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CUBA-AMERICAN JOCKEY CLUBS MOST SUCCESSFUL RACING SEASON COMES TO AN END Havana. Cuba. March 31. — The Cuban racing season of 1917-18 came to a close today • in the proverbial blaze of glory. II has been the most successful by far of any since Oriental Park, the lieautiful anil commodious home of the Cuba-American Jockey flub, under whose auspices racing is conducted here, was oi ened in January. 1915. This unprecedented success has been accomplished jn spite of the fact that few tourists visited Cuba last winter, on account of passport restrictions and other war-time conditions. Practically all of the patronage on which the sport has thrived as never before on this island, came from the Cubans, who have taken to racing with an enthusiasm that promises a bright future for this kingly sport in Cuba. The season just closed consisted of II." racing days, which is exactly twenty more days than in any iirevious season. It is likely that the plans for next seasons program will closely follow those for the season which was brought to a clone today. The lions share of the stakes and purses hung up during the seasoji to the extent of 7.". 000 or more, was carried off by the stables which came here in such strength last winter from Kentucky. At no previous time since the opening of the track, were there so many or such good horses here from Kentucky and the result is that virtually all of the leaders on the list of money-winning stables are from that locality. Kay Spence and Williams Bros., who brought tin- two most formidabl stables here from Kentucky. h:tve hem making a pretty-contest for it for the premiership among Hie purse winning owners all season and after considerable seesawing hMfc and forth, the |mm stable finally came out en top. J. J. Murdock. in the stable of Joseph Imensetter. is the leader among the money -wir.uing horses and is regarded as the best all-around mature horse ever raced in Cuba. All winter long he has been making great concessions of weight to the best of the other horses here and i:s winnings amount to nearly 85.000. Among the pleasing results of the season, the entry of a number of prominent and wealthy Cubans into the sport as owners and breeders of the thoroughbred is significent. It is predicted that from the beginning which has been made great things may come. Foremost among the recruits to the s|H»tt is Selibr A. H. Diaz, a young multi-millionaire, who made a most asupicious debut through the purchase of the three-year-olds Orestes and Zuliil.md. both of which raced in a way to bring ■narked distinction to the colors of tlieir new owner Senor Diaz has nominated both of these colts for the Kentucky Derby, the Lalonia Derby, the Preakness Stakes and other valuable American races, and they will be raced on the tracks of the Inited States during the coming summer in charge of L. H. Baxter, Senor Diaz trainer, on whose advice the colts were purchased. SENOR DIAZ REAX SPORTSMAN. American racing men who may come iuto contact will Senor Diaz will find him to l e a thoroughgoing sportsman and it would bo the best thing that could happen in the interest of the sport here if other Cubans of his tyiie would take up the thoroughbred in the same way that he has. It is his intention and ambition to eventually breed the horses that will carry his colors. He already has the nucleus for n breeding stud on a well-equipped country place quite close to Havana. Other prominent Cubans have likewise been acquiring mares this winter, with the idea of engaging in breeding. ::nd it begins to look as if in a few years there will be a considerable thoroughbred breeding industry on the island. The bulk of the horsemen who came here from the Inited States last fall to take part in the racing, have shared in the prosperity of the sea-sou. The purse money has been widely distributed among the various owners and of the 4," 0 or more horses that have taken part in the racing, few failed to participate in the distribution. It is estimated, however, that nearly one hundred of the Ivrses that have raced here this season will never figure in racing agaiu. In addition to the horses that have been retired as a result of their victories in the "Scully" races, many mares have been sold for nominal sums during the past few weeks to Cubans, who mean to use them for breeding purposes. The owners of these and other cheap horses that were sold for insignificant amounts here during the closing days of the season, were glad to get rid of them at any price, because of the lack of opportunity for the racing of cheap horses in the United States in the immediate future. The management of the Cuba -American Jockey Club has scrupulously kept all of the promises made to induce Americau owners to ship their horses here last fall. In fact, it has gone even farther. In discussing this phase