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HORSES IN AND AROUND NEW YORK. New York. February 10.— During the late fall and early whiter there was a continual influx of horses at bath Graveeead and Belmont Park. Of course, since the closing of racing on the Maryland circuit they have been coming in by small strings, while the departures for New Orleans and Havana have e un ted for something, but it is safe to assert that the arrivals have been greater than the departures at lK«th tracks. Nobody appears to have taken the trouble to make an equine census at either track and it would not be safe to venture an opinion as to which ono has the greater winter population. At Belmont the territory covered is so large that there is nothing like the crowding together which is observable at liravesend. hut. on tile other hand, when one takes a walk among the many big stables at Belmont Park lie is continually dropping in upon little horse colonies of whose existence he had entertained no idea. At Gravesead it is an easy matter for the trainers to keep in touch with each other, as the distances between llie inhabited stables are short, while the Belmont Park trainers know little alwut each other, as it takes a lot of walking and often in the mud, at that, for trainers to maintain any social relations in their little community. It is probable that there are not less than 000 horses stationed at these tracks and it is reasonably safe to assume that they are nearly evenly divided between the two tracks. But this estimate would be far from covering tho number of thoroughbred horses wintering in N - v Vork and its immediate environs. In stables like Durlands in Manhattan. Shaws in Jersey City and oth.-r places of temporary shelter for thoroughbreds arriving in or passing through New York, there are nearly always appreciable numbers quartered. While no one could estimate the numbers which could lie found in twos and threes in the stables of their owners. Then it" is probable that the winter population of the Bio kdale Farm is not loss than 399, while Bastrlew, Runny medt and the numerous farms down atiout Bed Dank would account for 208 more, all of which goes to show that the owners in audi aboeit New York have a firm confidence in the future of racing in this country. Another circumstance which points in the same direction is to he recognized in the heavy importation of thoroughbreds from England and France during the fall and Winter months. Just before the middle of October an optimist who is oue of the warmest friends of racing in New York, remarked with no little enthusiasm: "I think it is safe to predict that before the opening of the racing season of 1910 we shall be able to count up between seventy and one hundred thoroughbreds imported to this country during the autumn and winter." Since that time 235 thoroughbreds have been imported to this country from England and France and the end is not yet. No less lhan thirty-five thoroughbreds belonging to the Duryca estate are due here about the end of this month, and many more importations are looked for in the near future.
