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i EYES OF TURF WORLD Already Being Focused on Coming Fair Grounds Meeting. Expect Greatest in History of the Sport in Crescent City Of Benefit to Jefferson Park. NEW ORLEANS, La., Dec. 21. With the Jefferson Park meeting mere than two-thirds over, eyes "of the racing wcrld are already beginning to focus on the coming Fair Grounds meeting, which has all the earmarks of being the greatest in the history of the Crescent City. Much is being expected of it. .Tli3 interest is not alone local, !he whole country is awaiting what is generally termed the new racing era. If it does not come up to expectations it will not be due to the zeal of the new infusion of ownership. Messrs. Schleider, Bradley and Sullivan are now in control and have been lavish in expenditure? to meet their ideas for the comfort of racing patrons here, tho conduct of the sport, the financial end accruing to owners and desire to bring here the best in winter racing by large stake and purse offerings. The Jefferson Tark meeting has benefited through the Fair Grounds measures, the concentration of the better class horses and the influx of more visitors at this season of the year, has caused an increased attendance to be on hand at the Shrewsbury course. The crowds have been larger compared to former years. There has never been much financial gain recorded for the track at its first meeting. It has always been the history of New Orleans, even in the old days when purses were of C0 value, that the month of December was unyielding in profit to the track. There has been improvement since the days when the Fair Grounds was oper-! ated by the Bush-Renaud-Johnson regime. Tho later advent of the Bryan-OHara control into the racing field at Jefferson Tark helped to stabilize racing matters here. But it was a case of save and general financial caution to prevent a deficit during the December session. TO ADVANTAGE OF HORSEMEN. The taking over of the Jefferson track by Robert S. Eddy, Jr., and his associates has helped considerably, made it more profitable for owners too, as seven races are now in vogue where only six formerly was the order. The prnses also have been increased. The Jefferson Park track, however, will not show any profit at the end of this meeting, though the deficit will be small, if one is recorded. While the visitors arc more numerous than forme i Iy at this time of the season, the betting activities are not so slartingly large. There has been some improvement during the last week though and an average of thirty-six layers have found the play here ample. It has not been a profi table session for the public, or at least those who have a penchant for playing favorites. Choices have been downed regularly. There have been many false favorites. The one man opinion is not infallible. Frequently the price-maker that the layers depend on as a guide has been off in his- judgment. With tho continuous arrivals and heavy influx after the holidays the play will increase voluminously and at least fifty layers are expected to be on at the Fair Grounds. This will still be short of the numbers plying their vocation on occasions in former seasons. In connection with ring operations it is worthy of mention that an offer of ,500 daily for the ring privilege was turned down by the Fair Grounds. The reason for turning down this .handsome amount was the desire for the public welfare and to keep the ring open on a competitive basis. A feature of the present racing is the steady increase in the jockey ranks of "home talent." Most of the successful riders here, particularly the kindergarten brigade; are "home boys." Harvey, Swanson, the Mooneys, the Corconans, . Babin and a host of others are all natives cf this city, have their homes here and their parents are also residents of New Orleans.
