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FAVORITES ELUSIVE Only Two Choices Score Over Difficult Fair Grounds Track. Cold Weather Holds Down Attendance Guvnor Wins in Hollow Style. NEW ORLEANS, La, Feb. 27. Wednesdays racing: offering at the Fair Grounds was more on the consolation order, due to track conditions, which caused the better grade of racers to remain inactive. The cold weather was a contributing factor in holding down the attendance, but at that a surprisingly representative crowd, including first-time visitors, made up the spectators. Withdrawals in all the dashes reduced the number of starters to sizable fields, and the even caliber of the contestants was responsible for some exciting sport There was little to choose in the way of a feature. All the races had claimng clauses and for the first time at this meeting the secretary was .forced to put on live sprinting dashes. Backers of favorites suffered, as only two choices, Fredericktown and Seths Flower, were successful. The former met some of the higher priced platers at the course in the fifth race and ruled an outstanding favorite. lie was benefited by Parkes presence in the saddle and won off under the hustling ride he got. The start in tins contest was bad, with Julia M., one of the considered contenders, being virtually left as a result of Langs unpreparedness. Contention for second place in the race was keen, with Anne just getting up in time to down Vera Verinie. Guvnor, which has figured importantly at this meeting, added another victory to his list when he won in hollow style in the fourth race for which Ruby and Antonia were the choices. Ruby refused to join with the others at the start and was virtually left Antonia showed a dull performance and was far back at the finish. CLAIM OT ALLOWED. Stargo, under hard riding, getting second place with the extreme outsider, Sling, up in time to finish third. Guvnor was claimed by Mrs. E. A. Alexandra, but upon protest of Milo Shields that G. Alexandra was not the authorized agent of record for her, the horse was ordered returned to Milo Sheilds. Seths Flower was in with some mediocre ones in the sixth race and she raced as if much the best, but near the end had to exert herself to keep in advance of Warren Lynch and Tight. Tlie closing dash was won by Majority which surprised by showing good speed for the entire mile and a quarter and holding Col. Whalien, the favorite, safe in the final drive. Uncle Velo, at long odds, finished in third place. A new riding star is in the ascent. It is the diminutive G. Cooper, under contract to William Daniel. He rode successive winners in the second and third races and handled his mounts in veteran like style. In the second race he was astride the non-staying Little Alfred, carrying Ren RIocks colors, and he stole into a long lead soon after the start, which enabled him to last it out to beat Anticipate by half a length. Little Alfred began tiring alarmingly in the last sixteenth, and had the race been seventy yards farther it is doubtful if Little Alfred would have been among the placed cues. The surprise of the race was furnished by Ettahe, an extreme outsider, which managed to overhaul Fifty-Fifty, the favo-lite, for third place. SHOWS RARE JUDGMENT. On Colonel Winn, in the third race, Cooper showed rare judgment for a beginner by keeping his mount under restraint and in the best part of the track. The pacemakers wore themselves out during the first half mile and then Cooper sent Colonel Winn into the lead and lie had sufficient in reserve to slavo off any threatening challenges from Piedmont and Poppye. Riff Rang was the favored one in the race, but C. Robinson gave him a weird ride and had him all over the track, culminating in his casing up in the last sixteenth. Tho opening race brought to the post eight fairly good juveniles of the second clas3, and it resulted in a spirited duel between Fanny De Coursy and Mary Rear, the former managing to win by a head. Foxmore, which finished in third place, might have been the victor had he had a stronger rider than the apprentice Mergler aboard. Master Billy was the favored one, but his elimination from the race came early when he was crowded back at the start, and Rut-well thereafter did not persevere with him when his chances appeared hopeless. Mel Collins, well known on eastern tracks, is reported to be in a bad condition in one of the New York hospitals after having suffered his second paralytical stroke. T. J. Shaw, who has been one of the larger operators this winter, will depart next week for California, where he will remain for some time, and also visit Tijuana for an indefinite stay.
