various states where it is expected race meetings will be held It is certain, how -ver, that a circuit will be arranged. Charles Raird. who used to lay odds at Oakland in the old days of California racing, is operating from the ground at Tijuana. Mr. Raird. upon the suspension if California raeii.g, invested in count ry property in this state, and has been devoting his attention of late to the development of an alfalfa ranch in the San .luaquin valley.
