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GREATER ATTENDANCE More Favorable Weather Brings Out Big Crowds at Fair Grounds. Improved Track Conditions Re-i suit in Better Grade of Sport Gossip of Track. - NEW ORLEANS, La., Feb. 3. Improved weather conditions during the past week at the Fair Grounds served to bring out a greatly increased daily attendance and included in the throngs that patronized the track every day were a large number of out of town visitors who are now flocking to New Orleans in rapidly increasing numbers. Favorable track conditions during tho week served to bring under colors some of the better grade of horses and contributed in no small measure to the quality of tho sport. With a prospect of a continuation of favorable weather the track conditions the present week will be a noteworthy one for the daily programs provided by Racing Secretary McLennan are most attractive and probably the best of the meeting. Saturday will witness the decision of tho Esplanade Handicap, one of the ,000 added money events that serve as the regular week end feature. This race is for three-year-olds and over at one mile and it closed with, twenty-six nominations, the list comprising Cherry Tree, Triumph, Dr. Clark, Revenge. Romany, Deronda, Oui Oui. Belzoni, Bradleys Toney, Extra Edition, Rinkey, Exodus, Moonraker, Roseate II., Guest of Honor, Lady Madcap, King ONeill II., Setting Sun, Flint Stone, O. Henry, Best Pal, Barracuda, Ma-vourneen, Rama, Second Thoughts and The Roll Call. Western owned stables are having a monopoly of the two-year-old races. Since January 1 fourteen juvenile events have been decided and twelve of that number have been won by stables that came here from Kentucky or far western points. J. W. Bean, the Washington owner, has the distinction of being tho only eastern owner to win with a two-year-old. Wheaton scored two purses in the Beau colors, prior to his sale to J. McMillen. STEP ALOXG DOUBLE WINT2fER. Step Along, in the stable of Will Perkins, with Evelyn, which A. L. Kirby is training for Jefferson Livingston, are the only other youngsters to score a double victory thus far. Youngsters that have won one purse aro Vanidoso, Foxmore, Barney Google, Sam Mengel, Mary Dear, Seths Treasure, Dress Goods and Fuo. Will Perkins has the distinction of saddling the greatest number of two-year-olds winners to date. They aro Step Along, twice, Barney Google, Dress Goods and Vanidoso. J. B. Respess, after a short visit to New Orleans, departed for the North Saturday night He expects to stop off at Nashville. Term., enroute to his home at Erlanger, Ky. Prior to leaving, Respess secured from S. N. Holman the contract on jockey J. Pcvic and the- boy accompanied his new employer ou tho trip to his home. Lord Granite, which J. M. Goode has been training for J. Schanck of Chicago, has been turned over to Tom Shannon, who will handle him in future. B. F. McClains good handicap horse De-lante, which pulled up lame in his last workout, was fired Sunday morning by Dr. J. II. ODonnell. The horse will be rested up and at the conclusion of the present meeting shipped to Omaha with the other McClain horses. LADY BOSS ItECOYEJtlXG. G. C. Winfrey reports that his speedy filly Lady Boss is rapidly recovering from tho infection to one of her legs, which she contracted about a month ago. It will not bo possible, however, to race her again until the spring in Maryland. Camouflage and Trevelyan, two other members of the Winfrey stable, are also on the shell due to leg trouble. Trevelyan was recently fired for tho ailment and will be out of training for somo time. Starter William Snyder was able to visit the Fair Grounds for the first time since ho underwent an operation for appendicitis. Ho is still in a weakened condition and does not expect to resume work for at least ten days. When he is fully recovered he will tako William Hamiltons place in the starters box and send the fields away until the close of the meeting. The Cincinnati Stables two-year-old Captain Schellner, which had to be excused from the first race Saturday, owing to a sudden attack of colic, showed good improvement Sunday and will be able to gallop in a few-days. Racing secretary Joseph McLennan announced that commencing March 1 the distance of the races for two-year-olds would be increased to a half mile.
