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OPENING DAY AT HAVANA Winter Racing Season in Cuba Begins at Oriental Park Today SevenRace Program for the In ¬ augural Days Sport Large Fields HAVANA Cuba December 7 The fifth aiintiiil viator meeting of the CubaAmerican Jockey did vill IK inaugurated it Oriental Park tomorrow under the most favorable auspices presaging ar oven more prosperous season of racing than wa experienced last year yearOriental Oriental Park situated at Marianao a suburb of Havana is a place of beauty comparing favorably with the more pretentious race courses of tut Initcd States Many improvements have been made since the track opened its gates for the first time Jour years go and today after additional im irovenients during the past summer leaves littl lo Its desired in the way of comfort for the pa ¬ trons of the CubaAmerican Jockey Club and is no mJy a pleasing view to the eye but an ideal testing ground for the king of the equine world the thor ¬ oughbred oughbredoiimmcrlike oiimmcrlike weather prevails and beckons to the American tourist a sojourn in the tropical clime ol Jle Pearl of the Antilles where winter blash ire unknown and where nature dons her most pleas ¬ ing garb throughout tlie season when the Unitec States is swept by snowstorms and chilling wind from the frozen north northWitli Witli the arrival of the two special trains froir Iiitonia and Itowie there is now sufficient racing material available to insure good fields right from the start of the meeting The class f fie lorset is of abetter grade than ever raced Irere before and forecasts sport of a high standard standardAll All the racing officials are on hand including Presiding Steward C J Fitz Gerald and Presiding Judge William II Shelley the latter the latest ad ¬ dition to the official family at Oriental Park this l eing the first year Judge Shelley will be seen in the stand here Starter James Milton has every Ihing in thorough readiness to dispatch the fieJc away and Kacing Secretary Martin Nathanson has Ixeii on the scene for iver a week arranging the preliminary details in connection with the opening openingSAME SAME RULES AS LAST TEAK TEAKThe The rules which governed the racing at Oriental Park last year will be in vogue again practically without change The splitting of entries and thi handicappiug will IH done as heretofore by a boari of three consisting of the presiding steward tin presiding judge and the racing secretary In all races with a selling clause except selling handicaps apprentice riders will be entitled to an allowanct of five pounds with the additional provision thai until an apnrentice has ridden five winners lie will IK entitled to an allowance of eight pounds This encourages the development of jockeys Lunsford one of the best of the presentday American riders Mas developed at Havana last winter under the en ¬ couragement offered by these liberal apprentice al ¬ lowances lowancesKacing Kacing secretary Martin Xathanson has arrange an attractive opening day program of seven races Good sized fields are scheduled to start in eacl race and what they may lack in quality is counter ¬ balanced liy being evenly matched which shonlt result in some close and spirited racing racingPreparations Preparations have been completed to care for r recordbreaking crowd when the gates of Oriental Park are thrown open tomorrow Interest is intense aiaon the Cubans over the approaching meeting iisJ unless all signs fail all roads will liad t Marianao tomorrow and the commodious plant oi the CubaAmerican Jockey Club will be taxed to its capacity
