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THE SARATOGA MEETING. The always popular Saratoga meeting begins Monday, August 4, with bright prospects of good racing in which many good western horses will clash with theeastern racing stars. The program book of the meeting is out and is one to elicit hearty approval. The big stakes are, of course, mostly guaranteed events,as the association, which has practically a population of only twenty-five thousand from which to draw its attendance, could hardly afford to add from ,000 to 0,000 to its stakes. Added money to the overnight races compares favorably with that of the metropolitan tracks, with a population of five million to look for support. There are one hundred and five overnight races in the program book, which covers twenty-two days racing. Of these sixty-eight have 00 added, thirty-three have 00, and four have 00, making the average for the overnight purses about 50. The stakes have all filled well, and the names of the best eastern and western horses are to be found in the lists of the important events. Prominent among the names of .those who have heretofore confined their operations almost exclusively to the west are George C. Bennett, John A. Drakei G- A. Davis, who owns Articulate: Burlingame Stock Farm C. B. Ellison and others. The added money stakes will be of sufficient value to attract good fields of first-class material. For instance, the Troy, ajstake for two-year-olds, with only ,000 added, will, with ten starters, be worth in the neighborhood of ,500 to the winner. Some of the selling races are framed so that good horses can get in at weights ranging from 105 to 110 pounds and at a price somewhere near their real value. This will have the effect of bringing good horses together at a weight arrangement that assures sparkling contests. The jumpers are well taken care of. There are four stakes for horses of this class, as well as several overnight Jpurses.I which include races Jfor qualified hunters, to be ridden by gentlemen riders. All told, the book offers greatpromise to those who will take partin the meeting. Concerning the present condition of the track and its appointments a recent dispatch to Morning Telegraph says : "The Saratoga Associations racing plant as it stands today, barring the finishing touches, looks perfect. The establishment is most presentable" in every way, and emphasizes the complete success of the brains, money and skill which Shave combined tomake it the greatest racing resort of which the country can boast. "It is the Ascot of America. The grandstand in.its present rejuvonated form, under the guidance ofthe expert that constructed it close tojforty years ago, is ample, commodious and an impressive structure. The view from it exposes, aside from the track itself, a beautiful relief of landscape, full of.ilawn, verdure and rolling hills. In addition to the grandstand, which originally was 600 feet in length, now is 780. there have been many other improvements. Thelunsightly board fence that hid the woodsand driveslfrom view has been replaced by a smaller iron enclosure, through which a perfect viewcan be had, as at Sheepshead Bay. of a parkjthatjis at once restful and inviting. "From a racing point of view the improvements have bean stupendous. The old WalbaunC villa, that nostled in a grove behind the grandstand, has been completely changed and smartened up. There the secretary and his clerks have their offices, and there also is the weighing room and the jockeys accommodations. "In the jockeys room there are twenty-eight dressing apartments, and that number of riders can be accommodated at the same time to prepare for the big fields that are expected. The track itself has undergone immeasureable improvements. Its enlargement has been great and the old course seems to be in the center of it. This is very puzzling to the old timers who have seen it. "It is in the track that, in the opinion of the horsemen, the highest perfection of this fine establishment has been reached, and they are outspoken in their praises. The main track is a mile and a furlong, laid out much on the lines of Sheepshead Bay. Besides the main track there is a mile chute and a seven furlong one. The mile chute is admirably situated, both from a horsemans and a sightseers view. The start is on the right of the grandstand, as at Sheepshead Bay, in full view of the occupants of the stand, where the maneuvers of the horses at the post can be plainly seen. "The seven furlong chute is a beautiful course. From the start, which is nearly opposite the grandstand, a great stretch of straight track is covered, and after a turn the field comes home over another beautiful piece of straight going. " The number of horses that have been here for several weeks past, owing to the heavy rains, have had a restful time. Nothing fast has been permitted, and they have had the full benefit of the climate. The W. C. Whitney string, under the charge .of. J.. E. Jiladden, today was, .shown to 4pg-ging exercise. Yankee, Blue Girl, Gunfire, King Hanover and others were shown. Endurance by Bight got easy exercise on the roads."
