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HAVANA METHODS CHANGED 1 No More Stake Races Closed Long Ahead and No More Bookmaking. i 1 SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y., August 25. Plans for the coming race meeting of the I Cuba-American Jockey and Auto Club were c made public here today by general manager Frank J. Bruen. This will be the ninth an- f nual racing season at beautiful Oriental 1 Park, picturesquely located and now famous- J ly established at Marianao, Cuba, suburban to the city of Havana. During the week Mr. Bruen has been in conference here with Thomas Monahan, president of the Cuba- , American Jockey and Auto Club; James P. -Milton, assistant general manager and starter, and Martin Nathanson, racing secre- , tary. His announcement this year will be of unusual interest to the racing public and horsemen alike. Some striking changes in the conduct of j Cuba racing have been decided upon. The . same progressive effort that year by year has marked Oriental Park as an advancing rac- ing institution is again in force. Its high j place in the firmament of sport and sports- manship has already been established. ONE HUSDltED Oil 3IOIIK DAYS. Following its custom, the race meeting of 1922-23 at Oriental Park will begin on ; Tranksgiving Day. There will be one hundred or more days of racing, beginning on Thursday, November 30. and continuing until i Sunday, March 25. The method of the past two years of offering stakes to be closed for j nominations in advance of the opening of the meeting has been changed. Instead, it has been decided to offer as much or more money in the aggregate. This is to be accomplished through a greater average distribution of values among the overnight races and with the special races, modeled upon the conditions that have governed the stake races in the past, to be opened for nominations a few days prior to their running. In this manner all available material, in their respective classes, will be eligible and fit to strive. The added money to these contests will be commensurate with their importance. This plan will eliminate the expense to horsemen of entering, as formerly, horses whicn may be unfit or inactive upon the dates fixed far in advance for the decision of such races and will bring about : contests certain to be the attractions. This important change has been decided upon by president Monahan, general manager Bruen and the board of directors after a canvass among horsemen everywhere. The latter are almost unanimously in favor of the new plan. Their reasons, some of them already stated, arc obvious. One of the greatest incentives to favoring the change in the stakes plan is their approval of the clubs distribution of greater values to the overnight races, thus insuring a proportionately greater distribution of the aggregate money among horsemen. With large stakes closing months in advance of their running at a winter meeting, the records show that a comparatively few stables in possession of the horses of superior class are certain to absorb an undue proportion of these races of greater values. Under the new plan the best in full force will be brought out. Both public and horsemen thereby will be benefited. During the last meeting the sum of 10,000 was added to stakes alone, in amounts ranging from ,500 to 5,000. Under the new plan this large amount of money will now be distributed among many instead of few. 3S0 PURSE OF LESS THAN 00. As customary, there will be six days of racing each weeK, except upon special "holiday periods, when seven days of racing will be given. Six or seven races will be run daily. There will be no purse of less than 00. Every daily card of six races will offer not less than ,000. When seven races are given the extra purse will be in proportion. When the special races of stake class are ! given their values in every instance will be commensurate with the.ir importance. The daily distribution of overnight races will be greater than during any previous racing season. Every day the condition books will offer purses of ?800, 00, ,000 and ,500. All purses are paid in full in United States cur1 rency. Horse shipments will be arranged by Lie Cuba-American Jockey and Auto Club through from each shipping point in express cars direct to Oriental Park without change. All visitors are reminded that neither passport nor income tax clearances are required for passage to Cuba of American I citizens. Another important change announced by general manager Bruen is connected with the method of betting operations. The wagering will be done tnrough the pari-mutuel machines only. For some years past Oriental Park has been the one race course upon which betting has been done both with machines and books. The pressure of experience and the well-founded .and overwhelming suggestion of the vast majority of recognized racing patrons and of the horsemen in general have caused the management to adopt this change and to entirely eliminate wagering through bookmakers. The place of betting at Oriental Park is extensive and the pari-mutuel plant will be perfected to handle the great increase in the volume of business that is certain to result. The management is well satisfied that this policy of a single style of betting, with equality for all and advantages to none, will be commended by all of those whose interest in the further success of Oriental Park is sincere. General manager Bruen will remain in Saratoga until the close of the meeting and thereafter will visit New York, Maryland and Kentucky to confer with horsemen and others in the interest of the Cuba-American Jockey and Auto Club.
