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EASTERN RACING GOSSIP. " It was reported at Morris Park yesterday that the members of the State Racing Commission had been informe4 by persons identified with the administration at Albany that in view of the heavy betting operations that have been going on at race track b in this state it would be advisable to take measures to curtail speculation in future as much as possible. It was farther stated that the Bacing Commission had sent a communication . to The Jockey Club to this effect and that the i stewards of the latter body will, from now on, , frown on all such operations as those conducted by the Big Store, the name given to the book conducted . by Joe Ullman and Kid Weller. While The i Jockey Club never has openly recognized betting r . i , . i r atfmetropolitan tracks, it will be an easy matter to control affairs in the various betting rings through the medium of the racing associations which let out the privileges to the bookmakers," says the New York Sun of Wednesday. "Witfi;20,000 persona at the WestchesterItrack yesterday there was not a sign of disorder until the races were over. Then there was a fight in the rear of the grandstand which caused considerable excitement. The participants were jockey Landry and a horse owner named Van Praag. The latter cornered Lantry near the main entrance and proceeded to rain blows on the jockeys face, at the same time yelling: " If you do not stop talking to my wife, Ill kill you ! "When bystanders separated the combatants, Landry had a black eye and a bleeding mouth. The jockey immediately hunted ud Robert Pinker-ton and wanted to have Van Praag arrested. Pinkertbn advised the jockey to go before the stewards of the meeting today and prefer charges against his assailant. "Grey Friars victory in the first part of the Matron Stakes was decidedly popular. Those who study past performances did not let the son of St. George Una B. get away from them. It was at Saratoga that Grey Friar demonstrated the fact that he is one of the best two-year-olds of the yeandr. He first started in a dash of five and a half furlongs on August 6, and with 107 pounds he disposed of Catechise and Glennevis. He started on August 13 in the Troy Stakes and was second to the winner, Plater, finishing in front of an excellent field. Grey Friar won the Grand Union Hotel Stakes on August 20, oarrying 114 pounds, and beating, among others, Judith Campbell, Whitechapel, Sailmaker, Maxnic, Charles Elwood and Rigodon. In the Albany Handicap, run on August 27, Grey Friar took up 117 pounds and won easily, beating Eugenia Burch, Counterpoise, Sailmaker and others. With three victories in four starts ho was played yesterday very strongly in the place books. "The defeat of Acefull was particularly disappointing to John E. Madden. After the race Madden said: " Acefull ran a good game race, but was beaten fairly as far as I could see. I have not decided whether he will be sent to England to run in next years Derby and will not do so until 1 have consulted with Messrs. Whitney and Duryea, who sail .for this country on the Oceanic to-morrow. " "The fact that Grey Friar gave Acefull five pounds according to the scale and an impressive beating, caused turfmen to reach the conclusion after the race that Mr. Hitchcock has the champion two-year-old of the season. Grey Friar was bred by P. T. Chinn and is every inch a racehorse in appearance. He haB several other engagementslthis fall in which to display his worth. " O. H. Chenault, in behalf of the American Breeders Protective Association, has purchased thirty-one mures that were passed out of the ring at the Fairview Stud Bale on Monday, and they will be gradually sold to persons who will agree that they will never be used for breeding purposes again. "S. S. Brown sold Mabel Winn yesterday to a turfman whose name was not made public. " J. E. Seagrams horses will remain at; Toronto until the Aqueduct meeting. "L. V. Bells three-year-old colt, Colonel Bill, came near winding up his turf career yesterday. Just after the first race he was sent out to work over the hill. The Eclipse course had been railed off and the boy who had the- mount did not see the obstruction until he was within fifty yards of it. Colonel Bill was going at top speed, but the boy pulled him up quickly and Bteered him for a small opening about four feet wide, through which he passed in safety. It was a narrow escape for the colt and the boy."
