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PROSPEROUS AT TIJUANA BIG INFLUX OF WINTER TOURISTS HELPING THE TRACK S PATRONAGE GREATLY. Date of Closing the Meeting Not Settled, but an Extension Has Become a Matter of Doubt Recently. I*.y J. R. Jeffery. San Iliegn. Cab. February 12. — Racing .it Tijuana is prospe ring just imw bi MWr before- in the his-tary of the track. The meeting, now maring tho end of the 100-day period originally scheduled, is approaehiag its climax, which will he reached with the running of the .$." . km Coffroth Handicap, one mile and a farter, aa Washingtons birthday. Last siiiid.-i.v aaw the biggest crowd aC the meeting .it the course. Except on one occasion, there never were aa many visit irs at the track. That one BC-rasle ii waa aa January 1. 1818, the day the track waa Clrat thrown apea to the public, when all Baa Mega, it aright ahaaat be said, turned out hi grre the new eaterpriae a proper aeadoeT. The aalioa age of lata has been uniformly good and reflects the p -ese ni • of a veritable horde of tourists in this locality. San Diego is fairly overflowing with visitors and it may be expected that the Tijuana track will continue to provide diversion for a considerable proportion of them for several weeks to come. The .iiu in attendance has naturally been followed by a material increase in the volume ami character of speculation and conditions generally are more satisfactory to well-wishers of the simrt than at any time share the season o|«tied. Manager Cnffrntli has not yet made any formal announcement of his intentions with respect to the anticipated extension of the meeting beyond Monday. March B, when the 1M days of racing prom-i id the horsemen for this season will have passed into history. It is understood that whether or not the racing is continued for a longer period depends largely upon the attitude of the horsemen. .Mr. I off roth is represented as being of the opinion th it it will not tie practicable to continue the meeting beyond the. 100-day period unless the horsemen are willing to accept a cut in purse values and make other concessions on matters on which tin y l,..e hitherto taken a decidedly determined stand. Horsemen Favor New Claiming Rule. Wliile there are some who prefer the aid methods in conducting selling races, the majority of the horsemen express satisfaction over the substitution of the claiming plea for the former method of auctioning and claiming combined. The average karat man Cl atends that the new nil: has given him a better chance to win than was possible under the old regime. For a time there was much claiming of horses under the new plan, but of late there has been little, only eight ho.ses having changed hands in this way during the first two weeks of the present month. The concessionaries v ho have been conducting the casino in the little Mexican village of Tijuana, a mile or so distant from the track and across the Tia .Iiiana river, are building a new casino at the galea of the race track and expect to open it shortly. Manager Coffroth did not relish the idea of Inning it located in such a close proximity to the I.ow.-r California Jockey Cashs plant, but there waa no help for it. as the promoters had complied with all the legal requirements and hold the necessary concession. The colors of Edward Ccbrian of San Francisco Will lie seen on the tracks of the east this year. Al Farrell. who is developing the young horses for this stable, plans to ship them east to tike put in the Bowie meeting, which is expected to open the Maryland season. May 1. I-omer jockey . 11. Shilling lias been greatly disappointed in the showing made here by his good :-pr;nter Conning Tower. lie had the horse ready l.i race when the muddy track spell came along nad BO deferred starting him until track condi -tions improved. When he did get to racing, it was with poor results, for which his owner is at a lo.s to account, as he regarded the horse as fit and ready when he first sent him to the barrier, lie seems to lack the dash that marked his racing in the east. Gossip of the Tijuana Horsemen. Clarence l.uxton broke into the winning owners class for the first time during the meeting when Sasin won the Blsinorc Handicap, one mile and a sixteenth, on February 0. ft is understood that Santas owier profited handsomely by the hanea success in spite of his disappointing showing in previous ra es. It seems that Sasin is a hot-m of bad diMpnaitkm and his poor performance in the San Diego Business Mens Handicap on January 21, for which his own-r had especially pointed him. and which he regarded as heiag at his mercy, is attributed I v Baxtea to the fact that an assistant starter ln-ld him while at the peat and got him into a sulking mood. l.uxton is planning to race on the New York tracks again this season. John Civens. who formerly trained for several prominent California turfmen, ami who is widrlj known on tie- turf as ••Kentucky John." is an attache of the secretarys office at Tijuana. He has some idea of reengaging in the sport as a trainer when a faun-abb opportunity presents itself. The veteran campaigner Jawbone, which J. L. Paul brought to the coast, is now in the stable id li. Howell, for whOM he has won several races. Wlni; I.iul parted with Jaw lone, it was with the idea that he had about reached the end of his string. I ut it new seems likely that the old hone will In- winning races for some years yet. When lie came here, the impression prevailed that he disliked to run in the mud. but the winning of four •ice, out of five starts in soft going has dispelled that notion.
