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SPRINTERS IN LIMELIGHT Fast Track Prevails for First Time in Three Weeks. Jefferson Park Entertains Usual Saturday Half -Holiday Crowd Whitneys Chimney Sweep Wins. NEW ORLEANS, La., Jan. 2. The program today, largely due to the pointing of all of the "better grade racers for the New Years Handicap, which featured yesterdays racing, was one of the most ordinary for a Saturday offered during the Jefferson Park meeting. But the return of fast footing, the first in three weeks, and clear, balmy weather, sufficed to lure out the usual large half holiday throng. Track superintendent Placide Frigerio had the course at its best and horses best suited by the firmer going swept the boards. A majority of the successful horses had not previously triumphed during the meeting and the absence of fast track form on many of the starters had the players somewhat puzzled, yet the volume of play compared with the busiest Saturday of the season. Following the New Years day racing, in which horses with a penchant for distance were in the ascendancy, sprinters moved into the limelight today with four of the seven races over three-quarters. The sprints included the Culver Military Academy Claiming Purse, fifth on the program, and won by C. V. Whitneys Chimney Sweep, making his first start of the winter. With the sort that opposed him here, he cantered to victory by six lengths in the good time of 1:13 and had plenty to spare. Gilbert Elston had the mount on the shifty five-year-old. Second money fell to Elizabeth Bolla in an interesting finish with Wise Seller, which led in the field of eight to the stretch, Where the winner soon supplanted him. IRONSIDES DISAPPOINTS. From a poor start Annapolitan snowed a good effort to finish fourth, while Ironsides failed to provide the contention expected of him and Homer L. was always outpaced by the more successful participants. The result marked the first favorite triumph, the Whitney gelding coming in for strong backing. Apprentice Melvin Lewis, who bobbed back into the spotlight during the afternoon, rode his second winner when he piloted Brinkley to an easily attained victory over Dim Ray, Yalovian and eight others in the sixth race. This was the fourth and last of the sprints and the running found the victor far too much for his rivals after the first furlong had been negotiated. Dim Ray, Yalovian and Sir John K. were closely grouped at the finish, where Dim Ray defeated Yalovian by a head for second money. A. Pelleteri furnished the winner of the opening race, which tested twelve three-year-olds at six furlongs in Dear Nanette, a maiden daughter of Noah. She won by a short length after a hard contest, while Efjaybe narrowly outstayed Blow Fly for second place. Efjaybe was the more popular of the participants, while those who backed the winner came in for a good dividend. HEAD AND HEAD DUEL. During much of the dash the winner and Becky E. put on a head and head duel for the lead and it was only in the final eighth that Becky E. tired and the winner, after drawing clear, was briskly ridden out by M. Rose, who took no chances with Efjaybe, Blow Fly and Big Blue. Efjaybe was a strong factor throughout, while Blow Fly closed much ground after being outrun to the stretch. Overboard, making his first start under the colors of E. E. Major, disappointed a big following with a dull performance in the second race, also contested at three-quarters. He failed to prove a factor at any time and stuggled home far back of the leaders in the field of twelve. Shackelford, the winner, dominated the running from start to finish and registered by four lengths over Bernice Van, which supplanted Patricia Clare in the runner-up position when within a few strides of the finish. Wildolive was fourth. The winner was ridden by the veteran J. McCoy in the W. A. Hanger silks. Vagabond, the Volta gelding which races for L. Pope, proved somewhat better than rated when he decisively defeated Troll, Harpoon and nine others in the third race, Continued on twenty-third page. SPRINTERS IN LIMELIGHT Continued from first page." over one mile and a sixteenth. Under an alert, smooth and well-judged ride by Harold Tinker, the victor made every post a winning one and got away with the honors without much effort. In the late stages and at the finish he held a margin of three lengths over Troll, which outstayed Harpoon by a length. The latter two were strong factors throughout and the well backed Play Bird and Oh Yeah were never in the thick of the race. The latter was eased after being badly knocked about in the run to the first turn, while Play Bird was unable to show her best speed. W. L. Hoag saddled the winner of the fourth race in Gettin Even, the Blazes four-year-old which he trains for P. H. Krick of Chicago. Gettin Even was an easy winner under a good ride by Mel Lewis, with Vanquish second and Make Believe third. Both the latter two came through encouragingly when put under pressure in the final three-eighths, but the winner proved far too good for them and was never in danger after he rushed past Miss Onine Into the lead on the last turn. Sun Friar, favorite, and Chip, a bad post actor, became badly entangled in the run to the first turn, where Sun Friar was forced into the inner rail. When clear Sun Friar declined to put much effort into his running, with the result that he was badly beaten. George Perry has taken over King Cherokee, Red Tarn and Trying to train, succeeding his brother Frank, owner of King Cherokee and Red Tam. Ben Walters, well-known horseman, was an arrival from Latonia. Walters, unemployed at this time, may be engaged by one of the larger stables here
