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NO RACING ON MONDAY Holiday at Fair Grounds Because of Frozen Track. New Entries Are Substituted for Tuesday, When Sport Is Certain To Be Resumed. NEW ORLEANS. La., Jan. 21. There was no racing at the Fair Grounds today. The program that was to have been decided was declared off and new entries for Tuesday substituted. The decision not to race came after a conference between the owners, assistant general manager Joseph A. Murphy and general manager John Dymond, Jr. The sudden freezing weather that came immediately following the severe rains of Sunday night was responsible for the postponement. The track, while frozen and seemingly solid, had numerous "blind" holes and made it extremely hazardous to race over. After carefully and thoroughly inspecting the course the decision to apply the "ounce of prevention" followed. Todays postponement marked the first time in nearly seventeen years that the racing at the Fair Grounds had to be called off on account of a frozen or unsafe track. Back in 1906 a sudden miniature blizzard visited this section, paralyzed traffic and caused a postponement of the racing at the Crescent City plant on account of the frozen track. The heavy snowfall on that occasion is still a topic of wonder with the old timers here. The present cold spell is a dry one and only of temporary duration, according to predictions of the weather bureau. It has already started moderating and a resumption of the sport tomorrow is a certainty. DAY OF INACTIVITY. Owners and trainers spent a day of inactivity. The only training operations indulged in were confined to shed work or walks . along the stable roads. Heavy blankets enveloped the horses even while walking under the sheds. It was the first time in years that the heaviest blankets had to be used. The large list of visitors who are here purposely to attend the racing sought places of amusement to pass the afternoon. Many who are first-time visitors of this section . took opportunity of viewing the interesting portions of the city from automobiles. The leading hotel lobbies resembled paddocks. The clubrooms that abound were also well patronized for the first time during an afternoon. Groups of horsemen employed I their leisure formulating and discussing plans , . for campaigns during the spring. Kentucky seemed to have the call this year with most of them, and the stake offerings of the Blue ! Grass tracks is assured of liberal response when they are submitted to the horsemen here. Owners of three-year-olds are giving particular attention to the 5,000 Louisiana Derby, to be run at Jefferson Park the closing day of its spring meeting, March 17. Secretary Jack B. Campbell distributed the stake blanks for the fixture last Saturday. Campbell is also striving hard to secure an immense list of entries from other parts than here and has sent individual letters containing the stake blanks to owners at Havana and Tijuana. He feels sanguine that he will receive a heavy response from owners with good three-year-olds, and likewise feels sanguine that a splendid band of horses will contest for this rich prize. "HELOW LAST YEARS STANDARD. While there was considerable improvement at the Fair Grounds last week, conditions arc still below last years standard. The inclement weather that has prevailed almost continually, since the opening has had much to do with curtailing the attendance. The racing has been wholesome. What surprises that have developed are attributed to natural causes. Inexperienced riders and changeable track conditions are blamed foi form reversals that have occurred. The public has been successful in its quest of winners. This has caused consternation in the ring. Several layers were forced to suspend. Their places have been filled alternately, resulting in the maintenance of an average ol forty price quoters in line ever since the opening. So far few youngsters that could, be regarded as possible cracks have appeared, Wheaton gives the most promise. He has won in two starts out of three and probably could have made it a complete score had his rider subjected him to a more vigorous effort in his initial appearance under colors He has been transferred to J. McMillens racing establishment by J. W. Bean at a price said to be 5,000. Jockey Tarke continues his remarkable average of riding two winners daily. In the seventeen days racing at the Fair Grounds he has been active on sixteen, being forced to suspend one day because of a heavy cold In that time he had ridden thirty-three winners. He has been second on twenty occasion and landed his mounts in third place fifteen times. He has been unplaced onlj thirty times. Jockey Lee, with twelve winning mounts Itontiuued on twelfth page.; NO RACING ON MONDAY Continued from first pago.l follows Parke, and then come B. Harvey, ten; J. AVallace, seven; B. Marinelli, six; Carroll and Heupel, five each, and Martin and Fields, each with four. There were many arrivals Sunday and this morning from various parts of the country to witness the racing at the Fair Grounds and make an indefinite stay. Among the notables that reached here Sunday was Colonel J. W. Zeverly, personal friend of Harry F. Sinclair and for whom the noted Zev was named. Another racing enthusiast here is Senator Albert Fall, former member of President Hardings cabinet. J. W. "Bud" May, trainer of the extensive band of C. M. Howard-owned racers, is regaining his health steadily and will probably be able to be about again this week. He has been confined to his home for more than three weeks. Although the Fair Grounds track was in a hazardous condition, the racing strip at Jefferson Park was not bad and owners could have worked their charges over it with safety. The Shrewsbury track, built primarily of sand, withstands freezing weather. Starter Snyder, who recently underwent an operation for appendicitis, was reported progressing favorably this morning. There will be several deflections from here for Tijuana toward the close of the Fair Grounds meeting by owners who have made entries to the Coffroth Handicap. It is probable that half a dozen stables will ship there to finish out the racing at the Mexican track. ! i i i j j
