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EASTERN TURF TALK. Of things interesting to eastern followers of the turf the New York Sun of "Wednesday says: That the racing never enjoyed such popularity in the history of the turf is shown by the annual report of Charles W. Anderson, state supervisor of racing accounts, to the state comptroller, which has just been made public. It covers all of the racing associations which operated during the past season in New York state under the jurisdiction of the Jockey Club, and shows that the state tax imposed on the tracks amounted to a total of ?170,0S5.S8, which is the record and is about 33 per cent, greater than the tax of a year ago, amounting to about 28,500. According to the law -every racing association must pay a tax of 5 per cent of the gross receipts from the spring and fall meetings, so that this years tax, exclusive of Buffalo, represented a total of ,339,217.S0,as the gross receipts of the tracks at Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Morris Park, Aaueducty Brighton arid Saratoga. According to Supervisor Andersons report the various tracks were assessed as follows: Buffalo $ 3,124.99 Aqueduct 16,208.89 Saratoga 17,967.12 Westchester 28,558.94 Gravesend 38,069.73 Sheepshead Bay 41,009.20 Brighton 25,147.01 Total 70,085.88 It will be seen that the Coney Island Jockey Club, operating at Sheepshead Bay, paid the largest tax, 1,009.20, which means 20,184 in .gross receipts for thirty-two days, or an average of 5,630 per day. For the last four years this track has headed the list, with Gravesend usually second, "Westchester third and Brighton fourth. The tax on the Buffalo track was covered by a bond company before the gates of Kenilworth Park were opened, so that the state was secured against loss. The entire sum will.by the provisions of the law.go to the agricultural societies of the state, including those conducting county and town fairs. It is a guarantee of the stability of racing, and is a compliment to the men who have so successfully controlled the sport of kings. John E. Madden will probably have 100 thoroughbreds in training next year. Seventy-five or eighty of these are two-year-olds, and they will be reduced to about twenty for the eastern campaign, the best of the others to be placed on the western circuit. Madden has set his heart on winning the Futurity with a colt bred at Hamburg Place. He has already trained twofFuturity winners, but he says he will not be satisfied until a youngster from his own breeding establishment has landed the big prize at Sheepshead Bay. Madden, by the way, declares that he is now buying, not selling, broodmares; that in future he will not disDOse of any yearlings until they have been tried out. Owing to the increased number of mares at his establishment, he has withdrawn from the public for the season of 1903 the services of the stallions Mirthful, Plaudit, Sandringham, Jack Point and Ogden, all of which will be bred to mares owned by this shrewd turfman. The agitation in favor of a racing law in Pennsylvania has reached such a point that it is confidently believed that a bill will pass the legislature. Already Philadelphians expect to see racing at two tracks near the Quaker City, Point Breeze and Joseph E. Wideners new track at Ogontz. In all, there are five tracks In Pennsylvania which will, probably, be operated in case the bill is passed, and two of the tracks are located at Pittsburg. There is considerable speculation in regard to the question of dates to be awarded by the proposed Pennsylvania Jockey Club. It has been suggested to the fram-ers of the bill that the season should open on March 1 and close on November 30. According to a report Volodyovski, which won the English Derby in 1901 in the colors of "W. C. "Whitney, will be taken this week to the stud at Theobalds by trainer John Huggins. Mr. Whitneys lease of the noted horses running qualities, which he secured from Lady Meux, has expired. It is said that Tod Sloan will not return to this country this winter after all. A friend of the former champion light-weight jockey says that Tod has practically given up all hope of ever riding again, as there seems to be no chance of re-instatement at the hands of the .English Jockey. Club.- ... " -H Turfmen are almost a unit in predicting that Arthur Redfern, who will ride for Mr. W. C. Whitney, will easily be the star jockey in this country. Last season he had practically only Lucien Lyne to deal with and on many occasions he clearly outrode the Keene jockey. With Lyne on the other side it is confidently believed that Redfern will have things all his own way. The boy is taking care of himself this winter, even though he is at New Orleans, where he intends to ride steadily to keep his hand in. He will probably go to Aiken, S. C, in the early spring to handle some of Mr. Whitneys thoroughbreds, which are wintering there. Mrs. L. Curtis, owner of the crack two-year-old nlly Eugenia Burch, is spending the winter at New Orleans. She says that she will have eight two-year-olds in training next season, and expects to have a very useful stable. Mrs. Curtis, it will be recalled, paid 75 for Eugenia Burch as a yearling and the filly won 5,000 in stakes during the recent campaign.
