Here and There on the Turf: Havana Racing Plans Fight over Jefferson Park Change at the Fair Grounds Hildreth Sells Good Ones, Daily Racing Form, 1924-10-18

article


view raw text

Here and There on the Turf Havana Eacing Plans. Fight Over Jefferson Park. Change at the Fair Grounds. Hildreth Sells Good Ones. The long looked for announcement of racing plans for the winter meeting at Oriental Park, in Havana, Cuba, have been made. Horsemen who have always campaigned over that track had about come to the conclusion that there would be no racing there this year, but it has been announced that the opening will be on Saturday, November 29, and that H. D. Curley Brown will again be in control. There have been many conflicting stories of the Havana track, and its passing from one ownership to another. From time to time court action has been threatened to decide real ownership and,, altogether, it has be2n something of a task to keep up with the changes at- the Havana racing ground. This latest announcement is that the track proper, as well as the Casino, has been taken over by wealthy Havana sportsmen, and that Mr. Brown, the builder of Oriental Park, is associated with them. It is-natural that Mr, Brown would be the controlling spirit in such as yn-clicate, with his knowledge of race track management, so that the racing comes back to the man who brought it to Havana. Frank Bruen is to continue with the organization, and it has been promised that fuller announcement of facing plans will be made within a short time. At this writing about all that has been definitely made known is that H. D. Brown is virtually in charge again and that the meeting is to begin November 29 to continue for 100 days or more. In New Orleans there continues something of a tangle over the ownership of Jefferson Park, and it has been suggested that Joseph A. Murphy and Charles T. Essig of Chicago, and the other associates of this organization may go into court in an endeavor to obtain possession of the property. In the meantime Robert E. Eddy, Jr., and his associates of New Orleans, feel secure in their ownership and are going right along making preparations for the meeting that is to begin Thanksgiving Day. Mr. Eddy is in New York recurving applications for stable room at the Jefferson Park course, and already has had many requests. A like work is going on at Latonia and no matter which organization is in control there will be horses enough on hand. It is unfortunate that there should be any question of ownership, just as it is always unfortunate that there should be any internal battles in racing. The turf has enemies enough without those vitally interested in the sport fighting among themselves. What might happen if the matter is carried into the courts, would b3 a legal battle that would at least delay the opening of the meeting, if not seriously threaten its being carried on successfully, at any time. At this late date if the injunction is granted preventing Mr. Eddy and his associates from taking over the property there is always a fear that the matter could not ba adjusted to make possible tho opening of the meeting on scheduled time. Another phase of the whole matter is that with the quarrel over the ownership of the track, horsemen will be a bit timorous about shipping into a battle. Too often these internal fights work havoc in the sport, and it is devoutly to be hoped that there will be an early adjustment that will prevent any harm coming to the winter sport in New- Orleans. Ia the meantime there com.es news of Joseph : A. Murphy resigning from his. membership in the official family at Bowie, which racing is conducted by James F. OHara and Gadson D. Bryan, Jr., former owners of Jefferson Park. This naturally is considered as showing that the former owners will uphold the New Orleans purchase of Jefferson Park in their ownership. There is another important change in ownership of New Orleans racing preptry, and this comes without any question of contention. It is that Edward R. Bradley and E. G. Schleider have obtained a considerable slice of stock in the Fair Grounds. Mr. Schleider is a New Orleans capitalist and Mr. Bradley is owner of the Idle Hour Stock Farm and a power in Kentucky racing, where he confines most of his sporting efforts. The news that comes from New Orleans is that Messrs. Schleider and Bradley have taken over all of the stock formerly controlled by Robert S. Eddy, Jr., and others of his associates. It would ssem that this transfer of stock will mean big things for racing in New Orleans, for Mr. Bradley has been a credit to the turf for many years and he has ever been progressive. With the change of control it is not known that there will be any marked changes in the official family for the conduct of the racing, but it is safe to promise that there, will be a new measure of liberality shown in the offer ing of money. Already there has b:cn promised a feature with 5,000 added to be decided February 21 and this will be only one of the big races that will induce the best horses available to winter in the southern city. It has been promised that an early improvement at the Fair Grounds will be the enclosing of the grandstand with a glass front for use in cold weather. Occasionally there will be plenty of use for such a front, as patrons of the Fair Grounds will testify. Another Bradley idea that will be carried out without delay is the establishment of a Bradley Club for the boys of racing. The club at Latonia has been a tremendous success and it does a real good for racing in keeping the lads of the stables amused, without the temptation that so often besets these little fellows. While these changes are going on in both Havana and New Orleans the reports from Miami continue to be alluring, and no matter what the final outcome is at Jefferson Park, or at Oriental Park, in Cuba, there will be no lack of opportunity for the thoroughbreds and no lack of entertainment for the patrons of the turf. The Miami meeting is not to begin until January 15, but the track is virtually ready now for the opening and the reservations that have been made assures that there will be no lack of high-class horses on hand to furnish entertainment, and some of these horses are now being shipped to Miami to rest up for the winter months in a congenial clime. They are intended for racing, and when the book of the new organization is published it will! be found as attractive as everything else in 1 this newest of American race courses. Samuel C. Hildreth usually appears in the role of buyer of good horses rather than the seller of good ones. From time to time ha has disposed of horses that did not measure up to .the standard he maintains for Harry F. Sinclairs Rancocas Stable, but it is usually that he has a good reason for selling. He has always been in the market for the best developed horses obtainable, but h? has just disposed of a pair of developed horses that appeared to be well worthy of carrying tho green and while silks. These are Honor and Stanwix. Edward R. Bradley seems to have obtained a rare bargain when he paid 0,000 for Honor, while as good a judge as J. C. Milam paid something like ,000 for Stanwix. Honor ought to be a particularly good one at New Orhans, where he will doubtless be raced. He is a son of Fair Play and Crystal Maid, by-Pirate of Penzance, and was bred by Edward F. Simms. He cost Mr. Sinclair S9,900 as a yearling. Stanwix was bred by Mr. Smclair .at the Rancocas Farm in New Jersey. He is a son of Ballot and Miss Crittenden, by Royal Flush HI., and accordingly a brother to Lord Bright-; ton, a campaigner that raced well for Hildreth. One of his most notable races was when he was the winner of the Walden Stakes at Fim- lico last falL - - -


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1924101801/drf1924101801_2_3
Local Identifier: drf1924101801_2_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800