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THE TURF NEEDS MORE GELDINGS. Are geldings more useful as racehorses than stallions is a question which has often been dis-cussed, and, though it may seem a trite subject to revive, it is, nevertheless, interesting, in that it brings up many pleasant reminiscences of the turf when unsexed horses were more prominent than in late years. The mention of the names of Parole, Monitor, Checkmate, Barnnra, Bootjack, Drake Carter, Warflold,Crickmore,Strathmeath, Sir Hugh, Raceland and Banquet will suggest racing careers that make strong arguments in favor of a more frequent use of the knife. Each of the above-named horses was on the turf a good number of years, and in their day were brilliant performers. It is a fact that geldings are easier to train, and, being more quiet, there is not that great strain on the nerves and sinews which is against the stallions, and renders their lives on the tnrf, as a rule, shorter than those of geldings. Again, the gelding process would tend to curtail the breeding of "weeds" and thus eventually -be a great benefit to racing, as well as an improvement of the breedlof horses. Every two-year-old colt which, under favorable conditions does not show merit should be gelded, for, while performance is not always a guarantee of a successful stud career, it is, nevertheless, a very powerful element to be considered in estimating the worthiness of horses to be patronized for breeding purposes. If a horse has not himself high class racing qualities it is not likely that he can transmit them to his progeny, for the foundation stone of breeding is the theory that like produces like. The rule, however, is not infallible, for there are many first class racehorses which proved failures in the stud, and the converse of the proposition, that horses of little merit on the turf sometimes proved successful sires is equally true, yet in the general lottery of breeding all favorable chances must be taken advantage of, and there is certainly a stronger probability of good results from a horse which has a record, backed, of course, by proper breeding. The gelding of Parole, Monitor and others has been looked on as a misfortune to breeding, but the question, would they have been as great performers if they had been left entire, is a proposition in rebuttal of the misfortune idea. They might or might not, but it is certain that they could have been no better, with a strong probability that they might not have been so good. In view of the present status of the thoroughbred pedigree in this country in consequence of inbreeding and commingling of the various fashionable families, almost every horse which appears on the turf has a good enough lineage to breed to, but, in making a choice, high class performance should be a sine qua non and all which do not come up to a proper standard after a fair tiial should be "added to the list." Many horses are improved by gelding and become useful racehorses, or they can be relegated to other purposes for which they would otherwise be of no value. If more colts were gelded and maies which have never produced racehorses were put to breeding other styles of horses and mules the thoroughbred interests of the country would be greatly benefited and the racetrack stables would not be filled with a lot of worthless "crabs" of no use whatever except to furnish a claim to a badge of admission to the track for trainers who handle them.
