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GOSSIP OF THE" TURF. Discussing the Saratoga meeting, which ends today, August Belmont a day or so ago said : "We have not seen crowds of higher quality around New York even in the last ten years. The steadiness and strength of the attendance has been a great surprise to me. I hardly thought it possible that so many people interested in racing could be attracted to Saratoga. These big crowds are a flattering tribute to the men who have managed the meeting. I am convinced that the Saratoga plant is destined to become one of the most valuable racing properties in the United States. It will grow in value year by year. Saratoga is already a most attractive place for a race meeting, but it will be more and more attractive as Mr. Whitney and his associates carry forward the plans of improvement they have under consideration. There is no fear that any of their plans may fall through. They are the most energetic and enterprising men in the sport and do not know how to fail. The racing this year has been brisk and interesting and commendably free from scandal. There has been some complaint as to rough riding, but nothing more serious. Oar metropolitan associations will have to bestir themselves to keep up at the pace Saratoga has cut out. We shall be well satisfied at Morris Park if we hold our own." One of the most important deals in thoroughbred horses which has been made in Kentucky for years has just been conducted by Nat W. Halstead as executor for S. P. Lancaster, deceased, selling to Ben Johnson six of the highest bred mares and several foale by their sides that can be found in the United States The mares sold to Mr. Johnson are: Znma, the dam of five stake winners, including Marion C, which beat Kingston at Chicago. Linnie, by Macduff Linnie Lewis, by Oliver, she out of the celebrated Sallie Lewis, by Glencoe. Linnie has made herself famous by throwing Cleo-phus and two other stake winners. Linetzin, by Harry O Fallon Linnie. This is a young mare, but her foals are promising indeed. Included in the lot is the great Cleophus herself, which started forty-five times in her two and three-year-old form, finishing first twenty-five times, second eleven, and third nine times, winning nearly 0,000. This mare is 161 hands high, deep through the heart, with big barrel and wide hips, and is pronounced by experts to be the most perfectly built brood mare in the country. In the lot is also a three-year-old untried filly by St. Julien Linetzin, which is said lo have worked a half mile recently in 47 seconds with a heavy stable boy up. The foals now with the mares are by Top Gallant and the mares are again with foal to him. These mares are the most direct descendants living of the great brood mare Sallie Lewis, which is conceded by all horsemen to be a groat brood mare. Sam P. Lancaster spent fifty years of his life building up a first class thoroughbred family, and the mares purchased by Mr. Johnson are tho best results of his efforts, Tho exact price paid has not been given out, but it is known to be many thousand dollars. The Thoroughbred Record. 411 of the horses, except two, that were recently disposed of at tho Mackay and Bennington sales, have been victorious. Kilogram has won three straight races for L. Watorbury; Mary McCafferty has taken one for Mason and Burlew; C. R. Ellisons Skilful captured the Unitod States Hotel Stakes ; Acefull carried J. E. Maddens colors to the front the other day, and Lady Albercraf t won the Kentucky Stakes for L. V. Bell, who, judging from tho odds, did not bet heavily on the filly. J. E. Madden has registered with the Messrs. Weatherby the names of his yearlings that aro engaged in various English stakes in 1903 and 1901, as follows : St. Valentine II., b. c, by Himyar Bracelet. Abdell, b. c, by Plaudit Nahma. Panique, b. c, by Plaudit Setfast. Alliance II., b. c, by Isidor Greenwich. Dimple II., b. f, by Mirthful Myrtle Harkness. Raglan II., b. f, by Plaudit Royal Gun. Applause III., b. f, by Plaudit Pearl Thorn. Lumax, ch. f, by Mirthful Llandrinio. The Kentucky Association track at Lexington, tho oldest race course in America, will soon pass into tho hands of J. B. Haggiu, the millionaire breeder and turfman. Mr. Haggins agents surveyed the place Monday, and Charles Griens attorney has put the place in shape for the transfer. Mr. Greon was in Cincinnati a few days ago and met an agent of Haggins, and the deal closed. Just what Mr. Haggin will do with the track is a matter of guesswork. Some believe he will use it as a private training ground for his big Btable, while others think he may emulate William C. Whitneys example and revive racing at Lexington as Whitney has done at Saratoga. His agents decline to discuss the matter. The consideration is not known, but Groen has been holding out for 5,000. While Advance Guard has been beaten repeatedly in handicaps in which ho has been called upon to make prodigious concessions to animals of greater speed, he has more than held his own in the weight-for-ago races. Ho has started in four of them and won three the Jockey Club weight-for-age race, one mile and a quarter, at Morris Park : the Standard, ono mile and a half, at Gravesend, and the: Saratoga Cup, one mile and three-quarters, at Saratoga. He was boaten by Gold Heols in the Advance at Sheepshead Bay, but did not start against the stout little son of The Bard Heel and Toe in the Brighton Cup, two miles and a quarter, at tho Beach. If he had he would no doubt have wiped out tho Advance score. Gold Heels fell lame in the Cup nearly a quarter of a mile from the finish. No lame horse could beat Advance Guard this year, even if he had tho whirlwind speed of Salvator and the unfaltering courage of Luke Blackburn. Concerning the formidable horses composing the McLeweo and Brady string, Morniog Telegraph of Tuesday says : "Major Daingerfield is receiving a special preparation for the 5,000 Century Stakes, one mile and a half, and 5,000 Champion Stakes, two miles and a quarter, run at Sheepshead Bay on September 6 and 13, respectively. Luck and Charity, by Hanover Bonita Belle, is also one of the McLewee and Brady candidates for these races, but, like Gold Heels, thiB colt will not He raced this fall. "In tho Century and Champion Stakes Major Daingerfield may meet Prince of Melbourne, Tom Kenny, Blues, Douro, Maid of Harlem, Zoroaster, and perhaps tho Keeno four-year-old, Disguise II , to say nothing of Hyphen, Cunard, Gold Cure, Old England and others of his own age". At 115 pounds in the shorter race and 112 in the longer, Major Daingerfield looks to havo chances second to none. He is just at present doing all his trainer has required, a mile and a half in 2:10 being the fastest he has been asked thus far. "Hindred, the Hanover Mildred three-year-old, will also be started for the McLewee colors at Sheepshead. While for two-year-olds the stable will rely on the full sister to Gold Heols, the filly Bosalind ; Anne Hathaway, which is a full sister to The Rhymer, and Prince of Arragon, by The Bard Northminster. "These three two-year-olds by The Bard are promising youngsters, and McLewee and Brady may purchase the entire crop of yearlings by The Bard now at Chestorbrook, Pa , nine in number. They have an option on the bunch. A year ago McLewee and Brady purchased all the yearlings by The Bard, eleven in number, and have had no reason to regret the transaction."
