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MEXICO HAS RACING FUTURE Plans for Jockey Clubs Meeting of 1923 Are Growing. i • j Condesa Course Improved — Government to Open Stakes and Encourage Breeding. • — ♦ — i BY C. J. CONNORS. MBXIGO CITY, Hex., I". aawary 16.— The Hiatal • lid first meeting of the Jockey lul Intcrnacional lie Mexico is drawing to :i rinse. It li.is been I ■weeaea in u ewaeattaaal way. but from ■ Hwrtrl l oint of view a failure What the total loss will be is rather hard to estimate. Tlio promoters of Mexican racing arc enthusiastic about the future. The present meeting is for a period of forty racing days, and theTC lias beea gradual improvement each week. The attendance has steadily grown and the better class of Mezleaaa have takeu to the sport in a wholehearted manner. Messrs. Bryan and OHara are determined to push the project and Rive a much better and larger meeting next year. This is being demonstrated about the grounds. Many improvements, such as walks from paddock to stands, roadways and automobile parking spue are being constructed, and by n«xf year the plant will be one of the show places of Mexico City. Landscape gardeners and fl"rists have a large order to improve the eyeability of the plant. newer plots and shade trees have been arranged for in a lavish manner. SteeplechasiuK over a modern course with the regulation .jumps was begun during the last week, and this class of turf sport appeared to tickle the fancy of the crowds. Although there is woeful shortage of steeplechnsing material, several transfers have been completed during the last week whereby prominent local sportsmen acquired American-bred horses which will be pointed for racing through the field. President Obregon, Mintage Geeeral X. A. Acosta. intimated recently that the taiMMMBl would take ■B in a serious manner the production and breeding. of thoroughbreds and thus enhance the value of the Mexican horse anil |»ony. J he government intends to offer a Futurity for Mexican -bred two rear-eMi with a worth while money addition and a -uitable pi.ee of plate. OovernmeiiTnl plans farther erarMe for raeee for Mexican-owned hereee which hare been in the country for some time. that in this way the rancher ami large farmer may be acquainted with t lie value of the thoroughbred blood. The project at present has the full indorsement of the secretary of agriculture and the minister of war. SUMMER RACING IN MEXICO. i oinmciK nig lat Monday there is to be racing each day until the close of the meeting. Suuda.x . February 2t . The Association of Charms has aa-nouneed plans for two racing days a week lor the remainder of the summer, in which horses owned hy members of the association will compete over the shorter distances. This racing will be over the Oeawaea track. One subject that is taboo in a conversational line with the residents of Mexico City is the climate. It is never mentioned, for all days are alike, cloudless and hot at noontime and cool enough in the evenings to require blankets. Boring is now well under way and the stores are advertising their summer finery and straw hats. The latter come rather high from an American point of view, hat it must be undersood that the supply, in the main, comes from the Inited States. The clothing, too. for that matter, is imported, although Mexico boasts of a few cotton and Woolen mills, but the Ileau Hrumtnel of the Imulovard demands that Ids suit be cut on the latest styles from the States. The parks and public squares arc thronged in the early mornings and just before sunset with carriages, automobiles and pedestrians. Flowers that are practically unknown to the average Xorthener bloom in profusion in open spaces, and the street corners are literally covered with venders, displaying wares of all descriptions for the choice of the paeaarfea. One of the most striking and yet thrilling exhibits of the streets is the apparent reckless driving of the motorists. There is a speed law within the limits of the city, bat it is to be broken. The daily drhe to the race track or to a theater is one hairbreadth escape after another. The public fares • orrcspond to those of any other city, and range from a peso to » paaa and a half. A careful driver has absolutely no place on the streets, and the noise fiom exhausts and cut outs resembles the rapid firing of a French "seventy -five." With all this there arc but few accidents. The Mexican public is educated. DISCIPLINE FOR TURF OFFENDERS. lo-eph A. Murphy, who fill* the position of presiding steward, has kept a sharp lookout for unscrupulous owners and trainers, and has handed down several rulings that caused a small sensation among the race followers. The most lmjiortant of these were as follows: *.o further entries will be accepted from the Georgetown Stable, in charge of trainer W. A. Anderson. i»ending investigation into the identity of the mare Thrifty Three. "Former jockey James Unssell has been denied all privileges, including admission to the grounds of the Jockey Club Intcrnacional de Mexico. "The licenses of trainers Ceorge Cochran and E. Z. Hrown have been withdrawn and no further entries will he accepted from horses under their care or superintendency." The licenses of jockeys C. Sloan, D. Nicol and It. Hollowe.v have been suspended. In the case of trainer Anderson, who campaigned the mare Thrifty Three, winner of five rices at this place, owner Warfield of the horse Financial Rooster, filed a protest following the running of the Regis Hotel Handicap, which was at one mile. Thrifty Three was an easy winner over the War-field entry and the protest declared that the winner was another than represented. Complete iejentifica- tion of Thrifty Three has not yet been established. Former jockey Russell was denied the privileges of the grounds for spreading misinformation about a race in which an attache of the Japanase legation lost considerable money. Cochran, who co-operated with Russell, also fell under the ban. Russell acted as parade leader and in this manner gained the confidence of the stranger and represented himself in an official capacity. The riders fell afoul of the officials for intoxication and general misbehavior and being iu no condition to gallop or assist in the preparation of horses. Jockey Holloway and trainer E. Z. Brown were called to the carpet for the sudden improvement of the horse Marse Jimmy, which has not been explained. Passports, which were required to enter Mexico, have been eliminated by both governments and there has been a good influx of Americans. The majority are bound for the oil fields and the mining centers and during their stay in the city are daily visitors at the track. There is left but one disagreeable duty to perform and that when one wishes to return North. Vaccination is required by the American authorities and the law or ruling is rigidly enforced, both at border towns and at sea ports. The majority of the racing men here have already undergone the operation and there will be little delay at the border when the horse trains move North.
