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i 1 1 i i , : 1 : . BEGINS IN BLAZE OF GLORY Tremendous and Enthusiastic Crowd Sees Opening Days Racing at Jefferson Park Thanksgiving Day Handicap Is Won by Comic Song NEW ORLEANS, La., November 30. Jefferson Park ushered in its sixth annual raco meeting this afternoon under conditions that could not be improved on for outdoor sport. Midsummer weather prevailed and it materially assisted in bringing out the record crowd that viewed the racing. The attendance was surprisingly large, many thousands moro than ever assembled at the track on any one former day. It was a representative gathering, including many persons that have shown hostility to the sport during the recent legislative tilt when the racing in this state was in extreme jeopardy. The return of racing was marked by the usual enthusiastic incidents and if anything a better regard for the sport was manifested. The contests were enjoyable enough, though there was an absence of close finishes, as all the winners scored in comfortable style and raced as if outstandingly best. Fifty-one price quoters could not complain on the score of lack of business. The public came out of their betting tilt with a slight advantage. The Thanksgiving Handicap of ,500 was the outstanding offering and was won in hollow fashion by the favorite, Comic Song, with Kewpie ONeil in second place and Blarney Stone third. The showing of Cherry Tree was disappointing. He was outrun for the entire race and at one stage when he did start, moving up resolutely and flattering his supporters, he suddenly quit as if having struck himself. Comic Song was restrained for three-quarters, but followed Crack o Dawn, the leader, closely. He moved into the lead at the stretch turn and the race was practically over at this stage. Crack o Dawn tired badly in the stretch and finished last. To Mose Goldblatt fell the honor of capturing the inaugural dash, when his Ararat scored from Marvin May and Elmer K. My Reverie, with an extensive western following, was installed the favorite, but he was badly outrun from the start. Ararat was ridden by Corcoran and led all the way, displaying a high order of speed. Anonymous won easily from Better Times, with Vennie in third place in the second race. The winner dashed away into the lead with the rise of the barrier and made every post a winning one. The "Widener-bred gelding, a son of Maintenant and Valentine, was never in danger and made a fine impression by his clear-cut victory. EAST FOR FAITTOCHE. Fantoche outclassed his opponents in the third race at one mile and a sixteenth, winning by six lengths, with Grass Tree second and Chateaugay in third place. Dantzic was the early pacemaker and showed the way for a mile before tiring. Fantoche then went into the lead with the above-mentioned result. Hereafter, a bad post actor of long standing, got the better of his jockey while on the way to the post in the fifth race and entailed a long delay. The race was won by Ogarite after a hard drive, with Monastery second and Ralco third. Starter Hamiltons work up to the last race was of the gilt-edge variety, but in the closing dash it wras not so good, for they were dispatched straggling, with Merchant many lengths in front, but the slow-thinking Zoeller evidently must have been laboring under the impression that it was not a start, and began easing up to a walk. Mary Agnes S. went on and won, with Service Star second and Cockroach third. G. D. Bryan, Jr., and his associates in the track here were jubilant over the successful opening. There was not a single hitch tp mar the occasion. The six-race card fitted in at least today, for the course was well enveloped in darkness when the final dash was concluded. The stewards here have submitted the status of apprentice McLean for a ruling by the Maryland Racing Commission. McLean won a maiden jockey race over a year ago and there is a question as to his eligibility for an apprentice allowance. Colonel W. E. Applegate was an arrival this morning from Cincinnati and will make an indefinite stay, possibly the entire winter. CLAIMING RULE STATUS. The stewards here have issued a notice with respect to the claiming and selling rule that in the case of horses recently claimed the rule of the track where the claimed horse was transferred to new ownership will apply. Joe McLennan, who will serve as one of the placing judges, will be delayed in arrival until next Monday. The stable of Carey Winfrey is due to arrive from Maryland tomorrow. J. W. Burttschell and the horses owned by Sam Louis will arrive from Bowie Saturday. A serious accident was narrowly averted when one of the vans transferring the horses Lord Allen, Chiva, Ablaze and Rocky Mountain was turned over while on its way from the Fair Grounds to the Jefferson track. All the horses were considerably bruised and had to be excused from starting. Fifty-one price makers quoted odds during the afternoon and were kept at top speed catering to the wants of those speculatively inclined. Jockeys Jarvis and Cole were denied privileges here.
