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HAVANA MEETING AT ITS HIGH TIDE. Numerous Horses Change Ownership Through tho New Claiming Rule — Izzet Beys Hard Luck. By T. K. Lynch. Havana. Cuba. Feb. 24. — The meeting of the Cuba American Jockey Club is now at its height. The crowds are larger and the speculation heavier than at any time during the meeting. The club is getting its share of the tourists patronage and the book linkers report their business larger than at any time since racing was inaugurated at Oriental Park. Last week the mud runners were given an ■waartaaity of showing their prowess tlie going being heavy one day and lumpy and si iw two of the other days. It is remarkable how fast the track hen-dries cut and the secret of it is tlie splendid drainage system, built by manager Rrown after the inaugural meeting, when it rained almost constantly despite tlie fact that it was supposed to be the dry season. That rainy spell was. however, really a blessing in disguise for it proved the means of spuring the BMaageaMUt to install a sol 1111111 draining system. The stewards in their investigation of the Shooting Star claim by N. L. Snelson. went to the bottom of the matter and they handed out some stiff fines to those found guilty of an infraction of tlie sellieg and claiming rule. Snelson. who is a Jack souville man and practically a new comer in the sport, admitted to the stewards that lie did not cliim Shooting Star for himself, but for Bedrick and that the latter furnished the money. There were several witnesses, according to M. Daly, who saw lie nioni passed to Snelson and it is siid that trainer F. Oarrett acted as go-between fir Bedrick and Snelson. The fine of 8500 imposed on Hedrick althoaah ■ stiff one. was warraated according to the evidence. Garrett and Snelson escaped with a fine ol *10t. and it is likely that this will put the lid on friendly claims here in the future. New Claiming Race Rule Proves Popular. Quite a MBBlber of horses have changed hands recently throaah the claiming route, bat the fact that the new rale gives owners, who lose a horse this way, tin- same right to claim as an owner who may have a horse in a race, evens up matters. .1. It. Dunn lost Yorkville the other day and tin n claimed Hirdman for 803S, which was not at all a bad trade. The rule is working well and is in, di BBt giving satisfaction, for the reaaM that owners are entering in a more liberal maunr than they did before. Laura, the Woolsthorpe mare that Hdwell sold here last year, is again back in tlie stable of tie-Maryland turfman. Bed well is picking ap a few ■area to breed to his stallion Prince Ahmed. Winle at New Orleans he purchased the mare ieiitlcwi.maii of apt. W. J. Press, and after P. L. short eUbaed Berai from BawweB, the latter retaliated by taking Laura. Short, who trained tor P.edwi 11 a few years, has had great luck here this winter with a couple of Rodwell castoff-. With Parlor Hoy he won four races and was second three times and third twice. He wou fi« races with Laura, which was also second twice and third twice. Some Hard Luck Racers. The iliampioii hard -luck horse of the meeting i Izzet Hey in the stable of V. S. Wishard. This colt lias linished in the first three nine st every start he has made here this winter. He has earned ■ecead BMwej no k ■■ thai ■ crea Have* nnd in Maae of his races has been beaten by the smallest of margins. Izzet Hey is a brother to Silver Hill, the horse that broke down in his last start and was destroyed. Silver Hill won five races anil in some f his other starts finished second twice and third twice. He was the bread winner of tin- Wishard stable and was mainly W*|W*ibl* for the 32,355 en dited that tarfataa. Outside of Izzet Bey, the most disappointing bone here has be n Hamerkop. He. too. has tailed to wia, although he has been second five times and third four times. Other "hoodoo" liorses racing here are uttyhunk. which has finished m ■ad twice and third four times; Eddie Mott, which lias been third four times; San Jon. second twice nnd third six times; Zodiac, second three times and third four times; Fncore. second four times and third once; iranado. second three times and third two- ; Br*. Me. second three times uuil third ■wee, and Yorkville. second once and third four timet.
