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AIMS AT "HALTER BRIGADE" JOCKEY CLUES PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF SELLING RACE RULE. Old Measure Permitted Owners of Cheap Platers to v Reap Unfair Profit Surplus Money to Go to Overnight Purses. New York, December 20. Horsemen, who have made money by bidding up winners of selling races, will find their activities curtailed in that respect if the amendments to the rules of racing proposed by the rules committee of the Jockey Club are approved when the turfs governing body meets on January 11. In reference to these amendments-, the Sun says: "Tiie halter brigade, as a coterie of horsemen who make money by bidding up winners of selling races is known, received a severe jolt yesterday when the amendments to the rules of racing were made public. The rules, which were proposed by F. U. Hitchcock. H. It. Knapp and Capt. E. B. Cassatt. will virtually put these men out of business. No longer will they be able to enter a cheap selling plater which lias no chance of winning merely to make money, as is the case at present. The now rule directs that all surplus money on a horse cither claimed or sold at auction shall go to the association, to be added to overnight races of tin- day following the sale instead of being divided equally among all the starters. "The rule, which will he abolished at the annual meeting of the Jockey Club on January 1, was formulated several years ago in an endeavor to help the poor horse owners, but instead of its proving beneficial, it tended to mar the sport, because ii few men abused the privilege. "At every meeting on the metropolitan tracks last season, the halter brigade surrounded the judges stand after the finish of a selling race and. with a desire to buy a horse, bid up the winner over his entered selling price. To do this it was necessary for them to have horses iu the race. They did, but they were the poorest possible kind of thoroughbreds and had no chance of winning. As a result, patrons of the turf, as well as owners, complained that the rule should be changed. "The National Steeplechase and Hunt Association also changed its rules relative to selling races. Hereafter any surplus over the selling price shall go to the association to provide a special fund to lie used for relief purposes and medical attention to disabled trainers and jockeys, instead of one-half going to the second horse and the other half to the race fund. "To remove the mandatoriness of the punishment meted out by the stewards of the Jockey Club, one of the rules relating to the regulation of meetings was changed. The new rule gives them the power to treat leniently with men who violate the rules. The old rule made it necessary for them to rule off any person concerned in any fraudulent practices on the turf. Hen-after they will have all their former power and permission to otherwise less severely luinish. "The committee also defined a match and an overnight race. The definition of a match they adapted from the English and French rules. It is a race between two horses the property of two different owners on terms agreed upon by them and to which no money or otiier prize is added. "An overnight race is a race for which the entries close forty-eight hours or less before the time set for the first race of the day on which such race is to be run."
