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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. A New YorV paper has this to say about yearlings: "The sytem of gathering yearlings that are to race at the big eastern meetings has very much changed within the last few years. Formerly the youngsters were sold at the farms where they were bred and the buyers were called npon to make extensive trips to pnrchase them. The largest sales were held at the extensive breeding farms in Kentucky, Tennessee and other states, and the millionaire or his agent was called npon to attend and do his baying. "Now tho procedure is entirely changed. The young things are brought to New York and disposed of at auction to the highest bidder.. This Bystem is much more admirable for the breeders, the buyer and the interest of the turf.- The breeder gets a better price, the purchaser is Bavid the trouble of. a trip to the farms, and as many are attracted to ealcB that often buy, new material is added to the turf every day. "J . B. Haggin was the first to conceive the idea of bringing yearlings to New York for market, and since the day that King Themes was sold for ffO.CCO, the big sales have always taken place in the vicinity of the metropolis. "The youngsters quartered at the Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Brighton Beach and Morris Park tracks are owned by such men of wealth as P. Belmont, J. E. Seagram, B. S. Brown, John Daly and others. They are in the hands of such expert trainers as A. J. Joyner, P. Wim-mer, FraDk McCabe, W. O. Bcullj and others A large number of them are engaged in many of the two-year-old claEsicB, to be run during tho coming season, and should- their present good condition be maintained, next years two-year-old racing should be first-claEB. "The Whitney string are wintering at West-bury, L.I. ; the Kicces.at the BiookdaleFarm, in New Jersy; the Fleischmann lot at East Millstone, N. J.; the extensive J. B. Haggin contingent at Monmouth Park; the A. Feather-etone string near Lexington, Ky., and the J. E. Madden lot at Hamburg Place, in tho same state. When the spring opers these cohorts of racers will move to the nearby tracks, and the courses will be taxed to the utmost limits to accommodate them." Bedferns rise illnstratee the sharp turns in the racing angle. Last season Dr. Bowell rode him a couple of time a and a couple of times he did not ride him, because the stewards requested him to find a better jockey. Whatever he iB cow, he wandb a bad rider then. But he has developed into a very clever lad for one who can ride at eighty pounds and will no doubt arn the salarj of 8,0C0 for two yearB which Colonel Pepper has agreed to pay him. San Francisco Examiner. The New York Bun of December 16 says: "Further improvements will be made at the Queens County Jockey Clubs track at Aqueduct, L. I. Last fall the track was greatly improved by a new grand stand, betting ring and clubhouse, but it is now the intention of the management to better the course itself, specially in widening the turn. The Queens County Jockey Club filed on Batarday with the Secretary of State a certificate of the increase of Its capital stock from ,C00 to 00,C00, which will enable the management to make the neceesary outlay. The certificate ia signed by Bobert A. Tucker, Joieph A. Beilly, David Holland, Walter P. Hampshire and D. Belli; ." Word comes from Lexington, Ky. , that John E. Madden, the noted turfman and proprietor of .Hamburg Place, has purchased from William Lakeland, of New York, the seven-year-old rbeetnat horse, Ogden, by Kilwarlln Oriole, by Ben dOr. The price is said to be in the neighborhood of 5,C0O. William Lakeland paid 56,000 for Ogden when he purchased him at tho Daly disposal Bale. Ogden won both the Futurity and Great Eastern stakes as a two-year-old, beating Ornament and winning live races of eiaht starts. Lakeland secured him, and last season he was again put in training, after having done stud duty, and landed Ave raca3, two on the same day. Ogden is expected to arrive at Lexington within the next ten days. Manager Bush, of the Crescent City Jockey Club, has iseued an order that no one would be allowed in the grand stand or betting ring with a sweater on. Such a sight as was witnessed the next day after the order went into effect was one never to be forgotten, for every stable hand and hustler was out with a boiled shirt and a collar, and some of them were pictures of abject misery. How Bush came to issue the order is a funny story. It seems that a hustler or tout played the switched ticket gag on a sucker. The sucker waslon, however, and told the tout thaChe would have to give up the ticket or he would call the police. The tout said "all right, get a policeman," and the sucker went away. :Tne tout was wearing a red-striped sweater, but it wbb a fake one eimi-liar to atdickey ehirt,!and as soon as the party went after the copperhe pulled it off and was resplendent in a white shirt front. When the sucker came with the copper he looked high and low for a man with a red-striped sweater, but there was none to be found. He picked out the right one, however, but couldnt positively identify. ;him, as he had no sweater on. The matter was brought to Manager Bushs attention, and the order barring sweaters came forth and worked a wonderful metamorphosis in the appearance of the hangers-on of the track. There is nofdepartment of the turf wherein a reform would belmore cordially welcomed than in the nomenclature of horses, and now, when owners are resting from the seasons racing, is an opportune time tojselect names for the two-year-olds which are to make their debut next year. Under the rule they must be named on or beforellthe first day of next March, and as that datejis nearly three months off it may occur to owners that thore is ample time to Belect names for" their youngsters, but another thought requiring their attention is the fact that thejrule prohibits the repetition of names, and it will be necessary to give considerable time to the subjtct in order to avoid repetitions and selectlnameB which will be appropriate. Brevity, euphony and, as often as possible, suggestion of breeding are the characteristics of a name which should always be sought for. The wildcat, nonsensical "system of nomenclature which has for some yearB been in vogue has be-comeia nuieanceand an eye-eoro to all parties interested! in racing. It frequently happens that a compound name may be made from sire and dam, or other ancestors, which is appropriate andsuggestive; but in the majority of caeeBiwhereinithia system has been adopted we have harshBounding, unpronounceable sobri-quets.fgratingtlto the nerves, whether speaking or writing! them, and the latter tussle with them iB especially Itantalicing. It very often happensithat the name of the sire or dam will suggest alkindred subject which would be appropriate for their offspring, Naming horses for persons is objectionable and should be avoided as much aspossible, for, while the owner may intend a compliment to his friend, the namesake may turn out such a worthless "skate" that the parson for whom it has been named: takes but little pleasure in the con- ooMTrirono cm foukth tabu. GOSSIP OF THE TTJBF. Oontinntd from Firit Fag. epicnity given his name as a type of worthlesa-nesa. No man would be ashamed of Buch a namesake as Luke Blackburn, but the mention of Jde Blackburn, his full brother, who was, perhaps, as worthless abrute as ever went to the post, would be anything bnt pleaBant to the gentleman whose name he carried. The selection of names is an art, and soma owners display a great deal of taste in christening their youngsters. While all owners may not possess the happy faculty, there are none whoee judgment will not be improved by giving proper thought to the subjict. It is to be hoped there will be an improvement in future nomenclature, and now is the time to think over the subject. Turf, Field and Farm.
