view raw text
LOUISIANA TURF SITUATION Racing Starts on Thanksgiving Day Cattarinich Negotiates for Fair Grounds. NEW ORLEANS, La., Aug. 23 There still appears to be some element of doubt about the winter racing season. The doubt is in the number and the duration of the meetings. But one question has been answered for New Orleans in the declaration of Joseph Cattarinich that Jefferson Park would positively begin its season Thanksgiving Day. There had been various rumors that the sport would not begin at New Orleans until Christmas Day, but there will be the usual opening, which, for several seasons has had a few days of conflict with the closing of the Maryland season at Bowie. And in the meantime doubts are expressed as to just what sport will be offered at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. It is known that Cattarinich interests have been endeavoring to buy control of that racing property, which would give them both of the New Orleans courses, but thus far Edward R. Bradley, virtual owner of the Fair Grounds, has made no sale. Mr. Bradley made over the Fair Grounds to one of the most beautiful race courses at a tremendous outlay, and the racing was carried on with such liberal prizes that it has never been a paying venture. Season . after season losses have been taken and, though there was some retrenchment, the Bradley idea of racing could not be made to pay its way through the winter. It is known that Mr. Bradley was disappointed, and that he now has taken over an interest in the Miami Jockey Club, at Hialeah Park. This lends color to the rumor that he would sell his New Orleans interests if the offer was to his liking. Then still one more angle to the New Orleans situation is the fact that Mr. Bradley has turned over the services of Joseph McLennan, his Fair Grounds racing secretary, to Joseph E. Widener and the Miami Jockey Club. There is no more accomplished racing secretary than McLennan, and if Mr. Bradley had the same hopes for New Orleans that he had when he transformed the Fair Grounds he never would have surrendered such an official. But what is of importance to horsemen is the duration of the winter racing, and the fact that New Orleans is to have such an early start will doubtless induce many to ship their thoroughbreds there in the fall. . . "
