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OVERRACING TWO-YEAR-OLDS. Captain Thomas B. Merry is much opposed to the American custom of racing two-year-olds as early as tho month of January and in a recent letter says: "The two-year-olds on tho Pacific Coast certainly do get a great deal of hard usage, as they begin racing them early in January when moBt of them are yearlings. Tho worst case of this kind that I know of is that of Arabo, a greatly overgrown young-etor by Nomad Charm, by Cheviot, who was an April foal and yet was started no less than fourteen times before the twelfth day of that month in this year. He won twice, was four times second and once third. In the Gebhard Handicap, won by Gold Van, he ave five pounds to the winner and was beaten a short head, with High Chancellor, Honiton, Sylvia Talbot, Orfeo and Georgia West behind him. Arabos starting price was 25 to 1, the Chinn pair being the favorites. High Chancellor had won four times, onco second and three times third ; Honiton had won twice and been three times second ; Sylvia Talbot had won four times, was three times second and twice third ; Orfeo had won twice and been once second, and Georgie West had won three times and been once third. This does not seem so bad till you consider that Arabo was sixteen and one-half hands high before he went into training in December. In England, so large and growthy a colt would not bo started before the St. Leger meeting at Doncaster ; and in Australia he would not be called on to face the flag till he was three years old, at least. I certainly hope that there will be some steps taken to stop this greedy and cruel racing of yearlings for that is all they- are before tho 15th of May; and I would like it all the better if June was the earliest month in the year when they could be raced. The question that naturally suggests itself is, where ia this thing going to end? And will there not come a day when purses are offered for yearlings. "I am aware that many yearlings are taken up and tried at a quarter of a mile, in the east, before entering on the second year following the date of their foaling. Few of the great performers of Australia were trained at two. Melos, whom I always have believed to be the Lahercost of the South Continent, was not trained untill three, nor was that great little, black horse Commotion, tho only horse that ever won two races of threo miles below 5:27. Meerloolas, who won the Ha wkebury Autumn CONTINUED ON SECOND PAGE. OVERRACING TWO-YEAR-OLDS. Continued from First Page. Handicap and Sydney Cnp in 1898, was never trained till the fall ho was four; and it is doubtful, with all the great horses that Now South Wales has produced up to date, if she ever produced a more resolute finisher. Merman, the great Australian horse tbat was sent to England where he won the Cesarewith at five years old and the Ascot Cup at six, in addition to walking ovor for the Goodwood Cup, was broken but not started till he was three. Go to Mr. Whitneys La Belle farm and look at Yankee, Endurance by Right, and the other illustrious cripples in that barn all sacrificed to the American fashion of racing two-year-olds till they literally fall to pieces."
