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CHEAP GRADE OF RACERS Furnish Good Brand of Sport at Oriental Park Course. Absence of Feature Fails to Keep Crowd Away Finishes Close and Thrilling. HAVANA, Cuba, December IS. Notwithstanding the absence of any particular feature race at Oriental Park today, the sport was interesting and the large crowd present found excitement and pleasure in watching some spirited contests, enlivened by a number of close finishes. The beautiful weather was in a great measure resiionsible for bringing out such a large gathering, in view of the fact that the program was made up of selling races. The track, while showing improvement, was still slow and a bit lumpy. It should be fast fur tomorrows racing. After leading by a wide margin to the stretch Yorkville, the odds-on favorite in the second, gave his backers several anxious moments when he suddenly tired in the last eighth and barely lasted long enough to win. He was being hard pressed by Jack Henley, which closed with great speed anil was slowly but .surely overhauling the leader. The seven-year-old Revelry James ran a sparkling race to score in the opening dash. He followed the leader closely from the start, raced Unwise Child into defeat entering the homestretch and under a terrific drive, in which he was ably assisted by his rider, F. Chiavetta. managed to outlast Al Hudson, only a nose, separating the two at the end. The latter was gaining with every stride and would have .won had the distance been a trifle farther. Miss Ivan failed to justify the support given her and was never prominent. "" The puhlic was not so fortunate Tn the following race. Earnest was the preference in this race and he flattered his backers by leading to the far turn, where he .tired and dropped to. the rear. The winner turned up iu Lady Langden. which worked her way up on the outside where the footim: was best, and overtaking Lucky Pearl in the last sixteenth drew away from her right at the end. E. Fa tor, the .younger brother of L. Fator, displayed some of the ability of his older kin when he landed Avion a winner in the fourth after a warm finish. The youngster outrode the mini- experienced Crump and the crowd gave the little fellow a great ovation. It was a sparkling finish and aroused great enthusiasm. Hans Lobf-rt and Pat ORrien, tlie aviator, were among the late arrivals. John J. McGraw has returned from New York, where he went to attend a meeting of tlie National League. C. A." Stoneham will return to" Havana next week. J. T. Ireland claimed the name of Liberty Maid for his yearling filly by Jim Gaffney Ethelda. Ex-jockey C. Koerner, who is training the horses of the C. E. Rills stable, registered the names Fiction and Anna Magneto fur the pair of yearlings now iu his charge. The program at Oriental Park Wednesday afternoon was framed to suit the cheaper grade of horses, but despite this the majority of the races furnished interesting contests. A large gathering turned out. and speculation was heavier than on any weekday since the meeting began. The hot sun worked wonders with the track and the footing improved greatly as the afternoon progressed. Acclamation, the winner of tlie second race, paid his backers S0S.U0 in tlie mntuels. Culm, owned by the Kentmere Farms of Virginia, proved an easy winner in the first race when he beat the favorite. Hot Foot, by five lengths. In the third race Prince Direct had to be hard ridden to outstay Rulger, while Driffield proved the easiest sort of a winner iu the fourth. OMalley pulled up lame after being worked yesterday morning and was excused from starting in the sixth race. T. J. Rrown claimed Phedoden after being beaten Tuesday. Rrown lost the mare at the previous meeting last year through the claiming route. Jockey Archambault rode two winners yesterday afternoon.
