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ADVOCATES LONGER RACES REPORT OF KENTUCKY STATE RACING COMMISSION GOES TO LEGISLATURE. Opinion Expressed That Racing Is Now More Popular and Better Patronized in Kentucky Than Ever Before. Lexington, Ky., January 2. — The third biennial report of the Kentucky .State Racing Commis.sion to the Ueueral Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky was laid by Secretary .1. Pel ham Johnston upon the desks of the members of the Legislature when it convened in Frankfort today. After reviewing its action in various directions for the government id raring in Kentucky during tin-past year, the commission has iliis 10 say: "It is believed that racing in Kentucky is more popular and better attended than it ever has been, and that it is regarded by the puldic in general as cleaner and free from many faults and practices which marred it in the past, and these reports have gone out to the other states from which many in qeiriea have come to the Commission for information as to how racing is conducted here and many re quests for copies of the act of the General asm ■ bly establishing the Kacing Commission and for copies of its racing rules. "It has been a long time since races of any greet distance have tieeii run. aad for years the races have been tests of speed alone, and were not a criterion by which tin- stamina of our horses could be judged. F. A. Daingertiehl. of this Commission, conceived the idea of renewing the old long distance races which were prevalent in the seventies, when racing really was the sport of kings. and of seeing if our horses today had been bred for soced at a sacrifice of their powers of endurance, and the Commission, believing that such a race would renew puhlic interest in ia. ing. and give a greater incentive to hreediug along lines which would make horses of greater Btlllty. and especially for the put pool a of the government in its cavalry and artillery, decided to give a four mile endurance race, ami announei d that it would present a ,000 sold cup to its winner. The stake was accordingly advertised, and nineteen salsa 1 Ip tions to it were secured, and it was run on Oct.. I.e. 7. 1911. at the Churchill Downs c utrse of the Lous ville Racing Association, which had offered to add ,000 to the stake, that being the only bid made by any association for the privilege of running it. Five horses started in tbe race. It was worth ,900 in money besides the 61,606 gold cup. Of the money 70 per rent, went to the winner. 20 per cent, to the second horse, and 10 per cent, to the third. Tbe stake was won by Messenger Roy. owned hv Mrs. Mary Lutz. of Covington, and trained by her husband. Kiigene Lutz. and a touching story -is told of how this, one of the richest stakes in America in 1911. was won by a poor mans horse whose owner had to borrow the money to pay his entrance fee. "The results of the race were gratifying to the commission in every way. A large and representa the crowd was attracted to see it. Many persons who had not bcca on a race track in yean taiacd out to see this great race and showed that the puh lie generally wished to see races of greater distances. It also showed that our horses of today, though they have been hr.-d for speed, compare favorably with the horaea of tin- past in the matter of endurance, the winner having broken the record for this distance, his time for the four miles l»eing 7:14L tin- race record formerly having been 7:10. "The commission has decided to renew this race for the year 1912. aad has passed a resoiatloa to the effect that it would again present a*S1.000 gold cup to the winner of the race, which will be run in the fall of 1912. The various associations of Kent lick v will have the privilege of bidding for the stake. and no bid of less than 1912.sh,000 will be received. This money is to be added to the stake, which, taken in conneelion with the subscription and entrance fees. should make a stake which is worth nearly 610,000, besides the gold cup. "It is the hope of the commission that the asso riationa, si .ing the sentlaseat of the public in favor of longer races, will ..11 their own responsibility take na the matter and give other races of the same distance, and also races of increasing distance leading up to and preparatory for the four-mile race. In that way tlie Boraea which are in training for the Endurance Stakes will, in the course of their training during tin- v ar. have tin- opportunity to run in other races and win money without inyaring them or their chances for the Big Race." "The racing season which has jusi closed has bees one of the most successful and promising in recent years, and the indications bring hope to the hearts of the horsemen, breeders, owners and trainers, that conditions will steadily improve."
