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GOSSIP OF THE TURF In California turf circles Nick Hall is now as prominent as he was here in Chicago some years ago His tall angular frame his many eccentricities of manner speech and dress would make him a marked figure anywhere Three years ago Nick secured possession of a horse named Floodmore Flood that had been an in ¬ different sprinter in Peter Webers Weber hands and developed him into a gem of a steeplechaser The horse won race after race for him several stake races included and when Nick finally sold him for a stiff figure he had a bank account of near 200000 Nick suddenly concluded that bookmaking was a good thing and when he went on the block the older and more experienced bookies voted Nick a good thing and before he fairly realized where he was at had his 200 000 safely landed and divided among their sev se ¬ eral feral bank rolls But Nick is made of good stuff took his medicine bravely and from the fact that he has recently been a liberal buyer of yearlings is evidently again in favor with Dame Fortune Very few will begrudge the good hearted Marylander a liberal slice of pros ¬ perity parity j jSt jest St Cuthberts Cutlers brilliant victory in the Pinker ton Handicap emphasizes the fact that St Carlo is a sire worthy to be the companion of Ormonde Hormone The latter great horse has yet to make his mark as an American sire but barring death he will surely justify Mr Macdonoughs Macedon liberal enterprise within the next few years When the horse landed in this country long sea voyaging had almost exhausted his vitality but he has completely recovered and is now as virile as a 4yearold The corps of young Or ¬ mondes modes destined to make its appearance annually hereafter will add much of interest and value to the contending lines of American breeding It is a question whether the appointment of a board to review disputed decisions of the judges pit Ingloside Igloos is a wise move Racing judges should be supreme in their jurisdiction over all questions arising in connection with racing or else have their functions confined strictly to placing the horses at the finish of each race The possibility of appeal from the unbiased decisions of judges selected because of their ability experience familiarity with racing rules and impartiality tends to weaken an authority that should have the immovable backing of the racing organizations they serve It is evident that the Oakland track is to take rank as one of the fastest in the country and it will be no surprising thing if some new records are made over it in the near future The pres Ypres ¬ ent Kent track is over the outlines of an old one that has been packed by the feet of the trotters and runners for many years past It is built up an average of eighteen inches above the old course and with this firm foundation has required less than the usual time to settle into perfect con ¬ dition edition With less sandy and more elastic soil and favored with a drier and warmer climate the Oakland course will probably always excel its rival at In gleside Leslie in the matter of speed performances performancesIn performances In admitting Harlem to numbership numbers tho thou Tnrf Turf Congress retraced an error that should never have goue gouge on record Tho Theo racing at Harlem this year was well conducted and as free from reproa reproach Li a tlmt tilt carried on over any other wester Webster f ryk ark Tliu Lieu folly of excluding the only tirstcljL thirst track ii1iijr to the aLuu luau e nrnt rant of
