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WINTER SEASON BEGINS TODAY AT FAIR GROUNDS : . Big Meeting in Prospect Because of Class of Stables Present Louisiana Derby, 2,000 Added, to Wind Up Meeting in March Star Horses and Riders to Compete Thanksgiving Handicap Opening Headliner 4 f NEW ORLEANS, La., Nov. 23. The longest single race meeting at any track in North America will get under way at the local Fair Grounds tomorrow when the Louisiana Jockey Club opens its annual winter meeting of 105 days or more. The tracks facilities are virtually taxed to their capacity with horses, many of them top-notchers, there are more than 100 jockeys on hand, a capable staff of officials is present, and with interest in the return of racing here running high, every indication is for a successful stand at the historic New Orleans course. The Louisiana Jockey Club this season has attracted more big stables than in some years, and with the handicap division well represented, the success of the numerous stakes and overnight features to be presented during the meeting is virtually assured. The first of these stakes, the sixteenth running of the Thanksgiving Handicap, a 2,000-added contest at a mile and seventy yards, has attracted a powerful array of racers, and its renewal tomorrow will give fans some idea of the caliber of sport they may expect as the meeting progresses. LOUISIANA DERBY. Besides the Thanksgiving Handicap, twenty-two other similar attractions are down for decision on the Saturdays and holidays of the 1938-39 season, which does not come to a close until late in March. The climatic event is the renewal of the Louisiana Derby, which tentatively is scheduled- for March 25. The Derby, which annually attracts a good field of three-year-olds, will carry a purse of 2,000 in added money, sufficiently attractive to draw horses from other winter racing points, as well as the best three-year-old developments of the Fair Grounds season. Some, of the other better-known stakes which again will be presented here during the winter are the Christmas Handicap, the New Years Handicap, the Martin Behrman Memorial Handicap, the Pontchartrain Handicap, the Rex Handicap, the Mardi Gras Handicap and the New Orleans Handicap. All these events have colorful backgrounds and their renewals will be watched with keen interest. THANKSGIVING HANDICAP. Commanding the immediate attention of racegoers, however, is tomorrows running of the Thanksgiving Handicap, which annually produces a thrilling contest and which should again this year. It drew not only a large field, but a well-matched one, and should prove a fitting feature for the inaugural program. Two former winners of the Thanksgiving Handicap, Mrs. E. H. Bartletts Zevson and R. A. Cowards Waxwing, are among the eighteen which are named for tomorrows running of the stake, the Bartlett performer having annexed the fixture in 19c j, and Wax-wing having been the hero o! last years renewal. Both these horses were frequent winners during the 1937-38 season and likely will have stanch following tomorrow. Zevson has been assigned 110 pounds, while Waxwing gets in under 101. Waxwing may Contiued on twenty-first page. WINTER SEASON BEGINS TODAY AT FAIR GROUNDS Continued from first page. perform as part of an entry with Upslala to strengthen the chances of the Coward stable, whose colors were prominent here during the meeting a year ago. Top weight was assigned to Mrs. A. M. Creechs Gato, which is being asked to shoulder 112 pounds on the strength of his record of nine victories in seventeen engagements during the current year. Likely to perform as a running mate with Gato is Shining Heels, winner of the Sheridan Handicap at Washington Park among other engagements. Two other establishments which named a pair for the Thanksgiving Handicap were C. E. Davison, who has the multiple stakes winner Chance Ray and Masterpiece, and G. Ft. Bryson, who entered T. J. Hills White Cockade and E. K. Brysons Carvola. Chance Ray, a stakes winner here last winter and triumphant in two added money events on the Chicago circuit last summer, is another of the high weights in tomorrows event, his assignment being 110 pounds. LIKELY CANDIDATES. Among other likely candidates for the Thanksgiving Handicap are Mrs. Vera