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OPENING A NEW COUNTRY TO RACING. Mexican Government Officials Are Establishing Thoroughbred Breeding Studs. L. Blum, the Mexican horseman who is on another visit to Kentucky in quest of thoroughbred breeding stock, says it is only a matter of a few years until horse racing will supplant bull fighting as the national sport of his country. "The government, as has been told in recent dispatches from the City of Mexico," said .Mr. Blum, "has set aside 200,000 to be added to ten renewals of a race to be known as the Mexican Derby, which will have Its first running In 1910. Other moneys from the government will bo forthcoming for the promotion of the breeding industry in Mexico, and in all instances the races to which the government adds prizes will be exclusively for horses bred in Mexico. "All of these races will be run at the track of the Mexican Jockey Club, recently organized, with Governor Escandon as the chairman. The track is to lie built at a coAt of 4,000,000 of Mexican money and is to lie located at Condesa, on the bfautiful drive leading out from the city. The rainy season in Mexico ends in August and the racing at this track will be held annually in September. The first meeting will be held In September, 190S. The rules governing the racing will lie carefully drawn from the French, English and American rules, and the host methods for the conduct of the sport in those countries will be adopted. There will bo no bookmaking. The betting will lie done through the Paris muluel system exclusively, and the government will take its percentage, as Is the case in France, to be applied to the Improvement of the thoroughbred horse in Mexico. "When I was in Kentucky last November I bought 2S0 stallions, mares and young horses. I got good blood in each instance, but I did not pay what in this country is regarded as a fancy price for any of them. Those horses I took across the border and sold to my countrymen for just about what they cost me. Many of the mares I bought were In foal. Others had never been bred until this last spring at the ranches of the new owners in Mexico. I will buy about seventy horses On this trip and wheii the annual sale Is held in Kentucky this coming November I hope to get about 300 more. "President Diaz and many of the government officials are heartily in accord with this movement and its success is assured. Included among the gentlemen of my country who are establishing thoroughbred studs on their extensive ranches are: Porfirio Diaz, Jr., oldest son of the president; Ide La Tore, son-in-law of the president; Lauda y Escandon, governor of Mexico, and Senators Lec Cerona, Lec Algara, A. do Orena, M. Castello and F. Auror. Of the thoroughbreds I purchased here last year ten mares and the stallion Royal Clean Sweep, were liought by President Diaz; La Tore purchased ten mares and the stallion Don Caesar; Escandon liought twelve mares and the stallion Double Scotland, which raced In this country under the name of Mr. Brown, and was a good winner throughout the west. Senator Cerona purchased Handy BUI and ton "mares; Senator Algara bought the stallion Four Nations and twelve mares; Senator Orena purchased the stallion Room Mate aud twelve mares; Senator Castello the stallion Golden Sunrise and eight mares, and Senator Auror bought the stallion Madison and ten mares. The ranches owned by these gentlemen are froin ten to twenty-five miles square, so there Is plenty of room for range." Mr. Blum says he has at his own rancli near the City of Mexico twenty-six mares and they were all bred last spring.
