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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. The Messrs. Keene are contemplating vast improvements at Castleton Farm, which has lately passed into their possession in fee simple. The stabling is old and the fences rotten. It is their intention to build entirely new barns upon the order of some of Mr. Haggins new ones at Elmendorf, and renew all the fencing with substantial plank and wire fencing. This place is probably the most ragged in Kentucky, the fields resemble wild prairies and the horses appear to thrive on the rugged grass growing up among the bushes and in the uncultivated fence corners. George H. Whitney promises to have a formidable lot of two-year-olds to begin the season of 1904, judging from the conformation and fashionable breeding of an even dozen youngsters he has in his care at his Sheepshead Bay stable. Most of them were brought from the Melrose Stud of Mr. Whitney, at Lexington, and are youngsters of his own breeding. His stallion Farandole is the sire of six of the lot, and they all show many of the characteristics of the big chestnut son of Enquirer and Waltz. All of his get shown in the lot are of a rich chestnut color, and have a size and substance that should warrant their coming to hand particularly useful racing tools. Ten of the string are the property of Mr. Whitney, while a Salvator colt, and another by Ben Holladay are in his care and will be developed by him for other interests. John E. Madden has become so much impressed with Bennings that he plans to begin the season there next year. He has already engaged thirty stalls, to be ready for occupancy by March 1. Mr. Madden has ideas of his own as to the proper construction and equipment of stables, and expects to go to Washington soon after the first of the year and have the stables set aside for him and fixed up according to these ideas. The Madden horses have not cut much of a figure at Bennings so far. Golden Drop has been the only winner.
