view raw text
FUTURE OF CANADAS RACING AT STAKE Federal Investigation Now Under Way Likely to Result in Radical Changes in Turf Affairs. BY FRANCIS XELSOX. TORONTO, Out., September 3. There being no racing in Canada this year, Kentucky race-goers will have the first opportunity of seeing the get of Amner under colors. This sire, which was presented to the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society by King George, ran in the sensational Derby of 1913, when a half-crazed suffragette ran on the course and attempted to seize the kings horse as the field swung into the straight for the run home. She died from the effects of being trampled upon, and the cause of the woman suffrage was in no way helped by the unfortunate exhibition. Two youngsters, belonging to R. J. Mackenzie, have been shipped from here to join the stable in charge of "Canada Jack" Adkins, at Lexington. The Amner colt is a two-yearrold brown gelding, whose dam, Mary Zena, is also the dam of the noted longdistance horse, Eugene Lutz Messenger Boy. Zen-ner, as the Amner colt is named, is said to have worked well at Woodbine. He was accompanied by a bay yearling colt by Incle Saintalotta. Taking a long time about it," the federal government has made a wise choice of a commissioner to report on the racing situation in Canada. Dr. Rutherford has large knowledge of his subject and its correlated matters. lie was veterinary director-general of the Dominion, and is especially well qualified to sift evidence on affairs connected with the horse breeding industry. It is a pity that this matter, if the government was going to take it up at all, was not dealt with three years ago. Instead, measures were taken, by the order-in-cotincil route, to close all the race courses in Canada, a method of dealing jwith war conditions that was not duplicated It is not to be doubted that Dr. Rutherfords conclusions will involve some radical changes from the conditions as they existed at that time. The laxity of the provincial authorities in issuing new, or recognizing old, charters for racing purposes, coupled with the uncertainty of the continuance of racing in view of the federal attitude, resulted in two things not calculated for the welfare of the sport. t A superfluity of traces, some of them ridiculously inadequate for decent racing, either in their equipment or their control, without any recognition j from established turf governing bodies at home or abroad, and of absolutely ephe.rmeral nature, formed one development. Another result of the precarious condition of the sport was the rather natural practice of some clubs of making hay while the sun shone the period of sunshine being most indefinite. Well-wishers of the turf were not few who declared they would not raise a finger to bring it back witli its old attendant conditions, and beyond any doubt the commissioner will be able to point out excrescences that could be lopped off with benefit to the sport, and the horse breeding industry in particular, and to the community at large. These things mean little or nothing to that large class of the community which is indifferent to racing, but their proper treatment is necessary in order that the best side of the sport should be that which will prevail.
