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v ALL-DAY RACING GOES ON IN RUSSIA "Boots" Durnell, Just Back from War Stricken Country. Tells of Existing Conditions. "Boots" Durnell, whose name is a familiar one to everv man whose interest in turf matters runs back i few years, has arrived in Xew York, after siiend-ing seven years as a trainer of thoroughbreds in 1 Europe— the greater part of the time in Koumauia — and almost an entire year as a refugee iu Moscow. The American horse trainer was given a most liberal contract by a Roumanian nobleman, who had 1 known him as the trainer of the horses which won nianv notable victories for John W. Gates and John 1 Drake, the duo of plungers who made the history of the American turf picturesque. At the time of the Herman invasion of Koumauia. Mr. and Mrs. Durnell wen- with the king of Koumauia and some of his suite at the chateau where the training stables were located. When it was seen that the invading Germans 1 would within a day reach the chateau, the king ordered his special train to take away himself and ; 1 the members of his party, including Mr. and Mrs. Durnell and. after parting with the king, Un-American trainer and his wife went on to Russia. They were in Petrograd until the beginning of the 1olsheviki troubles, when they went to Moscow. Here thev found themselves in the midst of the revolutionary disturbances, which they had sought to avoid. They were compelled to pay the m st absurd prices for food and on one occasion, after a machine gun fight in front of their hotel, seventeen dead men lay in the street for twenty four hours. Thev finally made their escape by way of Vladivostok and Yokohama. The most extraordinary bit of information which Mr. Durnell has to impart concerns racing in Russia, which is still kept up. Though the control of things has passed from one faction to another, the government racing subsidies have never been inter rupted. The racing begins at 9:30 a. m. and from fifteen to twenty races a day are run. with tin-shortest possible intervals. The government pays substantial purses in each race and the racing is conducted solelv for the purpose of maintaining the breed and stamina of horses, os that there may be a sufficient supply of first-class military mounts.— Cincinnati Times-Star.
