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ALTERATIONS ARE ASSURED A JOCKEY CLUB COMMITTEE IN SESSION DISCUSSING CHANGES FOR 1917. i 3 Selling Race Provisions and Two-year-old Hule Will Be Materially Altered Before Next i Seasons Racing Begins. j By Ed Cole. New York, December 9. The rules committee of i the JocUey Club has been in session for the past j two days, discussing appropriate changes in many of the regulations. Just what alterations will be made has not yet been definitely decided upon, but it is positive that some change will be made in the ; selling races, and it is probable the rule relating : y to two-year-olds may be either modified or special . dispensation granted to winter racing institutions. , Rule committee meetings are always held behind ; closed doors, and not until there is something defi- ; nite to impart concerning the future will anything be given out for publication. It is believed, how- , ever, that many of the existing rules will be revised before the season of 1917 is ushered in. . f Opinion differs concerning the racing of two-year- , olds in the early months of the year. Some horse- men favor the early education of horses, while others are decided opponents of the system. Arguments pro and con arc heard on all sides just : now, owing to the protest Judge Murphy has made on behalf of New Orleans, where he wants two-year-olds to begin their racing career, lie is not alone in his opinion that winter meetings will lose seme of their interest by not being permitted to 1 run races for two-year-olds. Some of the winter meetings Avill rim short of racing material if all the two-year-old races are eliminated from their programs. It is not to the winter tracks, however, that the New York Jockey Club, the Canadian Jockey Club and the Kentucky powers are catering they are endeavoring to improve the breed of the thoroughbred or they would not have encouraged the idea of discouraging the early racing of two-year-olds. What will be done on the question in answer to Judge Murphys appeal will soon be known, as the rules committee has rarely been as busy as it is these days. As for the selling race rule, many suggestions have been made regarding changes. This years rule was anything but satisfactory, and it will positively be whipped out of the book, or at least Minc parts of the rule. Mr. Schuyler Parsons, its sponsor, is authority for this assertion. The question will be thoroughly threshed out. and it is just possible that the old rule, which has stood the test of years, will again be put into operation. One thing is positive, those men who profited so largely by the distribution of surplus money this year will not have the same opportunities again. Frederick Johnson is one of the few men whose hearts are in strict accord with the thoroughbred. "Do you know," said he, "that I would rather see a horse of my own breeding win a race than win five races with horses purchased! When Mr. Wilson won the Futurity with Campfire I can imagine how he felt. I am going to do my best to breed some good horses and now have a colt by Cock o the Walk Hammerless, two horses I raced. Ill be a proud man if this youngster wins races for me. He is a fine looker, too; in fact, he might be a really high -class horse. I hope so, anyhow. There is much greater pleasure breeding horses than racing them. To win a stake with a purchased horse is pleasing, but imagine how much greater the pleasure to win a stake with a horse the product of horses that have carried your colors in years gone by." Mr. Johnson intends visiting New Orleans after the holidays. Walter Jennings, who has charge of the A. K. Macomber stable now at Charleston, will have about 54 horses in his care, when the three on their way from England arrive here. James S. Ownbey is staying in the city for a short time, having undergone a slight operation on his nose. Larry Carey will go to New Orleans by way of Charleston and will slip oft the train to shake hands with Walter Jennings. According to reports from Foxhall P. Kecne, who was injured while hunting in Maryland, he was scraped off his mount by striking his head against an overhanging branch of a tree. Many of the fashionable owners of thoroughbreds have bids in for suitable material which is now on the market in England. A. J. Joyner and Frederick Johnson were discussing the merits of some of the horses being disposed of in Europe, telling each other what mares they had cabled to buy at certain figures.
