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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. W. C. Whitney is making an experiment that is of interest to many prominent owners. He is wintering his entire racing stable at Aiken, S. C, where the climate is believed to be just suited to the training of thoroughbreds at this time of the year. It was last winter that the cream of Mr. Whitneys stable down on Long Island suffered from influenza, which carried off a number of valuable yearlings, and so completely crippled some of the older horses that they have never been able to run up to form. Convinced that to keep his horses on Long Island another winter would be in the nature of a severe handicap to success, Mr. Whitney concluded some time ago to try the southern climate of Aiken, and if his stable rounds into form and there is no sign of illness among the racers, it is probable that a number of prominent owners will send their horses to the same place. Mr. Whitney will be represented on the turf this year by a number of youngsters bred at his own establishment, La Belle farm. He has gradually built up a strong stud and expects in a year or two to profit largely by his investment. The stallions at La Belle include the celebrated Hamburg, Meddler, Yankee, Ballyhoo Bey, Lissak and Nasturtium, a high class lot. Mr. Whitneys two-year-olds laA did not pan out, the best of thembemB and Payne. But in the handicaps next season he will have Gunfire and Goldsmith, the former having shown an inclination to go a route and the latter, it is said, having recovered his two-year-old form. John W. Rogers will train Mr. Whitneys horses again and the riding will be done by Arthur Redfern and Tommy Burns. The list of entries for the Lawrence Realization Stakes, to be run at Sheepshead Bay next June, has just been announced. In the lot are these notables: Lord of the Vale and Fire Eater, owned by August Belmont; John A. Drakes Savable, S. S. Browns Blue Rib-bon, P. J. Dwyers Merry Acrobat, the Keenes Rigodon, Clarion, Toboggan and Sir Launcelot; Julius Fleischmann Wax Candle and St Daniel, J. P. Kraners Golden Maxim, J. E. Maddens Glassful, Dauphin and Ben-demeer; Green B. Morris Artvis and Gold Van, R. T. Wilson, Jr.s Mexican, W. C. Whitneys Payne, James Galways Meltonian, P,,.JBL---tC9ckSsv SergeanVC; -R? Ellisons Skilful and J. B. Haggins Sir Voorhies. For the 0000 "Tidal Stakes, to be run at Sheepshead Bay, too, the best of the nominations just announced are Mizzen, River Pirate, Blue Ribbon, Merry Acrobat, Maxnic, Meltonian, Athel, Sir Voorhies, Sergeant, Clarion, Tam OShanter, Toboggan, Palmist, Paget, Dauphin, Artvis, Gold Van, Payne, Judith Campbell and Mexican. John E. McDonald has about decided to retire his stout old mare Belle of Troy, and in that event will, of course, send her to the Oakwood stud of his old friend C. F. Mc-Meekin, in Kentucky. Whether he will breed her to one of the Oakwood sires Bowling Brook or St.- Florian has not yet been decided upon. His own stallion, Rensselaer, by Hayden Edwards The Belle, is also at Oakwood. Rensselaer won races here, in England, and in Belgium ,and retired sound. At Westchester he won the Pocantico and Jerome handicaps and Baychester Stakes, and at Saratoga the Travers Stakes. In England he won the Somersetshire Stakes, Wolverhampton Handicap, Eaton and Manor handicaps; Bestwood Plate at Nottingham, Queens Plate at Derby, Park Plate at Lingfield, Queens Plate and Welter Plate at Lincoln. Was second for the Great Metropolitan Stakes, Great Eboe Handicap, Great Yorkshire Handicap, Hurst Park Handicap, Beating Balsarroch winner of the Cesarewitch, Carabine and other cracks. In Belgium he won the Ostend Grand Prize. President Tom Williams has announced that the New California Jockey Club has assumed control of racing on the coast with the idea of keeping up the present value of purses and preventing syndicate betting. The latter evil, President Williams asserts, should be curbed at all hazards. Syndicate betting has predominated the rings at certain California tracks. It was when Joe Ullman and Kid Weller opened the "Big Store" at Saratoga and quoted independent prices that the "syndicate" was- heard from. It has often been argued that the public would be better satisfied if layers acted independently of one another, thereby promoting a sort of business rivalry in the way of posting odds. If President Williams can suppress syndicate betting it is probable that other racing associations may take the matter into consideration. But it looks like a hard task, espec-VBSfito the east New York Exchange.
