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SQUALLY TIMES AT OAKLAWN SEEMED PROBABLE FOR A TIME THAT THE MEETING WOULD BE ABANDONED. Rain Spoils the Previously Fast Track — Woodstono Proves Himself a Good Racer in Mud and Takes the Principal Race. Hot Springs. Ark.. March 21. — A shut down here of the racing with the decision of the afternoons program seemed imminent when Qeneral Manager Joseph K. .Martin ordered the holding up of the entries made fi r Thursdays races. His action came, as he stated, aft-r he had talked with the principal wnawa of the track. In regard to acceding to the demands of the horsemen for MM purses, beginning with Thursday and to be in. ■ on for the remainder of the Oaklawn meeting. A committee of fourteen, acting for the horsemen, made the demand for 1917.sh00 panes Tuesday and at that time Mr. Martin expressed a disinclinn tioit to accede to the demand, but made a counter offer of 8:1300 daily for six purses. A meeting of the horsemen followed that night and they voted to demand MM purses beginning Thursday, with an amendment that in the event the associations earnings did not justify giving this amount, the standing committee was empowered to reduce the purses. The amendment was because Mr. Martin had expressed a fear that t lit re would be a slump in attendance and general falling off of financial rettrrns towards the close of the meeting. Mr. Martin was notified of the horsemens* action and asked to make his decision. He prepared giving SGH» purses far Thursday, explaining that this would enable him to ■ on-nlt owners, the horsemen agreed to this. After consulting with the owners by long-distaneo telephone this morning, Mr. Martin ordered the entries withheld, with the explanation that he was told to withdraw- his Thursday offer and that he did not have authority to make it. Later the committee again met with Mr. Martin and the entries were ordered distributed, all the purses being of 1917.sh00 value. Matters Will Be Adjusted Amicably. While there were many of the horsemen with pacificist tendency and who counseled a compromise, the general temper of the majority was to hohl out for ,H purses. What will develop tomorrow is problem.-. tieal. but the opinion prevails that the matter will be adjusted amicably. The esaeeJathni has made money, probably more than they expected to make, and indications are that the prosperity will be continued until the close, so it is generally thought that the $ 00 purses will be given for the remainder of the meeting. A cloudburst visited these parts during the night ami had everything awash, but the sun shone brilliantly this morning and the track. Which had been flooded, dried :n good style during the afternoon, but was heavy, though no truces of water remained. The racing offering was a good one with a handicap at a mile and a sixteenth serving as the feature. It furnished an upset by the defeat of Hanovia. an overwhelming favorite, which succumbed to Woodstone. Pockichoo. Mico Girl. Progressive and Little String were outstanding favorites to succeed during tha afternoon and gave the thirty-six layt rs a hard jolt. The offending favorites were Fleurou II. in the Opener, and Hanovia. After Pockiehoos victory in the second race, he was claimed by W. C. Weant for ,400. Mico Girl in the succeeding dash was taken by Frazier and. Farris for SI.OiH. Stake blanks for the Jamaica meeting were distributed to owners lure this afternoon. R. L. Raker left today for Lexington. Pif Jr. and Fair Orient will be shipped with those that Mose Goldblatt is training for Jefferson Livingston and Intended for [*xunrtsa racing after the close of Oaklawn. Manioc will carry the Raker colors at Kssev Park.
