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NEW FUTURITY DISTANCE Westchester Racing Association Announces Change to Seven-Eighths for 1925 Running. NEW YORK, N. Y., December 12. The decision of the Westchester Racing Association to make the distance of the Futurity Stakes of 1925, entries for which will be due on January 3 next, seven-eighths and to run the great two-year-old race at the same distance thereafter will be welcomed by everybody with the best interests of the turf at heart. The change, which was announced by racing secretary Earlocker, is in line with the policy of president August Belmont and his associates in the directorate of the Westchester Racing Association, Avhose efforts to promote long-distance racing have been consistent, as is shown in the liberal endowment of the Belmont and Realization Stakes and the Coaching Club American Oaks, a trio of the biggest prizes of the American turf for three-year-olds run for each year at Belmont Parle The distance of the Futurity as planned by secretary J. G. K. Lawrence for the Coney Island Jockey Club was a full three-quarters of a mile. Proctor Knott won the inaugural in 1888. The route was the same when Chaos, Potomac and His Highness scored in the three years following. In 1892 alterations to the course caused a reduction to 1.2C3 yards and 1 foot. Morello won the first contest over the new track. Additional property having been acquired from the Kouwenhoven estate the Futurity course was extended to its full length in 1902 when Savable won, and the race has been run over the three-quarters route ever since. The addition of the extra eighth is sure to have a beneficial effect on the bloodstock of the United States. Breeders who want to keep up with the procession will be compelled to produce a type that can stay as well as run fast. Under the new conditions the element of luck at the start will not play so large a part as it has in the past, and the best colt or filly should win nine times out of ten.
