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ALL READY AT JEFFERSON Meeting Opens Today with Muddy Track and Big Fields, i Eight Good Ones in the Main Race of the Day More Horses Than Needed. NEW OHLEANS, La., November tX. After holding in alieyance all day yesterday, rain clouds broke loose witli a vengeance here this morning and, as a result, the winter racing season at Jefferson Park will be ushered in tomorrow over a muddy course. During the early hours of the day the downpour was rather heavy, but the water rolled off the track proper in fine style and it did not leave it in the soggy condition that prevailed in previous years following a rain. Despite the adverse track conditions tlie entries for tlie first days racing filled unusually well, four of the seven dashes having eleven or more horses carded to go in them. The feature offering, the Thanksgiving Handicap, which will have a purse of Sl.r.00, has eight entries and, while the rain affected the race to the extent of forcing some of tlie higher grade eligibles out, an evenly matelied band will contest for it. This affair will be at one mile for all ages. On tlie eve-of the opening of the winter season this city .boasts of having more visitors within its gates than ever before. Still more are coming, in on every train from every direction. Never in the history of the sport here was interest as keen as this year, not only among the regular followers of racing, hut the local people as well. They are favorably impressed witli the better grade of thoroughbreds which will be seen in action here in comparison to the cheaper element so often seen at winter meetings and as a result tlie" daily gatherings at the race tracks are sure to ba larger than ever. No detail in connection with the opening lias been overlooked at Jefferson Park. Those who visit tlie Shrewsbury plant tomorrow will find a mtideover race track improved considerably over that of former years. O. D. Bryan, Jr., and A. Houprich, the moving spirits of the Jefferson track meeting, have been here for some time personally superintending the improvements, while racing secretary J. H. Campbell has been looking after the details in connection with the racing proper. Judge Joseph A. Murphy, who will serve as a steward at both of the local meetings, got in from Bowie today and reports that there will be a general hegira toward New Orleans next Saturday, when tlie Bowie meeting ends, but many of the racing fraternity will have to wait a few days longer before they can get accommodations. Mose Ccssman, agent for tlie E. H. Bradley stable, was an arrival from Chicago, where he took a vacation following the close of the Kentucky season. He will make the riding engagements of jockeys Law-rence Lyke and Simpson Boyle at both meetings here. Every available stall of the 1.8S0 at both tracks is occupied and many owners who were warned not to ship here because of no available stall space are shifting as best they can in improvised accommodations on the outside of the track. There are at least 000 more horses here than are needed, and It is doubtful if they will have opportunity to start during the meeting. There is also an excess of jockeys, and tlie activities of many of the saddle artists will be curtailed. The aggregation of riders comprise tlie best in the country as well as the poorest. There was a steady stream of arrivals during the day. and among the more prominent of persons were Fred "Whitey" Beck, Hilly Arnold, Hoy Off ut, Clarence Herbert, Adair Hrothers and others. Big Ed Hyan lias lieen prevented by illness from coming, and E. J. Callahan will take a rest from the strenuous life this winter and will spend most of his time in California until spring. Pete Blong, who is at present in St. Louis, will not be an arrival until next week.
