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EASTERN TURF TALK. Talk has already started regarding a bill to be introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature legalizing racing and private betting in that state. With the prosperity of racing in New York State in mind and not forgetting that the sport once thrived at the Suffolk Park, Point Breeze and Pittsburg tracks nearly twenty years ago, Pennsylvania turfmen have waxed enthusiastic and are confident that if they are permitted to open tracks just outside of Philadelphia and the Smoky City they will reap their reward in the shape of a boundless financial harvest. A year ago a bill drawn on the lineB of the Percy-Gray law was introduced at Harrisburg, but it made no progress because it had no influential sponsors. But now turfmen in the Keystone State believe that there will bo favorable action, especially if a Pennsylvania Jockey Club is organized composed of such well-known racing enthusiasts as A. J. Caesatt, S.S. Brown, P. A. B. Widener, Joseph E. Widener, B. F. Clyde, E. T. Stotesbury and others. It was at the Centennial race meeting in 1876 at Point Breeze that the stables of E. J. Baldwin, Pierre Lorillard, George Lorillard, Oden. Bowie, E. J. jClabangh, August Belmont, D. D. Withers, L. R. Jerome and others raced. The memories of these days of success have not entirely faded away and a revival of them appears to be in order. The bill to be placed before the Legislature at Harrisburg will be copied from the preEent law in this state. It will not legalize open gambling and pool selling, but will permit private betting between individuals with a chance for a bettor to recover losses in a suit at law. The success of racing here will bo pointed to as a forcible argument -why the sport should be allowed to come to life again in Pennsylvania under similar stringent conditions. It is said that capital is ready to build one of the largest and beat appointed race tracks in America within a half hours ride of the Quaker City as soon as the proposed bill becomes a law. It was learned Saturday that the Metropofitan Jockey Club, which controls the "Sullivan-McCar-ren" track near Jamaica, has just made a formal application to the Jockey Club for Bpring and fall dates next year. The delay in asking for dates created some talk recently, the impression being prevalent that the new track had decided to lie dormant for another year. But with the application comes the problem for the Jockey Club to solve of allotting dates to all of the local racing associations without hurting anyones feelings. Last year the Jockey Club made known the dates for the season just closed so unexpectedly that the Snlli-van-McCarren combination did not have time to put in a request for an allotment, although it is doubtful if they could have gotten the new track ready in time to race either in the spring or in the fall. But the track is now practically completed and the owners of it say that under the law they expect to receive a license from the State Racing Commission, prior to getting dates. It has been said that the failure of the Metropolitan Jockey Club to arrange for a suitable list of stake events might work of its disadvantage in view of the position the Racing Commission and the Jockey Club have assumed in this matter. But the promoters of the new track, in their application for dates, have declared their willingness to meet all of the requirements with liberality. In building the new track at Jamaica the promoters have already spent nearly 00,000, it is said, with a further outlay necessary before the gates can be opened to the public. In going ahead with the work, they have evidently believed that they will receive recognition from the racing authorities. Work on the track was begun before the law was amended giving to the Racing Commission the absolute power to refuse or grant a license to race after a certain date. That is why there is a general belief that the track will be formally recognized in the allotment of dates, which is looked for now any day. Bennings race track will be ploughed up during the coming week. Many of the horses that were to winter there will be taken to Marlboro, Md where it is said that the climate is particularly suitable for the care of thoroughbreds. W. P. Burch, who trains for F. R. Hitchcock, is the prime mover in taking horses to Marlboro, and as many as fifty will probably winter there. August Belmont has purchased fifty acres of land adjoining the Bennings track for 5,000 and a half mile track will be built upon it for the use of horses that remain at the Washington Jockey Clubs course until the opening of the spring meeting. A French sporting writer who has just arrived in town says that in his opinion the charges brought against jockeys Milton Henry and Johnny Reiff by the French turf authorities are without foundation. He says that the boys outclassed all other jockeys on the Franch tracks, and that their mounts were always backed in preference to those of other riders. He is confident that both will be cleared in due time. Senator J. H. OBrien of Minnesota, whose horses raced in the east this year, will winter his entire stable at Gravesend. It was at Saratoga that the attention of the stewards was attracted to Senator OBriens colt Hans Wagner, which won at odds of 20 to 1, and was then suspected of having the "dope." It was afterward shown that the Senator was not cognizant of the horses condition. New York Sun.
