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TWO FOR E. R. BRADLEY Brunell and Big and Burley His Successful Color Bearers Thorndale Regains Public Favor as Formidable Candidate for Louisiana Derby. NEW ORLEANS, La., Feb. 23. Idle Hour Farm representatives were much in the limelight in Saturdays racing at the Fair Grounds when Brunell ana Cig and Burley, respectively, accounted for the Carrollton Claiming Stakes of ,000 and the Proctor Knot purse, at a mile and seventy yards. Both were ridden by G. Carroll. The" Carrollton Claiming Handicap was over the mile and a. half distance, the first time a dash of this length has been carded at this meeting, and Brunell won like he might be a rare stayer. True, he was favored by a light impost, but the impressiveness of his victory made it certain that lie could have carried extra poundage and performed creditably. Olynthus, with only 95 pounds up, enjoyed strong favoritism, and he flattered extensively for the first mile and a quarter by staying close to Pequot, the pacemaker, downed him readily when called on, but began tiring fast in the last eighth and failed to get a portion of the purse, Old Faithful landing in second place, with Irish Pat, an extreme outsider, finishing third. By far the best racing that has been furnished during the meeting was on tap this afternoon, -and it Avas witnessed by an immense and enthusiastic crowd. Many in the crowd were first-time visitors, the advance guard of the Carnival season. PERFECT ItACING CONDITIONS. Perfect conditions prevailed for the sport and the small fields that started in the different dashes was productive of keen Letting activities, forty-three layers being in line to handle the play, and they were inadequate to accommodate those speculatively inclined. The mile dash gave opportunity to Ben Blocks Thorndale to try his metal against older opponents. He was in receipt of weight concessions by all, but it is probable that he could have won at even weights. It increased his Louisiana Derby rating and he will have extensive support in this fixture, to be decided over the Jefferson Park track on March 17, the close of the racing season in these parts. The S. X. Holman pair. Best Pal and Barracuda, fought it out hard for second place, with Best Pal securing it by a matter of inches. There was considerable interference in the race, in which the Holman pair were both offenders and Thorndale and Isosceles, the sufferers. Kederis, on Best Pal, seemed to do the most of the rough work and he was questioned in regard to it by stewards Murphy and Conkling, but he gave extenuating circumstances, and also claimed that he did not observe the diminutive Lang on Thorndale trying to work his way through next the inner rail. MEETS MUCH INTERFERENCE. Big and Burley narrowly escaped defeat as a result of interference he suffered at a critical period in the stretch, -ife is a big striding horse, awkward in his action and true to name. He was fully settled in the stretch and coming like a streak when he was forced back and knocked off his stride wlien Goldfield came over near the inner rail. He was some time finding himself again, but he came on undaunted and headed Atil-lia, whicli had slipped past Goldfield in the laat sixteenth. If Big and Burley continues to show improvement as he has done this winter he may yet be formidable for the Louisiana Derby and also become the chief reliance for the Kentucky Derby honors of the 15. B. Bradley stable. The improving Certain again gave a splendid exhibition by a clean-cut victory in the third race, bringing together some fast sprinters. Certain displayed more gameness than his usual custom. He was badly outraced, but held to his task gamely and, staying close to the inner rail, wore down Last One, and the leaders steadily and had enough in reserve to outstay Mercury. The latter, coming fast in the stretch, beat Last One in the final strides. Barney Google, again handled by W. Perkins, began proceedings with a victory in the initial dash, for which he was the favorite. Alex Woodliffe was his closest follower from the start, with Belle II. landing in third place. There was some trepidation on the part of Barney Googles backers after the finish on account of Harrington having kept Alex "Woodliffe close to the inner rail and probably lumped him. The stewards, however, thought no interference had occurred and let the result stand. Exchange, a slight favorite In the second race, won after a spirited drive through the stretch and getting home in front of Billy Klair by a short margin.
