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DAY OF FINE RACING and - . Jefferson Park Crowded to the Limit by Holiday Patrons. Big Race of the Day Won by Comic Song Under Langs Riding Close Finishes. NEW ORLEANS, La., December 23. Former attendance records at Jefferson Park track fell by the wayside this afternoon when an immense crowd that congested every nook and available space in the grandstand, lawn, clubhouse and overflowed into the infield journeyed to the course to view the racing. It was more of an Independence Day reminder than Christmas, for a brilliant sun flooded these parts with midsummer heat rays and caused such warmth that many suffered from the heat. The Jefferson Park management had provided for the occasion a splendid holiday program, with the Christmas Handicap of ,500, at one mile, featuring and bringing to th3 post some of the better horses that will take part in this winters racing. The race was all it was designed to be, a spirited finish coming, with Comic Song, a previous winner at this meeting and credited by many as the best in these parts, winning from Ralco and Tippity Witchet. COMIC SONG HARD HIDDEN. The temperamental William A. and the erratic Despair were disturbing elements of the race. Both failed to get away from the barrier as they should, and as a result they did not figure in the finish. William A.s offense was the gravest, for he ruled a slight favorite, and his action in failing to start with the others cost his supporters big sums. An added aggravation suffered by his backers came when the horse closed an immense gap to land a close up fifth. There were many who judged his performance the best of all starting. Comic Song, under an excellent ride by Lang, was rushed into the lead soon after the start and was never headed, although at the finish he was forced to be hard ridden by the oncoming Italco. Comic Song, however, had a half length margin over his rival at the end. Close finishes, which featured most of the racing, began with the opener when thirteen ordinary two-year-olds began proceedings and, Runleigh under Corcorans energetic riding, won by a nose over the intended good thing Glabella. A good band of sprinters started in the second race and again Corcoran figured in a winning performance when he brought Valor with a rush in the last few strides to head Hidden Jewel, which had been the loader most of the way. Valors success was aided by the immense amount of ground that he saved when rounding into the stretch. WINNECONNES WIN SURPRISES. Winneconne was backed only in lukewarm style, due to an outer post position she had. but the wiseacres were fooled, for the marc was away fast and, showing the most speed, took a good lead at once and was successful in withstanding challenges by the early close-up contenders and drew away easily in the stretch. Coaler, which in a previous race won easily, again figured in a winning performance and carried the Sam Louis colors to an easy victory in the fifth race, in which he met some high-class platers. He gave his backers some uneasiness in the early running by beginning slowly and Delng far back, but he came with a rush after going a half mile and the finish found him drawing away steadily. Exhorter, under hard riding, managed to overhaul Tulane for second place. The concluding race was at a mile and a half, the first race at this long distance during the meeting. It was won by Sagamook from Lord Herbert, but the backers of the winner put in an anxious period when it was plain that Abel, vho had the mount on Lord Herbert, would claim a foul. The stewards evidently were of the belief that Abel was as much at fault as McDermott on the winner and suspended both riders for the remainder of the meeting. They did not disturb the original placing. Sagamook, the winner, attracted A. Swenkes claiming attention and he secured him at a coat of ,700. J. A. Gibson, represented by Pirate Mc-Gee in the third race, added Miles S. to his racing string by the claiming process at a cost of ,700. Jockey L. Fator, with his wife, was a visitor this afternoon, having stopped off en route from Hot Springs to Californit, where he will put in the winter. An interested spectator during the afternoon was C. N. Tilles, formerly of the rac- Contlnucd on twelfth page. DAY OF FINE RACING Continued from first page. ing triumvirate of Cella, Adler and Tilles. It was Captain Tilles first visit to these parts since the Cella, Adler and Tilles combine disposed of the Fair Grounds. Mr. Tilles is out of the racing business now and is enjoying a large fortune made through different successful ventures. He will remain here for several days before going to Cuba, where his visit will also be brief, and then he will go through the West Indies. Announcement was made today by secretary McLennon of the Fair Grounds that entries to the two-year-old races will not be accepted unless the owner produces proof that the names claimed for the youngsters have been approved by the registrar of the Stud Book. It also said that owners must have available the registration blanks of their two-year-olds at its time of entry. In previous years there have been cases where youngsters were entered under misspelled names and it entailed considerable bother to correct the errors. The fifty-nine layers again quoting odds today were overworked.
