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RAIN AT CHURCHILL DOWNS Prospect for a Fast Track Opening Day Vanishes. . Louisville Interest in the Coming Meeting at a High Pitch Robinsons Plans. LOUISVILLE, Ky., October 21. Gloomy -weather, a heavy rain, with frigid temperature, was a condition at Churchill Downs this morning, curtailing training operations to a considerable extent and making it generally disagreeable for the numerous and steady arrivals from Latonia. Indications are for more rain, and the opening of the nine-day race meeting here, which also marks the close of Kentucky racing for this year, will probably be ushered in with a slow track. Judging by the keen interest on tap in the coming meeting local ardor for the sport has not dampened, and the prediction that the banner conditions ruling this fall at Lexington and Latonia will be maintained at Churchill Downs is certain of verification. With the close of the racing season near there is anxiety on the part of many owners to take a more active part In the racing and many horses have been "propped" especially with a view to pulling down at least one purse before the bugle sounds taps. The wind-up of the meeting here will find many stables going into winter quarters. These establishments are especially desirous of having their full strength engaged during the nine remaining days before the close. Eastern additions are also numerous. Their presence is due more to the fact that they are New Orleans bound, but stopped off here to break the long shipment and Ayllh jiVievtO: nullins.dwn. -fcT! purses roielp Tleifaj shipping expenses-to the Crescent City. Among the comers are the horses in charge of Jack McDonald, which includes Sugarmiut and Stepson. McDonald since his arrival sold the good colt Iictor to C. P. Clark, which will be in charge hereafter of G. B. Barnes. The hlghlv rated Captain Ilershler, owned by W. E. Tolmie, that Will Wallace has been training, will at the close of the racing here be turned over to McDonald and shipped to New Orleans for the racing there next winter. The riding brigade will be the same that -was seen dally at Latonia and C. Robinson again promises to carry off riding honors. With the close of the Churchill Downs meeting Robinson will emerge from the apprentice ranks and will be minus the five pounds that lie has been allowed since last November, when he began the meteoric career that 1ms lauded him at the top. lie will leave soon after the Kentucky season closes for a visit to hi3 home in Toronto and after a stay there of three weeks will return here and accompany his contract employer. Miller Henderson, to New Orleans, where he will again be active next winter. The final touches necessary for the opening were finished today and nothing is lacking to make the opening auspicious and successful. HOTELS CROWDED TO CAPACITY. Arrivals have been continuous and leading hotels are reaching the crowding stage. Among the many visitors from all parts this afternoon was T. J. lendergast, prominent in Missouri politics and extensively Interested in racing. Mr. Pendergast is optimistic auent an early revival of racing at St. Louis and Kansas City under the auspices of pronii-ueut persons. . Horses owned by Dr. II. E. Davis. C. F. m Tanner nnd Joe Wakeman, comprising Norfolk Belle, D. C. Girl, Frederick Miller, Doctor Zab, Golden Chance, Frank Dayton and Shasta Daisy, came today from Reno, Nev. General manager Matt Winn of the Kentucky Jockey Club motored down from his home iu Covington. Edward Jasper, placing judge and member of the board of handicappers. got in from his home in Cincinnati. He and judges Charles F. Price and William Shelley worked all day on the weight allotments for the Golden Rod Handicap, a mile Btako, with ,000 ndded, for two-year-olds, to ba run on next Saturday. Constancy was given top weight iu this event, 130 pounds. Marjorie Hynes, which worked a sensational mile in 140 yesterday, will have to carry 115. Hnrrv Perkins again has Westwood, the colt for which he gave 2,000 at Hot Springs last spring, in training. He wortcd an easy half mile this morning in the mud. Perkins let up on him last spring when he showed signs of going amiss. Rancher is another which has been on the shelf for home time nnd to bo put back into active training. He went wrong while trainer John V alters was preparing him for the fall racing and has not been to the post since the Independence Handicap last July 4 at Latonia. Julius Reedcr today received a telegram from It. S. Eddr, Jr.. general manager of the Business Mens Itacing Association at New Orleans, requesting horsemen not to ship to the Fair Grounds until nfter November 1. New stables are being erected and the old ones repaired. It is for this reason that the owners and trainers are asked to delay their shipments for a few days. Put Dunnes horses got in today, including his Under Fire, which finished third in the Kentucky Derby. The colt pulled up lame in his last race nt Latonia, but he has been going along well since then nnd will in all probability be raced here. While the program books give the starting time of the races at Churchill Downs as 2:15 oclock daily, it is more than probable that the first race will go to the post at 2:00 oclock, as was the case at Latonia. Heretofore the races have always begun at 2:15 here, but in previous years the season began earlier in the fall than now. All of the officials, including mnnagers Hamilton C. Apple-gate and Charles F. Grainger, are in favor of moving up the starting time and it only awaits the sanction of general manager Winn.
