view raw text
GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Since Capt. S. S. Brown has moved his training quarters from Mobile farther north to Memphis, there has been not a little speculation as to what he would do with the old Bascombe course. It has been reported that he would sell the property. "That," said the Captain in an interview recently, "is incorrect. I have too much money invested in the track to sell it just now, as I would have to do so at a sacrifice. I have built new stables and cottages there and fitted the place up in first class shape. I will keep it for training purposes, and will probably condition some of my horses there from time to time, and especially those that have early spring engagements." Asked as to whether he would have any entries in the American Derby, and how many and what colts he would name for that event, Captain Brown said the race was too far off to state definitely what his plans might be with regard to it. "I will enter in the American Derby, but just which ones of my colts I will nominate for the event I do not know. That is a matter that I will leave entirely to my trainer, Tucker. I have a great ambition to win an American Derby and believe that with the material in my stable I might have a good chance another season." Captain Brown further said that he did not know who would train his western string next year. "That is another matter that I will let Tucker decide. He knows more about western trainers than I do, and he is better qualified to make a selection of a trainer. This and other details relating to our campaign next season will probably be decided during my visit to Memphis. The horses I am racing at the New Orleans winter meeting I want to dispose of, as, while they are a useful lot, they are not quite good enough to figure in stake and handicap events on the big tracks." President Tom Williams, of the New California Jockey Club, has returned to San Francisco from Los Angeles, having arranged that both the Los Angeles and Seattle tracks shall be under the management of the Pacific Jockey Club. He says: "W. E. Dunne, director of the Los Angeles Jockey Club, came up to San Francisco and consulted with "Vice President Andrew and myself, and then, upon his invitation, we visited Los Angeles. The result of our visit was the election of John A. Muir and W. E. Dunne as members of the Pacific Jockey Club. Ascot Park, the Seattle Racing Association and the California Jockey Club are now under the jurisdiction and racing rules of the Pacific Jockey Club. This means that syndicate betting has received a quietus at both Los Angeles and Seattle. The latter town promised to be one of the best racing points in the west, but the grasping and get-rich-quick policy of the management queered the town with every one except sure-thing gamblers. " W. M. Scheftel has bought of John Bub May a half interest in the two-year-old bay colt Major Pelham, by G. W. Johnson Strathmaid, by Strathmore, and the chestnut yearling filly, by Top Gallant Lettie Brown, by Julien. In return Scheftel has sold his trainer half interest in all horses except Highball, and the deal embraces upward of a dozen coming two -year-olds. The Jockey Club has been advised of the formation of the new racing firm of owner and trainer, and the horses in this string will in the future race in the name of Scheftel and May. John Fay, who handled a successful string of horses last season, has shipped all his horses to Louisville, where they will remain until after the holidays, when he will send his entire string to Memphis, leaving the Falls city for the southern training ground about January 10. Fay has in his string fourteen coming two-year-olds, and they are all extensively engaged. Before beginning active training of his stable, Fay will pay a visit to all the leading. Kentucky breeding farms and essay to purchase privately a number of yearlings, securing as far as pdssible some twenty head, as he intends to yearly increase his operations on the turf. The new steeplechase that will adorn the program of the Saratoga Racing Association next season will be known as the North American. The distance of the race will be the usual full course, about two miles and a half, instead of three miles, as at first proposed. It will be a weight-for-age race, and with ,000 in added money the event will be one of the important cross country races from the start. Two other rich events that will be run for the first time at Saratoga next season are the 50,000 Great Republic Stakes and the Saratoga Derby, with liberal added money. In addition to these the Hopeful is next year expected to be worth 0,000, instead of 5,000. Jockey Livingston, the little apprentice rider, who is making a record for himself at the New Orleans Fair Grounds, is practically a beginner at the game. He is under contract to "Clint Burnett, but most of the riding he does is for outside horsemen. Livingston is sixteen years old, and can ride at 90 pounds. He first came into prominence as a rider at the St. Louis tracks last summer. Since Sept. 1, Livingston has ridden over twenty winners. Livingstons apprentice allowance runs up to next September. Word comes from Kentucky that The Picket, the game son of Falsetto Voltario, will be pointed for the Suburban and the Brooklyn Handicaps of next season, and that barring accident, he will surely go to the post in both of the rich fixtures. Carroll Reid, who handled the colt last season, has him turned out and he is said to be gaining in size and substance every day. The present program is to take him up at a time when there will be ample opportunity to thoroughly prepare him for an eastern season, and should he show the same quality he did in his few starts last year, he should be reckoned on in the consideration of the classics in which it is intended to send him. The contract which calls for Tommy Meade to ride in Germany next year has been signed, and Meade will go abroad early in the year to join the American invasion. The terms of the contract are liberal. Jockey Patsy Freeman, who rode very successfully in France this year, will sail from England January 1 for South Africa, where he will ride this winter. Mrs. Free man is now in San Francisco. She says Patsy broke his collar bone as a result of a fall during the summer, and that for a time it looked like it was all off with him. However, he signalized his return to the saddle by riding six winners in one day, five of them being trained by John Campbell. One of the yearling colts belonging to Capt. S. S. Brown, was operated on several days ago the second time to remove a gristly formation from the tongue which had made him unable to eat. The first operation, which was performed a week ago, was unsuccessful, and the second one was decided on. He is a brown colt by Galore Reckon. George Withers, who trained Joe Yeagers racing string last season, has arrived at Memphis and states that Yeager has abandoned active turf competition so far as striving for purses is concerned. Yeager has retired several mares and stallions to his breeding farm in Iowa, and will attempt to raise racers. Withers intends to start a public training stable. J. O. Keene has commenced to sell his string of yearlings in training at Memphis, and has disposed of a colt by Flying Dutchman Medal, which was recently purchased at Lexington. John Bright, who has charge of pugilist George Gardners string, was the purchaser. English turf authorities are discussing the question as to whether or not geldings may be conceded any allowance of weight in races of the value of more than ,000. It has already been decreed that geldings are to be debarred from classic events. Henry Oxnard, the New York turfman, has leased to E. C. Cowdin of Mount Kisco, N. Y., the stud services of the racehorse and young stallion Prince of Melbourne for 1904. Prince of Melbourne is by Bramble Maid of Balgowan, by Hindoo, and was the winner of the Brighton Cup and Realization Stakes. He will be sent to the stud in Kentucky in 1905. In a severe snowstorm Saturday night, a band of seventy yearlings, quartered in a pasture at Elmendorf, owned by J. B. Hag-gin, stampeded and ran through the wire fence and five were so hadly crippled they will have to be destroyed.