of the meeting General Manager Brown said: "We have done more than we agreed to do for the horsemen who cast their lot with us last fall. We announced a meeting of ninety-seven racing da.rs. We extended the meeting to 105 days in order that those horsemen, who had not been so fortunate as they ex-liected. might have so much added opportunity for winning a purse. Our purse distribution has run to higher figures than ever before in Cuba. "We voluntarily announced last fall that we would assume control of the feed supply for the horses and that the needs of the horsemen in this important r-six-ct would be supplied at actual cost. We have more than kept our promise in this direction. Not only did we supply hay to the horsemen from the opening of the season at cost price, without figuring in the expense incurred by our purchasing agents, but we recently had to pay 0 more per ton for the additional supply needed to carry the kOTM through the period covered by the extension of the meeting than the original importation cost us. In spite of the added cost we continued to supply the horsemen at the same price they had been paying all season. The same thing applied to oats. We sold oats to the horsemen all season at .10 n r bushel, which is about the wholesale pri;-e quoted in the Inited States. As we had figured quite as closely on oats as on hay. it became necessary to buy an additional supply locally to carry the horses through tlie extension. These oats cost us .84 per bushel, hnt we continued to sell thorn to the horsemen at .10. "It is our policy to give everybody a square deal at Oriental Park and we shall continue to follow that policy in the future. We are well satisfied with the outcome of the season just closed. Considering the drawbacks growing out of war conditions it has lx eu a really remarkable season. Once the war is over mid affairs become normal agaiu throughout the world we shall have some wonderful winter race meetings at Oriental Park I feel sure from the experience of the present season." The horsemen and officials connected with the meeting will immediately return to the Lnited States. The movement of the stables will be quite evenly divided between Kentucky and the eastern section of the Inited States. General Manager Brown will remain here for a week or two to devote his attention to the running of a two Hays automobile race meet at Oriental Park on Saturday and Sunday next and likewise to institute the refurbishing of the plant for next years racing. C. J. FITZ GERALD TO TAKE REST. Presiding Steward C. J. Fitz Gerald will proceed to his home at Riverside. Conn., to spend a few days before going to Havre de Grace. Maryland, to act as presiding steward for the spring meeting at that track. Assistant Manager James F. Milton, whose work as starter has been above criticism throughout the entire meeting, goes to Maryland to await the opening of the Havre de Grace meeting, for which lie does the starting. His friends will be glad to learn that Mrs. Milton, who was dangerously ill here during the winter, is now convalescent and in a condition to make the trip home. Frank J. Bruen. who so efficiently fills the jxisi-tion of auditor and stqiervisor of the pari-miituels. will leave for Kentucky in about a week to take up similar duties at Douglas Park and Lutonia. where he fills the role of right hand man to Manager John Hachmeister. Charles H. Lansdale. one of the stewards, will go to Maryland for the spring meetings and later on will proceed to his home in Cincinnati. Chris Coniehlsen. the presiding judge, will go to his home in Xew York for a briet visit before the opening of the Havre de Grace meeting, with which he is similarly connected. Martin Natlianson. who has filled the position of racing secretary with his usual efficiency, has no summer engagements and after a brief sojourn at some Florida resort tf recuperate from the ardous work of the winter, will go to his heme in Chicago to remain indefinitely. Kdward Jasper, associate judge and clerk of the course, is also without a summer engagement and will go directly to his home at Cincinnati. W. W. Lyles and Dr. F. W. Ashe, paddock judge and veterinarian, will go to Mary-laud for the spring meetings. J. Oscar Holder, manager of the txtting ring, goes to his home at Jacksonville. Flu., for the summer. C. C. Cum-pau. who has had charge of the gates, will return to his home at -New Orleans. Frank Bucciocco. supervisor of the club house, goes to Maryland and later to New York. Practically all of the attaches of the pari-mutuel department and ! ooks will find occupation during the summer on the American tracks. Several of the most prominent of the bookmakers, who have been operating here, will head for Xew York. Charles F. Flyun. the resident secretary of the track, will remain here as usual during the summer to look after the interests of the club.
