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AMBITIOUS PROGRAM1 Liberal Stakes and Overnight Purses Offered at Fair Grounds. Will Open January 1, with New Years Handicap of ,000 as Feature Attraction. ; t NEW ORLEANS, Dc. SS. Only throe days of the Jefferson Park meeting remain and on Wednesday, the season which has -J been eminently successful will come to a t close. Thursday, New Years Day, the scene of racing will be transferred to the a Fair Grounds track for a period of forty- j seven days racing, coming to a termination February 24. Many improvements have been undertaken, at the Fair Grounds plant, chief of which is the installation of steam heat in the big grandstand and the palm garden, l other improvements" for the comfort of its t patrons have been made by the Business Mens Racing Association. The program that has been laid out for the meeting is the most ambitious ever at- 1 tempted at the local track and the liberal 1 stakes and overnight purses, will bring into daily action all of the high class horses sta- : bled at the track. It is expected that the field for the New Years Handicap of ,000 Added, the opening days stellar attraction, will comprise at least a dozen starters including Bradleys Toney, Elector, Wild i Aster. President, The Badger, Thimble. Red i Wingfield, Prince Tii Tii, Miss Meise. Leop- . nrdess, Rinkey. Ever Bold and Pirate Gold. The crack, handicap horse Donaghee is also among the probable starters. The distance of the race is one mile and sixteenth and an interesting contest is anticipated. LIST OF OFFICIALS. The stewards who will guide the destinies of the meeting: will be Joseph A. Murphy, II. P. Conkling, A. J. Stallings, C. W. Hay and J. T. Ireland. The latter two are now serving in similar capacities at Jefferson Park. Joseph McLennan and J. S. Ware will serve as placing judges, while AVilliam Hamilton, who is dispatching the fields in capable fashion at Jefferson Park, will be given another opportunity to display his skill as starter at the Fair Grounds. The other officials to serve are John Carey, paddock : and patrol judge; F. P. Dunne, timer, and Joseph McLennan, racing secretary. The directors of the Business Mens Racing Association struck a popular chord when i they decided to reduce the price of admission 1 to the Fair Grounds this season and their " move is bound to be reflected in greatly increased attendance. Under the new arrangement admission for men will be , while only 51 will be charged members of the fair sex, payment of war tax by patrons also has been 1 abolished. The present week will be marked 1 by the departure of a number of stables, - with Miami as their destination. The exodus 3 will begin Monday, when a number of small establishments will take their leave, but the majority will not go until after Jefferson 1 Park closes. WILLIE JIAItYEY SENSATION. It is estimated that approximately one hundred horses will be included in the exodus, J they can easily bo spared, and it would ! not hurt the local game were two hundred : more to leave. It is freely recognized that there are altogether too many horses here I for the limited opportunities for winning, purses. The Jefferson Park meeting has developed a new riding sensation in the person of Willie Harvey, whose saddle work has placed this apprentice in the front ranks of American riders. During the twenty-seven days of racing. Harvey has ridden 5 winners ; IT seconds and 19 thirds and is fifteen winning mounts ahead of D. Mergler, his nearest rival. The youngster is a younger brother of B. Harvey, riding for Gallaher Brothers and has been riding only about eighteen months. Born in England 17 years ago he was brought to Canada, the family settling in Hamilton, Ontario. Aisiting the track in that city he attracted the notice j of C. P. Winfrey, who immediately engaged him to gallop horses. In a short time the .. boy began to ride in races and he piloted his first winner last April at the United Hunts meeting at Belmont Park. The lads work after coming to New Orleans impressed Clyde Phillips of the Greentree Stable, and for a big price he secured first call on the boy up to the end of the year 1925. He is a modest and retiring youth and success has not turned his head. The only thing he has to fear is increased weight which may compel his retirement after brief, but brilliant career in the saddle. Pat Dunne has sold the six-year-old Fitz Herbert mare Canteen Girl, to J. P. Headley of Lexington, Ky., but will not ship the marc to her new owner until March first Mose Goldblatt has turned down an offer of ,500 for his three-year-old King Tut. The offer was made by C. A. Coyle, local turfman.
