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WELCH PREFERS TO RACE IN AMERICA Says French Racing Conditions Are Ideal Has No Desire to Bemain Abroad NEW YORK December 17 The first of the in ¬ ternational trainers to leave for France is Thomas Welch who goes to Paris to look over the stock in the hams of Joseph E Widener consisting of about twenty brood mares and possibly as many youngsters in the weanling and yearling divisions Mr Welchs return to France is not to be perma ¬ nent so far as the present arrangements are con ¬ cerned but to look over the French situation and the racing probabilities so that Mr Widener can determine just what to do in the matter of con ¬ ducting his American and French establishments At present Mr Welchs cousin is in charge of the French string and it is presumed he will take command of both the training and management after Mr Welch returns here which will be about the middle or end of February That all the French horses will remain abroad is probable as a con ¬ signment billed for this country six weeks ago before the armistice was signed was checked back and returned to the farm after having been loaded yn the ship This would indicate Mr Widener will commence French operations as soon an possible having about thirteen coining twoyearolds that can l e trained for next year When racing ceased in France and Mr Welch returned here lie was enthusiastic about tin French Jurf and longed fur the war to be over so that he could go back again Since then however lie has had a change of heart and is not nearly as anxious to leave his American home and genial surroundings France is a beauti ¬ ful country said Welch and racing social turf functions and general atmosphere of the French turf is enjoyable but now that I have settled down in this country I dont care to leave it if I can help it Of course if Mr Widener wants me to go there again to take charge I suppose I should have to go but I would much rather remain here There are some jjood horses at Kelmont Park in Mr Wideners stable and the prospects for a success ¬ ful year in this country are promising Hence the American end of the Widener b lrses is far more important than that in France These facts almost insure my return after a few weeks abroad abroadFEW FEW YEARLINGS AT BE1MONT PARK PARKThere There docs not nppenr to be nearly as many yearlings at Belmont Park this winter as there were last year at this time This is no doubt due in the main to the fact that there is a shortage of young horses this year combined with lifting the ban which barred twoyearolds from racing at the winter tracks So far the quality of the young ¬ sters is little known though as usual reports are nirrent that this stable or that has a promising olt or two Tom Welch has probably the largest ind heaviest colt of all in the Widener barn and e declares the most fashionablybred of any horse m this country Welch wont talk about him to any stcnt simply saying he is a runner and wellbred At the same time he intimates he is the best looking yearling lie ever had in his career This is praise indeed for Welch lias fashioned and molded many giotl Jiorsj in his turf care careJohn John Stanford his twentyone horses at Beluiont lrk of which fifteen are coming twoyearolds they are in charge of Preston Burch and include bincstie and foreignbred stock stockMax Max Hirsch has a few anil like all other trainers iie is noncommital on the subject of their probabilities They are just yearlings and no one can tell what they are going to do or how they will turn out When told that Tom Welch had a goodlooker in his shed Max evinced sonic sur ¬ prise and said at once I must look that bird over so that I will know what I am up against when the time comes for racing I hnvc some fairly promising horses in my barn but Id hate to have them stack tip against a Colin or Sysoiiby
