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RACING FOR SPORTS SAKE IN SPAIN Lucien Lyne Tells How Great Outdoor Sport is Taking Hold in King Alfonsos. Country. New York, December 25." Lucien Lyne, the Americarr-jockcj who-hnSrbecirrldingf6r" the" king of Spain, before he departed for Kentucky to spend the holidays with his folks, had tlie following to say regarding racing in Spain: "In Spain racing is probably more literally the sport of kings than in any other country. An American would not call it a good racing country, because the public has not yet been educated up to the sport, although I believe it will become more of a popular and public pastime within the next few years. There are a large number of wealthy men in Spain, and they conduct racing for their own amusement. "There are many good horses there, practically all of which are of English and French breeding, and, of course, the kings stable is the popular racing establishment. His horses are trained by Adolph de Neuter, a Belgian trainer, for whom I rode while in that country during the year he won 120 races in one season. The racing season .there lasts from March 15 until November 1, with the spring opening at San Sebastian. After the opening at San Sebastian, the next meeting is at Seville, and continuing on over the six big tracks in the country. From Seville they go to Barcelona and from there to Madrid, and the next meeting,, which is the big racing event of the year, is at Aranjeauz, which track is oh the kings own private estate. The next meeting is at Santander, from whence they return to San Sebastian. There are only two tracks where more than one meeting is held each year, these being San Sebastian, with its spring and summer meetings, and Madrid, with the spring and fall dates." HIGH-CLASS HORSES IN SPAIN. Lyne declares that the horses being raced in Spain are of a high class and that fast time is made in the various events. Short dashes are not popular with the Spanish sportsmen, and. the majority of races are at a mile and a half and two miles. Also, the weights carried are better suited to a jockey who has outgrown most of his usefulness in this country. Lyne says he never is asked to ride at less than 120 pounds, which weight is now comparatively easy for him, although he was much heavier when he left this country to try his fortune abroad. As in France, Sunday is the big day for racing in Spain, where the sport, is conducted but two days each week, the other racing day being on Thursday. The purses are of good size, there being nothing less than 00 offered. Frank ONeill, another American jockey, who was riding in Spain, decided to return to his home in France for the winter rather than risk bringing his wife and two young children across in these war times. Garner also will stay abroad fox the winter, and lias recently signed a contract to ride for Marquis .de San Miguel tor the season of 1918. According to Lyne riders are vell paid on the Spanish tracks, 5 being the customary fee for if -winning mount, with a minimum fee of 5 for losers.
