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IMPROVED CONDITIONS Bring Out Biggest Monday Crowd at Fair Grounds. Best Pal Triumphs Over 0. Henry in Main Race Juveniles in Close Finish. NEW ORLEANS, La., Jan. 2S. The improvement in weather and track conditions was reflected in the increased attendance at the Fair Grounds this afternoon. It was the biggest Monday gathering of the winter. Tho racing, too, seemed more spirited and was thoroughly enjoyed by the big crowd. Betting activities at times were feverish and it kept the layers at top speed administering to tho wants of the speculatively inclined. Bigger fields were the rule, excepting in the feature race. Only five starters took part in it, but what the race lacked in quantity was made up in quality, five of the better class horses measuring strides. It resulted in a spirited final duel between Best Pal and O. Henry, the former triumphing by a short half length. Lady Madcap finished in third place. The latter was thought best of the starters. She was known to favor a firm track and, as her recent preliminaries have been excellent, the weijjht of support made her favorite over Best Pal. The latters race on Saturday, in which ho finished third, caused him to have many admirers and they profited well for their loyalty. Parke at once hustled O. Henry into the lead, but was closely followed by Best Pal. The latter continued determinedly and his persistency became discouraging to O. Henry. Tho latter gradually gave way in the last sixteenth and was tiring fast at the end. Lady Madcap made a bold challenge just before reaching the stretch and it looked at that stage is if she would be the winner, but she tired unexpectedly in the stretch. Guest of Honor, a newcomer here, carrying the top impost, tired after going a half mile and was probably short. HOTLY CONTESTED ItACE. One of the best and closest run juvenile races of the meeting came in the opener, in which the Audley Farm Stables Fuo gained the verdict from Dean H., with Stampdale in third place, followed by his stablemate, Master Billy, with Parole II. also in close pursuit. Fuo was lucky to get the verdict, for the Daniels pair was pounds the best. Stampdalo suffered soon after the start and finished stumbling and Pool became confused at the stretch turn on Master Billy and had to stop riding him. Both finished going faster than the leaders. The limit number of starters fourteen engaged, in the second race, a three-quarters sprint, and it resulted in a victory for the first time starter. Kindred, which with extensive backing, was installed the favorite. She had to be ridden hard in the last sixteenth to overhaul Old Sinner, an outsider, which showed fine speed from the start and held on stubbornly in the final drive. Orlova was a huge disappointment in the race and she ceased to figure seriously after going three-eighths. Edward Cebrian won his first purse of the meeting when his Norseland, under an energetic ride, got up in the iast.stride to down Queen Charming in the third race. Queen Charming had seemingly disposed of all contention in the last eighth and appeared a certain winner when Norseland came with her great rush to ultimately triumph. Privilege and Anne were considered factors before the race, but both tired after racing for-wardly for a half mile. DOUBLE FOR S. N. HOLMAN. S. N. Holmans representatives. Best Pal and Neddam, carried off a double, the latter accounting for the fifth race, in which Sea Cove was made favorite. Sea Cove flattered his supporters by showing the most speed for tho three-quarters, but Neddam passed him with ease and later had enough in reserve to outstay Brunell, which finished with a rusli after a slow beginning. Anonymous, under hard urging, got up in the final strides to take third place. Duke John, a former offender here, was again made favorite in the sixth race and he again showed a dull performance, finishing far back. Insulate won the purse by the closest kind of a margin from Repeater. The close finish here brought dissent from Repeaters backers, who thought he had won. Tingling, which finished third, was probably much the best, but Heupel had him all over the track and repeatedly kept him back until tho stretch was reached. The closing race fell to Royal Duck, ridden by Parke. It was that youngsters only winner for the afternoon. Royal Duck won handily from the improved Bastille, with Ashland, tho favored one, in third place. Seven of the former operators dropped cut of the ranks of the layers this afternoon and three more were added to the list, making the total who will operate for the next two days thirty-six.
