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HOPEFUL INDICATIONS Jefferson Park Going Showing Decided Improvement. Hidden Jewel an Easy Victor in the Main Race Spring Vale Defeats Ralco Easily. NEW ORLEANS, La., December 21. The first touch of real winter reached these parts this afternoon, but the brilliant sunshine mitigated the cold to some extent and it was not as bad as at first it was expected it would be. The ordinary program, coupled with the weather, held down the attendance considerably. The absentees did not miss much, for the sport was ordinary and the poor fields contesting in most of the dashes did not serve much as betting mediums, resulting in lessened action in the ring. The best race programmed was the fourth, a three-quarters, in which some fairly speedy ones met. It was an all age race, with owners privileged to assign their own weights, governed by the selling price for which the respective starters were entered. Anonymous was the only two-year-old entered in the race, but he was an absentee, his owner withdrawing him. Ralco was made favorte as a result of a concerted plunge instituted on him just at post time. It was a misguided attempt at a coup, for Ralco never figured seriously in the running and ran a poor race throughout. Hidden Jewel, backed by handicappers and post position backers, won easily after he had led from the start. Avispa was second, with Valor third. COVETED INNER STRIP. Improving track conditions were plainly visible, but the inner strip was again a coveted part of the track and those next to the rail post positions received most betting attention. In most cases this was sound judgment, for the inner rail starters accounted for the majority of the races. The exceptions were Mouse and Walnut Hall, but both managed to get firm footing to aid them in their victories. Big fields of the poorest sort here made up the starters in three of the dashes and it did not surprise that upsets developed in all. In the opener, which was for maiden two-year-olds, the gray disappointment Yorick had the call and was given confident support, but the best he could do was follow Sweet Mama home. In the succeeding dash Smart Guy was installed the favorite, but like Yorick ho had to be content with second place, Spring Vale winning easily and helped by sooie rough riding that Lang indulged in astride of her. Smart Guy was the particular sufferer from the interference and it contributed to his defeat. Meuse was the lucky one to lead home the frets and worries that made up the field in the third race. Gen. Cadorna probably Aas best here, but Breuning almost fell from him. At that, had the race been a sixteenth farther, Gen. Cadorna would have earned the purse. STRICKEN WITH IIEM3I0RIIAGE. Camouflage was regarded as the best betting proposition of the afternoon and his downfall in the fifth race was attended with some heavy losses on the part of his backers. He would have won, for he was well in the lead and going easily when stricken with a hemmorhage that forced him to be eased up out of contention. Walnut Hall and Trooper put up a spirited battle for the purse, with Walnut Hall just managing to get up in the last stride to win. Another dozen of nondescrips started in the final race, with British Liner having the call. He was given further attention when Transient, the second choice, got the better of Corcoran while at the post and ran away three-quarters at top speed. British Lin -r flattered by going into the lead at once, but in the stretch he was passed easily by Natural, which won in a canter. Sam Louis, who lias been confined to his room on account of illness, is showing steady improvement and will resume activities next week. Jockey Lyke is intending to begin riding Saturday. He had to reduce considerably since his arrival here.
