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WANT MORE TWO-YEAR-OLD RACES. Lexington. Ky.. February 7. — Acting upon the sng gestion of W. Showalter. of Scott County, a pron.i nent breeder and former racing man, breeders of thoroughbred horses in Kentucky are preparing a pa tition to be presented at an early date to the panels la of the racing associations at Juarez and Charleston, asking the managements at these tracks to encourage the turfmen who bought yearlings last fall by offering at least one race each day for two-year-olds. The following letter will accompany the petition: "We wish to present to you the reasons why the breeders send yen this petition from the breeders standpoint. "Many of the former breeders of race horses have quit the business. The remnant will certainly qut unless the price of colts the coming year will pay expense of breeding and raising the same. "This expense will be increased this year bv high price of feed and a severe winter, so that if colts fail to bring this extra expense there will be practically an end of the breeding business in Kentucky, and in a year or two there will be no horses to racu and nn entire closing up of the race tracks. "We breeders desire to see that parties who bought yearlings last year and have been at much expense in training the same should have every opportunity to race them and that the racing associations should encourage as far as is consistent with good sport the racing of the two-year-old division of the horses at the tracks. "If the owners become dissatisfied and refuse to buy colts next fall it will mean the end of breeding and that means the end of racing." The petition is as follows: "We. the undersigned breeders, own.-rs ami trainers of thoroughbreds re spectively present to you the following petition and beg of you to grant the same if consistent with the interest of your racing plant: "We request of you to increase the number of races for two year-olds at your present meeting to the extent of one race each racing day fir two-year olds. The reason why we make this request is set out in a letter which will accompany this petition. "We fee] assured that the interest of the breeder and the racine associations are identical — and for that reason we semi you this petition and beg you to consider the same."
