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HAVANA MEETING BOOMING Cuba-American Jockey Club Enjoying a Prosperous Season. Success of Cuban-Owned Stables a Pleasing Feature Orestes -Wonderful Improvement. HAVANA, Cuba, February 8. With tho meeting at Oriental Park more than half over, it is assured that in spite of early difficulties, due to strike troubles ami bad weather, the Cuba -American Jockey Club will have the satisfaction of conducting the most successful nice meeting since it established the sport hen five years sigo. Cubans have taken to racing with such enthusiasm and good judgment that two of the locally owned stables have captured Important stakes, and from present appearances the honor of owning the best horse racing here will rest with either A. 11. Diaz or the Armonia Stable, owned by Messrs. Tolon and Hermandez. The candidate of the former is the four-year-old Orestes, while the Armonia representative is Wise Man, winner of the Christmas and New Years Handicaps. The return to form of Orestes has been the chief incident of recent racing. Tills son of Tracery has been so benefited by the climate of this tropical island that he Is an entirely different horse to the ne that, raced on American tracks last year. He has thickened out considerably and is now as fine a specimen of the thoroughbred as one would wish to see, and what is more to the point is racing up "to his looks. After a preliminary race Orestes made his first serious effort in the Morro Castle Handicap at three-quarters of a mile and electrified the siectn-lors by coming from last "place til the stretch and winning from good opposition, with Wise Man second. Jockey Knapp had the mount on Orestes and rode the horse perfectly.- Orestes Is a slow beginner and was outrun at the start, but Knapp waited patiently, and by a vigorous ride made up ten leltgths Hi the short stretch. Orestes carried 11 flOuiids and equaled the track record of 1:11. In his present form Orestes would make trouble for the leading handicap horses in the States; but In view of the disastrous result of his foreign racing as a three-year-old It is doubtful if his owner will risk another campaign away from home. ORESTES MORE THAN A SPRINTER. Orestes is more of a long distance horse than a sprinter, and turfmen here are looking forward with interest to his appearance in the President Menocal Handicap at a mile and a quarter, to be run next Sunday February 10. Undoubtedly Orestes will have to pick up weight and give substantial allowances to a number of good performers. Wise Man is not eligible for this event, but Hocnlr, which beat Wise Man at a mile and a sixteenth the other day is entered and is improving with every race. J. Marrones Daddys Choice is another contender that is racing close to his best form and will be suited by the distance. George W. Loft has three entered and may depend, on Deckmate and Ruck-board, both good stayers and going well. Sasin, if he runs, will be coupled with Daddys; Choice, as Ids owner, C Ruxton, trains for J. Marrone. Faux-Col Is another that is rounding to form, while Har-wood II. and Fllttergold may have outside ehanccs, though the latter has not been racing consistently. The track record for the distance is 2:00 and there is no doubt in the minds of competent judges that Orestes can shatter these figures. There has been a great improvement in the sjwrt, owing to the strict discipline imposed by presiding steward Christopher J. Fitz Gerald, who has ruled over the jockeys with an iron hand. There are a lot of good lnys here, but early in the meeting many of them took chances in cutting across and bumping opponents. Punishment was swift and Mire, and every one of the really good riders took a long sojourn on the ground and, in addition, many of them were fined. They learned their lesson quickly, and in consequence square and straight riding is now the order of the day. DR. HALL PROMISING YOUNGSTER. Two-year-olds did not begin to race here until January 21, but there have been some good contests by the babies since and perhaps a sensational de-vidopment in Mrs. J. J. Timmermaus Dr. Hall, a son of Aeronaut Anna Sain. He ran green on his first start, but on his second attempt spreadeagled his opponents, winning by eight lengths and making a new track record of twenty-two seconds for one-quarter of a mile. Dr. Hall is the first foal of Anna Sain, and it is possible that the mating with Aeronaut has. produced a really good horse, as Major E. R. Cassatts stallion has previously sent a good sprinter to the races in Springboard. Another feature of the two-year-old racing is the success of two of the yearlings purchased by A. H. Diaz at the Madden sale in New York and for which the Cuban owner paid big prices because the money went to war charities. Just Fancy, a daughter of Colin Idle Fancy, which netted ,500 for the tobacco fund, captured the opening race, heating Dr. Hall by a head, while Azurita, by Hessian Motley, the Red Cross filly that brought ,500, also won a purse, beating another good youngster in the Armonia Stables Ford and equaling the track record made by Dr. nail. Ford is a son of Aeronaut Itettle Rouncer, which is likely to develop into a good coU, as he was suffering from bucked shins, which caused him to weaken after making most of the pace. Many of these youngsters will meet in tho Cuba Juvenile Stakes on February 23. for which 1,200 is added. Unfortunately Dr. Hall was not named for this event, in which the distance will be increased to one-half mile and provide a real test of racing ability. Many prominent Americans have been enjoying the sport here under ideal conditions. George W. Loft has been in Havana for some time, but so far his horses have not met with much success, though Maxey Hirseh now has several up to a race and likely to win purses. A large party of business and professional men, headed by H. F. Sinclair, ue time leader of the Federal Uaseball League, has also been attending the races and at the same time looking after oil interests on the island.
