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IMPROVEMENT AT JEFFERSON PARK Better Track Conditions and Increased Purses Brine Batter Horses Into Competition XEAA ORLEAXS LSI December S The present week at Jeferson Park ought to bring an improved grade of rating and a corresponding increase in the public interest in the sport The patronage wliicli has been steadily becoming larger as the meeting progressed reached its highest level last Saturday when the banner crowd of the meeting was out With a continuation of last weeks summery weather the meeting is bound tugrow in favor and prove eminently successful The small fields of rather mediocre horses that have been contesting since the opening will be re ¬ placed by others filled to the limit with horses of a better class This is made possible by the raising of the purses to 50 and the carding of a j000 handicap each day this week as provided by the new program book bookThe The track is wonderfully improved over what it was the first part of the meeting but horsemen are of the opinion that the going will never be fast at least not during the present meeting The trad has but little foundation and is almost de ¬ void of the proper grading necessary to insure drainage Its nroximity to1 the Mississippi Kiver and the nature of the soil are also handicaps that will prevent it from ever becoming an ideal course for winter racing Scores of telegrams were today sent by tlie horse ¬ men to the widow of Hundley Baker expressing sor ¬ row over the untimely death of her husband Mrs Grover C Baker who holds a half interest in the stable racing in the name of AV H Baker is ex ¬ pected to come to Xew Orleans in a few days for the purpose of deciding what disposition will be made of the horses which are at the Fair Grounds in charge of Tex Forman It is believed that she will decide to sell them at auction The horses now here include Mary Belle Sleeth Don Dodge Tom Anderson Tom Goose Betsy Starry Banner and Harry Breivogel Green Jones and three other horses l elonging to the estate are being wintered at Piatt Carrs farm near Lexington The contract the stable holds on jockey X Barrett will probably be purchased by trainer Forman FormanAl Al Farrell in charge of the stable of Edwiird Cebrian is in receipt of a letter from jockey Buddy Glass a member of the American Expedi tionary Forces in France Glass is in good health according to the letter and says he expects to re ¬ turn home before next spring Prior to joining the service last July Glass was employed by trainer Farrell FarrellJ J S Ownbey has arrived from Maryland with Tie Pin Dancing Girl Maredown Indian Spring and Democracy DemocracyJoseph Joseph McLennan racing secretary at the Fair Grounds who reached here several days ago opened his office at the track today and will begin the work meetingThe of making preparations for the meeting The condition of R L Bresler who is laid up with influenza shows steady improvement and lie expects to bo out by the end of the week Jockey L Gentry arrived today lie will ride for E R Bradley
