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REPORT CONCERNING- EASTERN RACING. Intimation That Legislature May Be Asked to Repeal Directors Liability Law Before May Opening. The New York Sun lias this to say of the racing situation in the east: "The racing season in the state of New York will not open until some time after the close of Pimlico meeting on May 17. Belmont Park will ho the first New York track to operate and a meeting of at least fifteen days, if "not more, will be held. Aqueduct is expected to supplant Gravesend with a .subsequent meeting of similar length, and it is said that Jamaica will follow suit. Empire City and Saratoga are expected to race more than tweuty-live days each, taking up July anil August, .with fall meetings at Jamaica, Aqueduct and Belmont Park. But the turf magnates are not in a hurry to reacli a definite arrangement, as the Coney Island Jockey Club has so far shown no inclination to go ahead. , "Some of the directors of the big tracks are inclined to remain passive until they can secure some relief from the- courts or the legislature. They say they would proceed with programmes of stakes and overnight races regardless of probable financial losses were it not for the liability law which forced the tracks to dose their gates last September. This measure, it is pointed out, lias practically killed racing and breeding, although the reformers always Insisted that they only wanted to wipe out tho gambling evil. The directors say that no matter how strictly they might enforce the law they could not prevent the making of private or secret wagers and in that way they would lay themselves open to "persecution by overzealous authorities." It is bioadly hinted that the legislature will be asked to repeal this law, so that racing can go on without even a semblance of bookmaking orally or otherwise. The Jockey Club is anxious to maintain racing if only to protect the American breeding industry. At least that is the declaration of one of the. ii.cn high iu the councils of the turf."
