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PATRONAGE WILL BETTER. MEETING INAUGURATED IN MID-WEEK USUALLY TAKES HOLD AFTER FEW DAYS. Management of Saratoga Racing Association Will Have No Cause for Complaint If Present Standard Is Maintained Racing Folk Enliven Tillage. By J. R. Jeffrey. Saratoga, N. Y., August 4. The same satisfactory conditions that attended the racing already conducted this year on the metropolitan tracks. Belmont Park, Jamaica, Aqueduct and Emnire City, are prevailing here. It is true that the attendance so far is not quite up to the expectations of some of the more enthusiastic prognosticators, but it is of ample proportions and the management of the Saratoga Racing Association will have no real ground for complaint if the present standard is maintained throughout the meeting. But the general belief prevails that as the meeting progresses, the patronage will steadily grow. It is pointed out by those who have been coming to Saratoga year after year, that when racing is" inaugurated here in the middle of the week, as it was this year, it is not until the week-end that the patronage begins to assume representative proportions. So it is thought that the next few days will afford a truer index of what may be expected in the way of sustained attendance than the days which have already become a matter of history. This charming resort is at its best just now, and the host of visitors, who are enjoying the hospitality of the village, find plenty of diversion in addition to the racing, which is, of course, responsible for bringing the greater part of them to Saratoga. It really takes the racing folks to enliven the village. Before they come and after they go, Saratoga Is like many less renowned summer resorts. With the advent of the racing crowd, however, things begin to hum and the village takes on a liveliness that, added to its natural charm, makes a sojourn here well worth while. One of, the most pleasing features of the daily routine here are the concerts, which are constantly going on in the beautiful public recreation grounds into which the city of Saratoga has converted the charming estate of the late Richard Canfield. The social life which has always been so mucli of a factor in the success of the Saratoga racing season is on quite the same scale as heretofore. Practically all of the wealthy men, who have of late so freely identified themselves with New York racing, are here with their families and some of them are entertaining on a lavish scale, with the result that, if anything, the social activities of preceding seasons are being excelled. Stars Will Appear Next Week. As for the racing itself, not many of the stars have yet been seen in action. Most of them are ready for what may be asked of them, however, and will make an early appearance. Next weeks tempting programs will bring most of them out, and the intersectional rivalry, which has already been keen, will be further intensified. Weldships failure to place in the opening day steeplechase was disappointing to Gwyn R. Tompkins and his connections. Weldships well-known liking for the Saratoga track was responsible for his being extensively backed for the race, in spite of the fact that he was being asked to concede his opponents considerable weight. He flattered his backers by racing prominently almost to the end of the race, but weakened at the crucial moment as if a hit short of work, and the sharps look for him to show improvement when he races again. Weldship is one of the greatest favorites . among the steeplechasers now in training. Frank M. Taylor, whose last engagement as a trainer was with the Willis Sharpe Kilmer stable, is among the regulars who are on hand at the Saratoga track each afternoon. Mr. Taylor, who is a keen student of the form of horses as well as a skillful trainer, has no professional responsibilities nowadays, but is planning to take charge of a few horses again, when a favorable opportunity presents itself. His most notable success In recent years was achieved with the stable of H. C. Hallenbeck. Hal Farrell has reached Saratoga from California with sixteen yearlings, bred by Edward Cebrlan at his extensive San Jose breeding establishment,, where he hns the Castleton stallion Von Tromp and a big band of choicely-bred mares. These yearlings are destined for the snies-ring and will be sold during the progress of the Saratoga meeting, at the conclusion of which trainer Farrell will return to California to devote his attention to twelve horses which are being prepared for racing at Tijuana next winter. There is a possibility that Reno may be the starting point for their campaign, however, if they can be prepared in time for the September meeting at that point. Eddie Dugan Rides Russian Derby Winner. Former jockey Willie Dugan, who rode Nealon to his victory in the Suburban Handicap, is here. He has received word that his brother Eddie, who formerly rode with marked distinction in this country. Is riding successfully in Russln, where racing is going on despite the turmoil through which that country is passing. One of his recent notable successes was the winning of the Russian Derby at Moscow last month. Former jockey Willie Travers, now the owner and trainer of a racing stable, is among those drafted for sen-Ice in the United States army. He does not expect to be immediately called to the colors, however. Marshall Cassidy, son of starter Mars Cassidy, and one of his assistants at the starting barrier. Is another racing man who also has been drafted for service. H. D. Brown has returned from his trip to Cuba, made for the purpose of laying out and supervising further Improvements for the bcautification of Oriental Park. He is now at Los Angeles, Cal., where he is having a large number of bungalows erected as an Investment. Word comes from Los Angeles that Mr. Brown will shortly make an announcement of his plans for next winters racing season at Havana, which is expected to eclipse all previous meetings at this point, which is gaining rapidly as a racing center and which bids fair to become increasingly important with the passing of each year. Practically all of the stables -which were raced at Havana last year will go back there in December, together with a considerable number of others.
