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MANAGER HACHMEISTERS AMBITIOUS PLANS. Proposes to Virtually Transform Latonia Race Track to Provide Setting* for Championship Race. Louisville. Ky., June 12. — If all goes well in the meantime, the Latonia race track, than which it is conceded there is no more picturesquely located racir.g ground in all America, will be virtually transformed in order to provide a proper setting for the initial running of the great 0,000 race, the Latonia Championship Stakes in the fall of 1919. The staging of this, the richest of all American races of the present day, is an important item in the ambitious program which John Hachmeister, the progressive manager of Douglas Park and Latonia, has formulated with the idea of making Latonia the turf headquarters of America each October. In recent years Latonia has been growing more and more important as a fall racing center. Aside from the attractiveness of the racing itself, with its plethora of valuable prises, Latonia profits by reason of being a most convenient point for the shipment of horses to the winter racing centers and, 1 ; likewise, to the nearby breeding farms of Kentucky. This natural advantage, coupled with the delightful climatic conditions that usually prevail hereabouts in October, is an important factor in the growing popularity of Latonias fall meetings. Another thing that plays its part in their success is the plan for holding a series of thoroughbred sales during the progress of the meeting, which has been successfully inaugurated and which will be continued. With all these factors at work in Latonias behalf. Manager Hachmeister has decided that it will be money well spent if in the period intervening before the decision of the Latonia Championship Stakes in 1919, a considerable portion of the profits of the intervening meetings is devoted to the embellishment of the plant itself, so that it will be in keeping with the importance of the racing. The details of just what is to l e doue have not yet been settled, but a beginning will be made this summer in the way of setting out a great deal of shrubliery to enhance the natural beauty of the plant. Manager Hachmeister, who is highly elated over the manner in which horsemen anil breeders responded to the opening of the big stake, means to invite the whole turf world to Latonia to witness its decision and is determined that the race shall have an environment worthy of its character. Meanwhile, renewed efforts wili lie made to build up the standard of Latonia racing generally. Manager Hachmeister has every reason to feel gratified over the progress which has been made in this direction during the past two or three years and there is every indication that the meeting, which is about to open at this now popular track, will be attended by the same gratifying gains that have been such a pleasing feature of Litoiiia racing under its present regime. Campbells Ideas About Fitting Stake Horses. J. R. Campbell, who is rapidly winning his spurs ns an efficient racing secretary, entertains some positive ideas as to the relative value of racing and work in the preparation of horses for important stake engagements. Mr. Campbell not only shares in the general belief that one real race is worth a great deal more in fitting a horse than any amount of drilling in private, but he firmly believes that a greater proportion of horses go wrong localise of an unnecessary adherence to the latter policy on the part of some trainers than if the horse were engaged in actual racing. This belief is based on cases which come under his observation in an official capacity day in and day out. The recent limning of tin- valuable Kentucky Handicap afforded an illustration of the soundness of his views. King Oorin and Cudgel, the fir-U and second horses, had Itoth been raced freely liefore the time came for them to fill their engagement in this big race. Among the unplaced contenders were two such notables as Boots and Id Crump, both of -which represented the other extreme in the way of preparation for the race. Boots had not been seen in action this season until he was asked the great question for the first time in this race and he was totally deficient in the high turn of speed that made him one of the most highly regarded horses of 1911, if not the actual champion of the season. Ed Crump, it is true, did race once previously this season, but his preparation for the big race consisted mainly of work in private and it was in the following out of this practice that he met with a training mishap that undoubtedly furnishes the reason why this high -class horse should have finished last in the big race. Of course it is possible to go to extremes in the way of excessive racing as well and the case of Old Rosebud, whose failure was a lamentable feature of the Kentucky Handicap, may be cited by some as a case in point. Barney Schreibers Interest in Blind Baggage. Barney Schreiber, whose sole interest in racing nowadays is confined to the breeding enterprise along comparat ively modest lines, which he is conducting in the heart of the blue grass region of Kentucky, is especially gratified over the good showing which E. R. Bradleys Mind Baggage has been making this season in sprinting races. Blind Baggage was sired by Mr. Schreibers favorite stallion Sain and it was upon his urgent advice that Love-not. the dam of Blind Baggage, was mated with 8am when that stallion was standing at Mr. Bradleys Idle Hour farm for a season or two after the dispersal of Mr. Schreibers famous Woodlands stud in Missouri. The former master of Woodlands, than whom there is no keener student of breeding in America, was convinced that i the mating of Sain and Love-not would be attended with satisfactory results because it would be a case of the inbreeding of Haicabline blood. Sains dam being a Barcaldine mare and Love-not being by Voter, the dam of which noted horse was also a daughter of Parcaldine. Sain, now 23 years old. is at present domiciled at George J. Longs Bashford Manor stud near this city, where he is represented by some fine looking foals from several of Mr. Lings choicest mares. It is not to lie expected, in the natural order of events, that the old horse will figure prominently much longer, hut the end of his usefulness is not yet in sight and Mr. Long is hopeful of getting some substantial results with him liefore the time conies for his permanent retirement from stud duties.
