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Mere and There on the Turf Havanas Changed Methods. Usefulness of Tijuana Track. Something About New Orleans. There may be wisdom in- the decision of the Cuba-American Jockey Club to eliminate early closing stake races from the program for the coming season of racing at Oriental Park. The increase in distribution for overnight races will probably be the means of attracting to the course a better grade of purse horses than in years past. A horse which can win the stake races of the offseason is sometimes hardly of selling stake caliber during the regular racing season and the standing which his winter victories gives him among the winning horses is altogether out of proportion to his real worth in many cases. The usual stake race of some winter trades draws a field of horses which would be considered ordinary in the regular season. But the horses so engaged are above the quality generally attracted to the overnight races of a winter meeting. They are reserved, as a general thing, for the stake races arid are seen only on the days when these are-run. The increases in the overnight purses at Havana will tend to bring such horses more actively into competition. They will not win as much at one time, perhaps, but undoubtedly will win fully as much in the aggregate as if the stake races had been retained. The sport will improve in quality because of the increased opportunities for these horses of the better winter grade and the patronage on week days may improve accordingly. Tijuana is possibly the most flourishing of the winter tracks. It has the longest season, attracts a large number and a fair grade of horses and draws patronage from the entire western section of the counto. Tourists from iQ East also make it a point to stop at the Lower California track for a few days of racing. What effect the Tanforan revival project will have on Tijuana racing is problematical. If the San Francisco plant meets with great success, it will probably invert some of the present patronage from the Mexican track. But in general the same horses and the same visitors that made the venture a success in the past are likely to continue faithful. In any case, the racing at Tijuana has served an important purpose in giving . an outlet for the produce of the breeding farms of the far West. It is there that tne two-year-olds from the Nevada Stock Farm, some of the produce from Mrs. Anita Baldwins Santa Anita Ranch and youngsters from many of the lesser breeding establishments of that section of the country try their merits against each other and against horses from other parts of the land. Whether the Tijuana management can find a qualified successor to the ill-fated Leon Wing, who ably served rn the capacity of dicing secretary, steward and handicapper at the border track, remains doubtful. Mr. Wing brought the horses so close together with hia weight assignments in the handicaps last winter that hardly a Tijuana stake race was won by a greater margin than a half length. This had much to do with the deep interest aroused by these races. The New Orleans situation has been improved by recent events to the point where sport of a high grade, properly conducted, can be looked for at the Fair Grounds. The appointment of Joseph A. Murphy as presiding steward at the Fair Grounds brought to an end a long period of doubt as to the official attitude of the new board of directors. Judge Murphy has expressed himself clearly as to the manner in which he will conduct racing at New Orleans. It is to be assumed that no recurrence of past mistakes will be allowed. New Orleans last winter attracted the best horses which a winter track has seen in a long period. The racing was at time spoiled by lax control and the long fight in the legislature against the sport was thereby precipitated. Winter racing is a real asset to the Louisiana city and the officials, of course, realize that it must be properly safeguarded if it is to continue profitably.
