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AMATEUfi SCHEDULE AT END HUNT CLVB MEETINGS IN EAST ARE OVEK FOR THIS SEASON. Served Useful Purpose in Keeping Interest in Racing Alive During Suspension of Sport on Jockey Club Tracks Plans . for Next Year, New York, November 14. With the day of sport over the estate of W. II. Grace at Great Neek. L. 1., Saturday one of the most remarkable of New-York racing seasons, came to a close. It was remarkable in the lirst place by reason of the fact that hone of the Jockey Club tracks opened their gates on account of the anti-racing laws that prevailed, but just as remarkable for the great increase in the amateur meetings. Naturally in turf years, when the big tracks were open and the big prizes hung up there was small chance for the amateurs. With the closing of the regular circuit the amateur meetings assumed a new importance. Followers of the turf who had never before been attracted to the hunt meetings came to realize their importance and from early spring until late fall they have been well attended. At first some of the case-hardened would apologize for being on hand and they were proue to "have fun witli the amateurs," but it took only one of the meetiugs to cure them of any foolish notion that it was not real racing. The next -time they were on hand for the sport itself, and then right through to the end of the year they were there and finding fault that the meetings did not occur oftener. Many reasons, apart from the closing of the big tracks, can be found for the increased Interest in the amateur meetings. The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association and the Hunts Committee is in a great measure responsible for the condition. They made many excellent amendments to their rules of racing. The horses were classified and registered and a system of penalties and allowances was framed that made it impossible for one good horse to go through the season practically unbeaten. Then Hat racing was introduced at each of the meetings, and of tremendous importance has been the races for army horses, both through the field and on the Hat. During the season these have been many developments of both riders and horses, until now, the list of capable gentlemen jockeys is larger than if has been at any time in the history of racing lh America. A greater number of them are registered, and with another year of such sport little reason will be had for many of them accepting an allowance from professionals, so far as skill in the saddle is concerned. New blood has come into the sport as a result of the increase in the number of the meetings and the lengthening of the racing year. Better horses have been purchased for the sport, and a steeplechase no longer is made up of a lot of old cripples that have lost their usefulness on the flat. Altogether the hunt meetings have done much in keeping alive the interest in a sport that has been sorely harassed in the stale of New York, and the promise now is that it is only the beginning of an even longer and better season in 1912. The important meetings that were conducted during the year under the sanction of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association began Saturday, April 29, at Cedarhurst, L. I., where the Kockaway Hunting Club entertained with a good program. This was followed by the spring meeting of the Meadow Brook Steeplechase Association with a day of sport at the Belmont Park Terminal course May 0. The Watchung Hunt Club had its meeting at rialnfield N. J., on May 13; Meadow Lark Farm, at Stelton, N. J., May 20. and the Richmond, Va., meeting took place May 20 and 22. The Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club raced May 25 and 27. This meeting was followed by one of the most important of the year when the Maryland United Hunts conducted a three-days meeting May 30, June 1 and 3 at Pimlico. This racing, though properly coming under the head of amateur sport, was handled by professional officials and the programs were framed in a way that gave greatly diversified entertainment. The best steeplechasers In training were attracted and the flat racing was of good class. Then came the first meeting of the United Hunts, June S and 10, at the Belmont Park Terminal course. Like the Maryland United Hunts, this association is one of the best and its sport has always been of high class, while no better steeplechase course is to Imj found anywhere than that over which the races are run. It was a season of feasts for the lovers of racing during June, following the United Hunts came the justly famous Brookline meeting, June 17, 21 and 2-1. This is a meeting that is conducted by the Country Club over its delightfully picturesque course at Krookline, Mass., ami it annually brings together the best horses and the best people who do the horse homage. At Elkwood Iark, Long Branch, there followed a meeting on July 1 and 4, while at South Framing-ham, Mass., there also was racing on July 4. August was an off mouth, or almost so, and tho reason for this was that when dates were chosen and awarded it was thought that there would be a rare meeting at Saratoga during that month. It had leen intended to frame a racing program at the Springs that would offer tho amateurs and owners of steeplechase stables every opportunity, and accordingly no dates were taken by the hunt clubs. Then, as a matter of fact, steeplechaslng is more properly an early spring and late fall sport than n diversion for the heat of August. The fall session of the Maryland United Hunts at Pimlieo was held August 31, September 2 and 4. This meeting was even a better one than that held in June. Several of the horses that had raced in Canada came on for the racing and the fields were large and of good lass. Tho last day of this Maryland meeting lapped over the one day of the Meadow Brook Racing Association at Belmont Park Terminal, but there were horses enough and patronage enough to make both meetings thoroughly successful. Saturday. September 1C, the Berkshire Hunt Club gave a delightful one-day meeting at Lee, Mass., and the following Saturday Capt. E. B. Cassatt was the host, ne entertained with a right good card at his farm, Berwyn, Pa., and the sport was such as to attrnct all of the hunting set. The White Marsh Valley Hunt was another of the Pennsylvania meetings that was on the circuit. Its racing was at Flourtown, Pa., and was held September 30 and October 3. Joseph E. Widener, for years one of the foremost : steeplechase enthusiasts of this country, and now racing an extensive stable in France, gave an elaborate onc-dav Invitation meeting at his place, Elkins Park, Pa. This was one of the show meetings of the year, and it was arranged with a lavish expenditure that made it memorable. The fall meeting of tho Rose Tree Club at Media i was held October 14, and then the sport moved back i to New York. The United Hunts held two eini- i nently successful days of racing at the Belmont Park i Terminal, October 28 and November 4. while Meadow i Brook followed November 7, over the same course, with its fnll meeting. Then came the sport of the : Continued on second page. i AMATEUR SCHEDULE AT END. Continued from first page. Great Neck Racing Association, which was thoroughly enjoyed at the estate of W. R. Grace last Saturday. It would seem that the season has been a busy one for the amateurs, but there was plenty of open time and few clashes bf dates. For 1912 arrangements are already being made to have sport of even greater importance and, with the many newcomers that are boing attracted, there will be no lack of horses to keep all of the courses busy. The sport has been entirely free from scandal of any description from first to last, and though there was one fatality, when Lconco Fuller was killed by a fall at Brookline, accidents have been few. Racing folk who have attended the hunt meet-ings hereabouts will have one more chance to witness a race on next Friday at Belmont Park Terminal, when Mrs. Helen Hay Whitneys Web Carter is to meet John S. Turtons Tyosa in a steeplechase at about three miles, each horse to carry 105 pounds. The match is a result of Web Carters victory on Saturday in the Greentree Cup and Tyosas winning of the Gracetleld Cup at Great Neck. Henry Lawrence Bell, former owner and rider of Tyosa. expressed the opinion that the son of Pontiac Tarle ton could take the measure of any cross-country liorse racing in this territory. It was evident that Mrs. Whitney understood Mr. Bells expression as a. challenge, for she quickly consented to a match and instructed trainer Louis Fcustel to keep Web Carter on edge for Fridays long distance race. Charles L. Appletou will ride Mrs. Whitneys favorite chaser. He has handled the big son of Men-tone Amphora cleverly and seems to get mpre out of the horse than any other rider. Although Mr. Turtou succeeded In winning with Tyosa in Saturdays event, the horses chances will be enhanced in the match if -Mr. Bell has the leg up. Mr. Bell is fearless, an excellent judge of pace, and a" strong finisher.