Wyses Eastport, Mose Goldblatts Dnieper, James Emerys Taken, Mrs. C. C. Winters Catomar and G. B. McCameys Sangreal. Surrounding the Thanksgiving Handicap are six other races which engage strong fields, and the opening number, a contest of six furlongs for two-year-olds, brings out a fine band of youngsters. Some of these are Street Arab, Michigan Flyer and Bright, from among which the favorite may come. Three other six furlongs sprints and a pair of distance contests round out the well-balanced inaugural program. Next on the local stakes program comes the ,500 Dixie Handicap, a sprint of six furlongs, for horses of all ages, which is down for decision two days later on the first Saturday of the meeting. Thus in the space of three days local fans will have an opportunity to see many of the best routers and sprinters in action. Until the days become longer it will be the policy of the Louisiana Jockey Club to offer seven races daily, with another event likely, to be added daily when there becomes sufficient daylight. Post time for the first race will be 2 oclock. OFFICIAL STAFF. The racing here will be under the same capable supervision as in the past, with the sole exception of Fred Crafton, who is to serve here as placing judge for the first time. Placing the horses with him will be Cliff Abbo and R. A. Leigh, Jr., and to help them in deciding close finishes the Thomas camera again will be in operation. The stewards are T. C. Bradley, J. T. Ireland and R. A. Leigh, Sr., who also serves as racing secretary and handicapper, while John Morrissey again will officiate on the starters platform. Thomas V. Craven and Frank M. Otis are the patrol and paddock judges. Among the nationally prominent stables which are to take part in the local meeting are those of E. K. Bryson, Joe W. Brown, Mrs. A. M. Creech, C. E. Davison, Mrs. E. H. Bartlett, R. A. Coward, Anthony Pelle-teri, F. P. Letellier, Mose Goldblatt, Mrs. C. C. Winters, Mrs. J. A. Nix, P. T. Chinn, Frank Seremba, A. B. Letellier, "Butsey" Hernandez, State Senator E. A. Martin, N. L. Naylor, Mrs. M. M. Johr, G. B. McCamey, R. B. George, Mrs. Edward Haughton, C. Troutt, L. J. Marks, Mrs. I. H. Parke, Leo Beyda and Frank Abbate. PROMINENT RIDERS. Some of the jockeys who will be seen in silks are such capable apprentices and journeymen as Leon Haas, W. L. Johnson, Charles Charlton, Willie Page, Willie Cassi-ty, Hubert Le Blanc, R. L. Vedder, Jimmy Bowen, C. Mojena, P. Ryan, Joe Cowley, P. McLean, H. Hauer, T. P. Martin, J. Marrero, Harold West, M. Knight, K. Greever, E. Ro-bart, R. Eccard, J. Rosen, N. Spine, J. Mar-inelli, Euclid Le Blanc, J. Molbert, R. Con-ley, D. Castille, R. Finnerty, W. McCadden, E. Dew, F. Grill, W. Cornay and Earl Pool. Besides attracting such a galaxy of thoroughbreds and riding talent, the Louisiana Jockey Club has expended considerable money to beautify the naturally scenic plant and to make a number of improvements designed for the comfort of patrons. What will probably have a stimulating effect on attendance is the new handicap rating contest in which daily prizes of 00 will be offered and Saturday and holidays prizes of 00. The contest is open to everyone except members of the accounting firm which will act as the sole judge and winners are to be decided on a point system, sixty points for the selection of a winner, thirty for second and ten for a choice running third. BIG FIELD NAMED. I A field of eighteen has been named to take part in tomorrows running of the ,000 added Thanksgiving Handicap, feature of the inaugural program of the Louisiana Jockey Clubs 1938-39 winter season. The horses, together with post positions, weights and probable jockeys, follow: PP. Horse. Wt. Jockey. 1 gCarvola 103 E. Dew 2 Rich Cream 99 T. Atkinson 3 tShining Heels... 103 R. Conley 4 Eastport 108 ..J. Cowley 5 Dnieper 105 ....J. Bowen 6 fGato 112 D. Castille 7 Taken 102 E. Maloney 8 JUpslala 97 9 Orinoco. 105 W. Cornay 10 Adolf 92 W. McCadden 11 Sangreal 104 D. Scurlock 12 Warlaine .101 E. Robart 13 Masterpiece .102 E. Franklin 14 Catomar 104 T. Meloche 15 Chance Ray 110 H. Hauer 16 Zevson 110 C. Mojena 17 White Cockade.. 106 E. Dew 18 TWaxwing 101 tMrs. A. M. Creech entry; JR. A. Coward entry; T. J. Hill and E. K. Bryson entry; C. E. Davison entry.
