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READY AT BELMONT PARK NEW YORKS GREAT TRACK TO INAUGURATE METROPOLITAN RACING SEASON TODAY Stars of Racinjj to Contest the Days Main Feature Betting Problem to Bo Settled Bofora Boforathe the Gates Open New York May 10 That the New York racing eason will be enthusiastically welcomed by patrons of the sport has been foresliadowed by the great gatherings that have assembled at the Hunt meet ¬ ings held here this spring The sport has taken a now hold on the affections of the public and the prospects are for a highly prosperous season In a few words racing Is again approaching the high plane it deserves to occupy in this country Tin opening of the Metropoitan season at Behnont Purk tomorrow will no doubt compare favorably with that of years ago in point of attendance and as for the racing class of the horses that will engage in the pastime is sullicient guarantee that the contcss will be well worth seeing The starters in the Metropolitan Handicap will not be as numerous as on previous occasions In the history of this notable race but those that will go to the post bear qualityIn the earmarks of liigh class and quality In Kock View and Stromboli August Bclmont chairman of the Jockey Club holds a strong hand though there is not a candidate named to go that has not been specially prepared for the occasion There are three promising threeyearolds in the list of probable starters in Sharpshooter Fair Count and Sam McMeckin Flying Fairy too must not be despised as she is in racing condi ¬ tion All things considered the race is somewhat open though it will be contested by a rather light Held HeldOne One of the features of the season will be the increased numl or of steeplechasers that will race This branch of the siwrt is being augmented by a great number of new owners who have become interested through the many hunt meetings that have been promoted on Long Island It will not be at all surprising to see fields of ten and twelve horses go to the i ost in the steeplechases of which there are quite a number numberHorsemen Horsemen will lind a great improvement in the going at lielniont Park this year The whole top dressing has been removed from the track and a new top soil substituted Heretofore it had a gravel surface Now its surface is of a light loam which has made the footing safe though it may possibly be a tritle slow for the time being beingHow How restricted speculation will be this season is the chief problem to be solved A number of the professional layers of odds are desirous of introduc ¬ ing on the tracks the official stakeholders as a custodian of wagers between man and man as was done at New Orleans Others and these are of the better class witli good tinaiicial standing wish the betting to be conducted as it was last year That was done with no open display of odds no passing of money and no registration of bets hv the layer such as constitutes bookmaking technically The Jockey Club which takes no ollicial cognizance of the question of betting is understood to favor the system used last season and frowns on the stake ¬ holder proiiosition unless it can be shown definitely that there is no violation of either the letter or spirit of the law in it There is a belief that some plan will be agreed upoii unoflicially oC course before the gates at Ueliiiont Park are opened Whatever is arranged it is this matter which most threatens the success of the racing season and the Jockey Club people intend to act promptly and effectively to put a stop to anything that seems liable to injure the sport itself itselfThe The track will be in line condition for tomorrows racing Superintendent Pelz had the harrows at work today and the outlook is for clear weather and fast going
