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Here and There on the Turf Fair Grounds Stand. Old Timers Day. How the Horse Wears. -Need for Skull Caps. With the opening of the long meeting at the "Fair Grounds at New Orleans, the season begins New Years Day, it would appear that all is in readiness for the most notable racing ever conducted over that famous old racing ground. Never have there been such elaborate preparations made for he sport and never has there been the same care In the comfort of patrons of winter sport. The inclosing of the grandstand in glass and the installing of a steam .heating system is a big thing and one for which Edward R. Bradley and the reconstructed club is to be commended. Those who have never raced at New Orleans might wonder at the need for an inclosed stand .and the steam heat in that latitude, but any -who have can tell of the importance of this to make certain the comfort of those who race through the winter months. New Orleans on occasions experiences decidedly cold weather when there will be every use for these pro-Icting and heating provisions. It has been necessary to postpone the races by reason of the stress of weather and that will explain just why the inclosed stand and the steam heat belong. Of course, it is usual that ths stand will be thrown open and there will be no need for the heat, but it is a wise expenditure to !havc bath the inelosing windows and the heat for the days that protection from inclement weather is needed. As far as the sport is concerned the liberality of the association has brought on a better lot of horses than ever before and ths 5,000 !Ncw Orleans Handicap in itself has set a new xecord for winter racing in the southern city. The Fair Grounds meeting will find many ."horses hard and fit from campaigning at Jef-ierson Park, while several others that have been reserved for the coming season have had :niple time to be fitted for what is to be offeretL It is usual that the winter racing brings together many horses of mature age. Some of thtm began their racing careers among the best and they finally drifted back until they ;reached the plater division and were destined to race almost continually to earn a living. Tiut some of these old timers, even though they 3iavc accomplished little in a racing way, have tended to show that after all the American thoorughbrcd wears well" and is by no means through when he completes his four-year-old -campaign. At Jefferson Park Friday there was only one three-year-old. Snow Maiden, returned winder of a race in which older horses were eligible. Perplexity, a six-year-old, was winner over Whirlwind, a four-year-old, and Orlova, .a seven-year-old, was third. There were several three-year-olds in this field and not one of them cut any figure. Thimble scored a sensational victory and she 5s six year old and two years older than any that opposed her in the race. Doctor Jim, jiow seven, was first and Gem, a six-year-old, were first and second in another race and Knights Bridge, a four-year-old, won his thirtl consecutive purse. At Havana, the same day, the old timers lhat were first home were Star Court and End Man, each seven years old, and Awning, reaching the end of his fifth year. At Tijuana, Cuba, the winner of the opening race, is a seven-year-old. Dr. Johnson, just beaten by the two-year-old Yuban, is a nine-year-old. Jack Ledi, winner of the third, is a six-ycar-oltL No Wonder, which scored in the fourth, is a nine-year-old, and it was a nine-year-old, Brazos, that was chasing him home. Barriskane and She Devil, first and second in the fifth, are respectively a five-year-old and an eight-year-old. In the sixth, Cano, a three-year-old, just beat Blarney Stone, a six-year-old. In the seventh Wedding Prince and Tingling,, the ones to be first and second, were five and six years old, respectively, and the last race of the day saw Miss Emma G., a five-year-old, the winner. Not so bad for one day of racing for the old folks, and a showing to indicate that the American thoroughbred wears fairly we!L While all four of the riders that fell at ; Jefferson Park Friday escaped really serious injury, it was an accident that again impresses the importance of the fibre skull caps for jockeys. It was a source of wonder that four horses and four boyg should be piled up and all come clear, with the most serioti3 injury a" broken nose to one of the riders, and just how there were not broken heads and broken skulls is hard to understand. Broken limbs may be mended, but a broken or fractured skull is an altogether different injury. These protecting skull caps, that are used by several riders, and particularly those who ride in steeplechases, have on frequent J occasions prevented a fractured skull, and it would be well if every association would insist that riders have this protection in races. Edward It. Bradley was pne of the first sportsmen in this country to equip his jockeys with this skull cap. Mr. Bradley brought his skull caps from Australia and, always progressive, was quick to see the need for such a head protection for riders. The Maryland Jockey Club at Pinilico also bought several of the caps, of various sizes, for the use of such riders as desired them. For the most part it was steeplechase jockeys that wore the caps, but same of the flat-riding jockeys realized the importance of this head protection and they. always wear the caps. It is doubtful if any of the riders now at New Orleans, or any cf the. other winter racing grounds, have skull caps, but it would be a wise move if the associations follow the lead of the Maryland Jockey Club and obtain a supply for the use of the riders. What would ;go well with this innovation would be the issuing of a track rub compelling the us3 of ! the caps. They are of no discomfort to the jockeys, and the protection that is offered in ! falls makes them an essential addition to equip-iaeut.
