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CUBANS BECOME INTERESTED Stake Successes of Cuban-Owned Wise Man Big Incentive. Many New Wealthy Recruits to the Sport Incidents in Fridays Racing. . HAVAXA, Cuba, January 10. The winning of the first two stakes of the Cuban racing season the Christinas and Xew Years Handicais by a Cuban-owned horse has added in no small degree to the general interest of the Cubans in the racing at Oriental Park, and in all probability will 1? the means of bringing more Cubans into the sport as owners of racing stables. In fact inquiries are nlreadv being made for prices on several of the better grade of horses at Oriental Park by prosectivc recruits to the ranks of racing owners among wealthv Cubans who have become interested and enthused by Wise Mans success in the important races referred to in the colors of the Armenia Stable, under which nom de course Messrs. Tofon arid Fernandez, two prominent and wealthy Havanese, are participating in the racing at Oriental Park. The sensational struggle between Wise Man and Faux-Col in the Xevv Years Handicap, terminating in the victory of the -former by a narrow margin, aroused enthusiasm to an unprecedented pitch, and the feats of Wise Man have awakened a feeling of local pride that is fraught with significance in connection witli the future of the sport in Cuba. It is generally agreed among discerning horsemen that Wise Man has improved since passing into the charge of Walter Carter, who trains the horses of the Armonia Stable. The-son of tligah.-teum and Magnetine looks much better than when he came to Cuba, and the erratic disposition that made, his training difficult has improved quite as much us his appearance. Carter savs the horse gives him little trouble indeed, and ho is at a loss to understand how it came to acquire such a reputation as he did for unreliability and unruliness. Wise Mails success, on Xew Years dav showed conclusively that his Christmas Handicap victory was no fluke, even though Faux-Col, the most highly regarded of his opiKjnents upon that occasion, was eliminated by failure to leave the barrier with the rest of the field. In the Xew Years Handicap Wise Man gave Faux-Col five pounds, and beat Him strictly on his merits in a race in which both were fully extended from barrier rise to finish. Barring Hodge, which has not yet raced, but is training satisfactorily for his later engagements here. Wise Man looks like the lest of the handicap division here this year, and Messrs. Tolon and Fernandez may well feel gratified over having acquired such a good race horse. Unfortunately. Wise Man is not eligible for the two richest stakes of the Oriental Park meeting, the President Menocal Handicap of S2.000 added, one mile, and one-quarter, to be ruii on Sunday, February 10, and the Independence Handicap of the same value, one mile and one-eighth, to be run on Monday, February 24. G. R. Bryson, from whom his present owners acquired the horse at the beginning of the present season, had an idea that the distances of these races would be a bit beyond Wise Mans capabilities and so omitted , them from his list of engagements when "making entries for the seasons stakes. The sturdy manner in which he finished the mile and three-sixteenths of the Xew Years Handicap under the severest of pressure showed that he can stay as well as any mans horse. But Faux-Col will not have to cope with his opposition in the two important events referred to. Otherwise the engagements of the two horses are identical, consisting of the following: ENGAGEMENTS OF THE TWO H0ESES. Antilles Stakes, claiming, three-quarters of a mile, January 12; Oriental Park Handican, one mile and one-sixteenth, January 19; Moro Castle Handicap, throe-quarters of a mile. January 20; Caribbean Stakes, claiming, one mile and one-sixteenth, February 2; Marianao Handican, claiming, three-quarters of a mile, February 9; Carnival Handicap, one mile, March 2; Havana Handicap, one mile and one-sixteenth. March" 9. It is considered improbable that either of the two will take part in the stakes with claiming conditions, but it is likely that if they continue to train well they will meet in all of the other stakes for which they are eligible and the outcome of these further meetings is being awaited locally with undisguised interest. II. Eugene Leigh, who brought to Cuba last fall the largest stable in the history of the sport here, numbering fifty-eight horses, has begun to dispose of some of his stock and others will be sold as the opportunity offers. Driffield, which he sold to Mrs. A. C. Xiehaus, has already won several purses for his new owners and seems a fair plater. Stuart Polk, who bought the erratic High Olympus, lias already succeeded in improving his disposition. Hands Offs victory in the opening race was easily accomplished and was all the more merited because the gelding was caught in the webbing when the barrier was sprung. The confidence of the form backers was sadly misplaced when they pinned their hopes on Weinland, the Oots racer being a distant follower throughout. Again in the second race they were once more doomed to disappointment, for their choice, Twinkle Toes, was soundly beaten by Prince Bonero. Beginning plowly and racing wide most of the way, proved the downfall of Twinkle Toes. Only heads separated the first three at the end of the third race after a thrilling struggle between Great Gull, Breeze and Hemlock. They finished in the order named amidst the enthusiastic cheer of the spectators. Tetley and Corson put up a hct fight in the fourth race, the former getting the decision by a nose. Corson was knocked back rounding the "far turn, but for which he might have won. Peaceful Star won his third victory of the meeting when he scored in easy fashion in the fifth race, the favorite, Bunice. tiring badly after setting the early pace and finishing in third place. Waterford -was first home in the closing race, meeting with no serious opposition, the only real contention being for place honors, Glorine outstaying El Plaudit in a hard closing drive. The track was again heavy and conditions were ideal for horses of pronounced mud running ability. It will require several days of bright, warm sunshine to put the track back into fair racing condition. Among the prominent recent arrivals was Thomas Hare of Toronto, Ont., who came for an extended stay. Mr. Hare is interested in several Canadian tracks.
