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Here and There on the Turf No Conflict This Year YearPreakness Preakness and Derby as They Should Be BeKentuckys Kentuckys Expanded Rac ¬ ing Field With the announcement of the Kentucky racing dates by the Kentucky State Racing Commission there is one more big step made in preparation for 1923 racing The allot ¬ ment of the Ashland and Dade Park dates in July and August has made it possible to give the older associations virtually the same dates that were accorded last year and they were the dates that were most desired desiredWith With the racing season opening at Lexington April 28 it is just one day earlier than in 1922 but it was because of the fact that April 28 this year is Saturday With that meeting continuing until Wednesday May 9 there are ten days of racing with two Saturdays SaturdaysChurchill Churchill Downs at Louisville for the same reason opens one day earlier when its meet ¬ ing will begin Saturday May 12 and it has the same number of days as last year nine ¬ teen The meeting comes to an end Saturday June 2 This gives that meeting four Satur ¬ days and Decoration Day DayLatonia Latonia also moves forward from June 6 to June 5 and with twentynine days of racing the meeting will come to an end July 7 This gives five Saturdays and the Fourth of July JulyThus Thus the old associations have just the rac ¬ ing time that was accorded last year yearAshland Ashland has been awarded its dates from Tuesday July 10 until Tuesday July 31 This is nineteen days with three Saturdays SaturdaysDade Dade Park follows with the same number of days from August 4 until August 25 but with this allotment obtains four Saturdays SaturdaysDuring During the summer season there has here ¬ tofore been no racing in Kentucky so that the new racing associations have in no way en ¬ croached on the old dates In August it has been usual for the big Kentucky stables as well as some of the smaller to journey east to Saratoga Also it is usual that the Ken ¬ tucky horses earn their full share of what is offered in that month The result of racing being held in Kentucky for that period will keep some of these stables in their home state but there will be plenty of them ship to New York for the stakes of the Saratoga Associa ¬ tion tionIn In this arrangement of the racing time the horsemen are afforded convenient shipping time from one track to another Lexington closes on Wednesday and Louisville does not open until the following Saturday giving Thursday and Friday as shipping time Then between Louisville and Latonia there is Monday and Tuesday on which to move the horses Be ¬ tween Latonia and Aihland there is one day Monday Then between Ashland and the open ¬ ing of Dade Park there is a lapse of three days Wednesday Thursday and Friday FridayThe The Kentucky Jockey Club is to be com ¬ mended on its decision to hold the running of the Kentucky Derby on May 19 the second Saturday of the Churchill Downs meeting This is departing from the precedent of having the Derby an opening day feature but it avoids a conflict with the running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico The conflict of last year was greatly felt and there would have been the same conflict in 1923 had it not been for the graceful action of the Kentucky Jockey Club ClubThe The Maryland Jockey Club some tune ago chose May 12 as the date for the running of the Preakness Stakes but the Kentucky Derby has been so long an opening day fea ¬ ture at Churchill Downs that setting the date back a week was breaking its precedent of having its Derby for an opening feature It is also running the race later than has been the rule ruleThe The Kentucky Derby has been run as early as May 3 This was in 1909 when it was the opening day of the meeting In 1907 it was run on May 6 and in 1908 on May 5 It has been the custom for the last dozen years to begin the Louisville meeting the second Satur ¬ day in May and that has fixed the Derby run ¬ ning but it always has been the opening day feature As a matter of fact it is well that the Kentucky Derby should be run later than the Preakness Stakes and the decision to have it on May 19 a week later than the Pimlico race will meet with the hearty approval of the horsemen The Preakness Stakes is a race of a mile and an eighth while the Derby is at a mile and a quarter It is best that the shorter distance should come before the longer But what is of still greater importance is that the arrangement assures every chance for a horse to run for both rich prizes Sir Barton has both to his credit and this year there doubtless will be an attempt by several of the trainers to duplicate that record
