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NEED OF VALUABLE STAKES Lack of HighClass Horses at New Orleans Make It Apparent Two Eichly Endowed Features FeaturesSuggested Suggested to Attract the Best BestIn In the Country Xew Orleans La February 20 Need of a rich stake of sufficient value to prompt owners of the best racers to keep their thoroughbreds in training through the winter was made apparent here this winter Few real highclass horses were here for the sixtylive days of nicing Of course railroad congestion brought on by the war and increased cost of feed had lots to do Ayith the decision of the biggest owners to turn their strings out for the winter but they would have come express cars or no if a big enough stake race had been hung up upISoth ISoth the Jefferson Parish Fair Association and tlu Business Mens Kacing Association realized a move must be made toward draAving the topnotch ers OtherAVise racing here never will compare Avith that in Kentucky or the east during the regular s a sons sonsCooperation Cooperation between the two racing associations an agreement dniAvn up mutually satisfactory to both and the resolution to have tAvo big stakes here next Avinter would be all needed to assure the best sport here next year A 10000 mile and a half Derby for threeyearolds at Jefferson Park during December and a 20000 handicap for three yearolds and over at the Fair Grounds would supply the nnsAAer to the question questionA A lot of money it looks from here but not much Avhen it is taken into consideration the amount of money such attractions would draw at the gate and the amount of prestige they AAould lend to a race meeting meetingIJiirsciiiiM IJiirsciiiiM cannot be expected to come here for r uOO stakes with racers tiiat can be used to shoot at bigger values They figure that it Avill be to their interest to turn these racers out during the winter and thus bring them back to the races fresh in springItaeing the spring Itaeing here needs A 1C Macomber Hiehard Car ¬ man Wilfrid Vian George AVingfield Gifford Coch ran H P Whitney and others of that type All these men haAe big stables and it would cost them too much to come here during the Avinter to race for small purses witli no chance of making ex ¬ panses in a big stake Thats why they keep their best thoroughbreds at home during the Avinter AvinterLOOK LOOK FAVORABLY UPON THE SCHEME SCHEMEThe The local racing associations are inclined to look favorably upon the scheme Last fall Leo Marrero and G I Itryan interested in the Jefferson track offered 000 added for a special race between Cudgel and Omar Khayyam proving they are eager to do anything which Avill boost their meeting and provide attraction for those who love horse racing for the horses sake sakeTwo Two big stakes such as have l een suggested would have the turf world talking The two racing asso ¬ ciations could combine efforts and a publicity cam ¬ paign could be launched which not only would advertise the racing season here over the length and breadth of the land but also would mean thou ¬ sands of dollars to the city in advertising Tho stakes would have the benefit of the in ¬ terest created by the running of the Preakness Kentucky Derby Kentucky Handicap and llmrit up and undoubtedly Avould bring together horses which contested in each of these big events thereby adding an extra flavor to the stakes here hereFor For instance what AAould it not be worth to bring together the winner of the Preakness and the Ken ¬ tucky Derby in a mile and a half Derby here It couldnt help but make a big hit Both the Preak ¬ ness and the Kentucky Derby may be run on the same day making it impossible for horses that compete in one torace in the1 other There Avill be argument throughout the year as to the three yearold champion The cast would claim its cham ¬ pion and the Avest would claim its itsNew New Orleans could be the melting pot where just before the close of the year the real cham ¬ pion could be decided to the satisfaction of all This would be in the Derby to be held at Jefferson Park Then with u big handicap at the Fair Grounds older racers as AAell as those which raced iii the Derby would have a chance to earn their oats
