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NEW ORLEANS TURF GOSSIP .. -.-: r.. . " Schoolj.DS fitcXearlings. Delayed by ad Weather and Track Condtfftns. BY J. L. DEMPSEY. NEW ORLEANS, La., December 13. The task of schooling the yearlings to the barrier at the Fair Grounds . received a setback during the muddy period, but no time will be lost with them on days when it is possible to get them to the. starting gate. The young horses will be going to the races in less than three weeks, and they will need all of the education possible, as big fields are in sight for the two-year-old races at the Fair Grounds and the start will be half of the battle in the three-eighths sprint. Although the E. T. Zollicoffer stable has not cut much figure in the racing here to date, it is composed of seven rather useful horses, and trainer W. A. McKinney is confident that it will be heard from frequently, once it gets started. Those in the Zollicoffer string are Hindoostan, Hidden Ship, Grandee, Highland Lad, Christie, Toe the Mark and Tipford. The last named two are brothers, being sons of Oxford Tippetoes, and Tipford is one of the few gray horses racing. Jockey Harry Tliurber is riding for the Zollicoffer stable here. F. J. Grefer, who raced the good mare Floral Park several years back with much success, will have another of her produce to introduce to racegoers on January 1. It is a bay colt, and was sired by Vulcuin. This is the second offspring of Floral Park, her first being Mr. X., a winner this year. .It began to look as though J. W. "Tex" For-man was going to miss his annual visit here this winter, but he overcame all kinds of obstacles in order to make it and he got in after the Jefferson Park meeting had been on several days. "Tex" has a record of visiting New Orleans every winter for more than thirty years, and this includes a number of years when there was no racing. He had a strenuous time since he left here last spring, being forced to spend a bit of time in a hospital in Cincinnati, suffering from eye trouble. After lie recovered, Runzaf, his two-year-old colt took sick, and it looked like Forman was again going to be horseless. Now both are mended and ready for a hard siege of it for the remainder of tlu winter. Miller Henderson brought only a small stable down from Kentucky. Before leaving the Blue Grass State he sold the contract that he held oii jockey Charles Buel to W. R. Coe. This made the second rider that Henderson disposed of during the year, he having transferred Cliff Robinsons contract to .7. W. MeCiennanl several mouths hack. Incidentally Mr. Coe is fairly well fixed to start the 1021 season with young jockeys, as he also bought Frank Wilsons contract during the recent Latoniu meeting. Former jockey George Molesworth graduated from the maiden ranks of trainers when Moutlllo carried the silks of George J. Ling to victory, and Incidentally this marked the first time that these odors ever flashed hojne in front on a New Orleans race track. Mr. Long has heretofore confined his racing to Kentucky and Saratoga, but this year he sent a division of bis stable to Canada with John C. Ferriss and the snnio horses were brought here. As evidence of the abundance of jockeys here more than seventy-five have been granted licenses, while enough more applications to bring the total up to one hundred are being investigated. The Jefferson Park stewards proceeded slowly in issuing licenses to riders and the least blemish on the applicants reputation caused it to be held up, temporarily at least. John Dundee, the well-known lightweight boxer, is a recent visitor, and he expects to stay for the remainder of the winter, taking in the races as well as following his profession. Dundee is the owner of the good horse War Mask, winner of the Thanksgiving Day Handicap, and he Is proud of his thoroughbred. This Is the only one that he has and he says that it is enough, as he wins more purse money for him than many other stables with a half" dozen or more ordinary horses. Clarence Buxton is racing War Mask here for Dundee. Rough riding has been reduced to a minimum here and the best evidence of this is that during the first twelve dnys of the meeting not a rider was suspended for this offense. The local stewards Joseph A. Murphy, Herman P. Conkllng and judge Monck are hostile to rough riders and before the meeting got under way all the jockeys were warned that anything but clean saddle work would result in their banishment. While quite a few horses have changed hands via the claiming route here to date, the number is much smaller than in former years for some reason or another. Heretofore each day found several thoroughbreds being taken out -of claiming races, but now the claims are few and far between. It costs a bit more to take a horse, now than previously because of the increase In purses, but its earning capacity is likewise increased.
