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MEANS MUCH TO BREEDING Establishment of Jockey Club Stakes Move In Right Direction May Grow Into One of Most Coveted Prizes of the American Turf NEW YORK X Y April 8 One of the best moves for the advancement and improvement in the breed of thoroughbreds was made by the Jockey Club when it in conjunction with its chairman Major August Belmont decided to inaugurate a Jockey Hub Stakes It mean that this stake will grow into such importance that it will compare favorably with the greatest races of this coun ¬ try and probably pass them in future public es Ticm This is considered the puriwse by those who look well into the future Every institution has its stakes but not until this year has the official body of racing rulers taken a hand in the affairs of the individual associations and proffered assistance to bring about a nice that will become a national affair of the highest type It is exiteeted to grow into one of the most coveted prizes of the American turf There may bo subse illKiit events of the kind instituted on the local tracks and possibly the Maryland institutions will take up the question of a championship weightfor ¬ age race in the autumn season No doubt the Jockey lull will lend its aid financially and otherwise to revive such races In fact from a partial authoritative source it is learned that the Jockey Club will join any oilier racing association in establishing a like contest in this state as well UK Itehnoiit Park Belmont Park being the first to offer 2500 in addition to the 2500 given by the Joekey Club niade the opportunity to establish such a race and it is assumed by statistical calculation that the prize this year will be worth something like S12000 From this amount it should gradually grow more valuable valuableSupplementary Supplementary stakes of like character taking in horses of all ages will no doubt be inaugurated by individual associations Laurel for instance could frame conditions for a similar stake of pro ¬ nounced importance Pimlico has already done so by framing conditions for a series of weightforage races Laurel is in a position to establish its rich ¬ est stake on these lines as twoyearolds would be sufficiently aged in October to bring them into com ¬ petition with the older classes Such races could be made fixtures which horsemen can look forward to with much encouragement even when they are buying yearlings the incentive being to get the best with the intention of their Iwing made eligible for such races as are promised in the future futureWILL WILL ATTRACT ALL THE BEST HORSES HORSESOne One only lias to draw an imaginary picture of a race on the closing day at Laurel of a weightfor ¬ age race which will attract the best horses of all ages including the best twoyearolds Had such a contest been arranged last year it would prob ¬ ably have attracted horses like Cudgel Billy Kelly Eternal War Pennant Roamcr Sun Briar Johren Exterminator Ilollister Sunny Slope The Porter War Cloud Westy Ilogan Omar Khayyam Midway Corn Tassel and others which had shown posibili ties of championship form The weights for such a race this year providing the iace was a mile and a half would be IM pounds for horses which had readied their fourth year 117 for threeyearolds anil SS pounds for twoyearolds twoyearoldsInder Inder such conditions one could conjureiup a con ¬ tent between Cudgel Sun Briar Exterminator War Cloud Wesly Hogan Omar Khayyam and Sunny Slope with 120 pounds up Billy Kelly Eternal Dnnhoyne and other threeyearolds with 117 and the pick of the twoyearolds with SS pounds Had such an event been provided last year the weights would have been the same the new scale of weights not having effect on such a race in October With but a small field of starters say Cudgel Extermi ¬ nator War Cloud Midway The Porter Omar Khay ¬ yam and Billy Kelly the latter with but eightyeight pounds on his back one would hardly have known which lo make the favorite favoriteThe The only obstacle blocking such a representative field is that some of the best horses may not retain their best condition as late as October owing to the rich events that will be run prior and in which movt of the best horses will be engaged But witii a stake of the importance of a championship weight fornge race a substantial prize offered and the honor of owning a champion thoroughbred owners and trainers niigjit reserve their best horses for a late season campaign Much has been written and said about weightforage races in late years but not until this year has the subject received en ¬ couragement to any great extent It now looks ah if a foundation has been laid for what might prove the most progressive impetus racing lias had in the last generation
