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i ! AMATEUR RACING THRIVING GREATLY. Now York. January 2K.— In the rehabilitation of the turf since 1910. when the race tracks of the Umpire State were closed, amateur racing has played an important part. Since Ml the amateur race meetings have sprung up like mushrooms throughout the Tinted Slates, until today the racing matinees and hunt meetings of the amateurs are imiKUtar.t parts in the turf fabric. Frank J. Bryan has acted as steward, judge, starter, clerk of the course and secretary of the amateur meetings. Mr. Bryan gives his views of the amateur situation as follows: •"The importance of the bunt meetings in *hc apparent upbuilding of racing, is BOW appreciated oven by those that were inclined to doubt the seriousness of the amateurs, with their one and twi day sessions at different points. What may have been an experiment is now a substantial reality. Press modest beginning to a recognized part of turf affairs has been accomplished within a few year-. until now some of tiie richest prizes of the year. both on the fiat and over the jumps, are regular Fee tales of the so-called amateur meetings. •Winn the big tracks of the state were closed down the Hunt Club delgatiou continued to have matinees without interruption. Those at the bead ol cITaiis were convinced that they could nil be molested, racing as they did without thought of profit. •The resnlts in this state brought confidence .it other points and a marked extension of plans and •cone of meetings in Ionnsylvania. New Jersev. Virginia and other sections. In Bennsvlvania the improvement was especially marked. In October a series of rive days arranged in the vicinity of Philadelphia brought sport of a much better calibre than ever before witnessed ill that locality. J. K. Widen- r opened the series with an invitation meeting at his home. I.ynnewood Kami. "At Rose Tree the entire course was either remodeled or rebuilt and two days were given over to th race committee, who. with the co-operation of such well known sportsmen as Victor Mather, Edward MorreU, Joseph k. Widoner. Edward T. Stotesbary. Samuel Hay. Robert Gleadiaaiag, Alex aader Sellers. John Smylle Herkness. Samuel D. Kiddle. Benjamin Chew. Charles K. Mather, Alexander Hoy Jackson and a score of others, aroused interest that was something new in the annals of the place. The Bose Tree is one of the oldest hunting clubs in America, having been organized in 1850. "In Virginia the Warrenton Hunt also eatSM out on pretentious lines, in Maryland, under the supervision of ;. Denial d Feawick, the states representative on the Hunts Committee, steps have been taken to form an association from the members of the several hunt clubs that will each year provide a couple of days racing over a natural course in the Green Spring Valley. "At Biping Rock next spring and fall all the old features of last year will lie renewed, including the Harbor Hill, the Whitney Memorial, the Oas Ridge, the Copperstown. the Heyday Blate. the Pip-lag Bock Subscription Steeplechase and the other oents that have prosed so satisfactory to local turfites in the past. With this array will bo a new race, the Invitation Handicap for two-year-olds, which will be run at the spring mooting. "Judging from the interest shown, the prize for the winner will be about 0,000. The race is a private sweepstakes, with all to the winner. T.ie subscriptions are limited to members of the Piping Bock Club, the Piping Bock Racing Association or I hose invited by the race committee. "At Brokline. Mass.. in Juno, the Country Club 1 will provide its thirty fifth annual meeting, which it is claimed is the longest unbroken series of jumping races in the annals of the American turf."
