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Here and There on the Turf Starter Dades Possible Successor SuccessorGrab Grab Bag Handicaps Inter ¬ est estDuettiste Duettiste Doing Well WellWork Work on New Race Tracks With the passing of A B Dade the ap ¬ pointment of a new starter for Kentucky be ¬ comes necessary Already there have been several suggested for this most important of ¬ fice but thus far no official has been named It is a big contract for any starter to step into the shoes of such an official as was Mr Dade and the Kentucky Jockey Club will use every care in the selection of his successor Just now it would seem that either William Snyder or William Hamilton who have baen filling the contract made with Mr Dade at New Orleans are the most logical successors to the deceased starter In fact each has been instructed to make application for the position But there are others who are seek ¬ ing the appointment and one is Thomas Brown now in Cuba Brown has had con ¬ siderable experience at the barrier at minor meetings and he is in the field for the position Both Snyder and Hamilton are well equipped to take up the work Both of these starters learned under Dade and they are familiar with his methods that were so successful They are also familiar with the Kentucky tracks and Kentucky horses and Kentucky methods During the war both at Jefferson Park and the Fair Grounds Snyder and Hamilton made good adequately and in those long meetings each has learned still more of the art of start ing through being in charge rather than being assistants assistantsAlmost Almost every starter has been graduated from the rank of assistants and there is no better schooling for this trying office Both Snyder and Hamilton have had a long school ¬ ing as assistants and each has since proved himself a good barrier man One of the real sporting events of the Sara ¬ toga meeting is the Grab Bag Handicap a threequarters dash for twoyearolds This is a race to which subscriptions are taken by any owner in good standing and he may send one horse to the post for each subscription though the horse need not be named with the making of a subscription It is also pos ¬ sible for a subscriber to lease a horse for the race in the event he has nothing of his own he cares to start The Grab Bag Handi ¬ cap was first run in 1914 when it was won by Trial by Jury for the late Colonel Ed ¬ ward B Cassatt L S Thompsons Bromo was the winner in 1915 and in 1916 it was won by Crank racing for Samuel Ross Rich ¬ ard T Wibon won it in 1917 with Jack Hare Jr having leased him from W E Applegate who held no subscription Incidentally this one is the only horse leased for the race to be returned winner winnerJ J K L Ross was winner in 1918 with Billy Kelly and in 1919 Blares racing for Ral Parr was returned the winner Gifford A Cochrans Smoke Screen was winner in 1920 and the following year the prize was won by Montfort Jones Pegasus Last year August Belmonts Messenger was the wbner and it was his last race for the year yearIt It was after his excellent showing in this race that it was intended to reserve Messenger for the Futurity but he went amiss and was thrown out of training trainingThis This year the Grab Bag promises to be better than ever There were seventytwo subscriptions taken out for the race and in the number fortyeight different subscribers are represented Willis Sharpe Kilmer who has never had the pleasure of winning the race has no fewer than six of these subscrip ¬ tions and easily heads the list Harry Payne Whitney and Karl A Vogeler a newcomer to the turf each has taken out three Those with two each are August Belmont Belair Stud Gifford A Cochran J S Cosden Will ¬ iam Daniel Montfort Jones Log Cabin Stud J C Milam Oak Ridge Stable Rancocas Stable Sanford Stud Farms J S Ward E F Whitney George D Widener and Joseph E Widener Others of the subscribers are W E Applegate George H Bull James Butler J N Camdcn A L Fernandez H C Fisher Glen Riddle Farm Greentree Stable John E Madden Jay McNamara David Oppenheim Ral Parr Riviera Stable Samuel Ross Walter J Salmon Charles H Thieriot R E Vicker man Henry Waterson Samuel Willets and Richard T Wilson It is interesting to learn that the race of Joseph E Wideners Duettiste in the Victory Steeplechase recently was a creditable perform ¬ ance Duettiste was beaten but he finished fourth and it ought to be a valable part of his preparation for the Liverpool Grand National to be decided at Aintree Friday March 23 Vigilant in the Sportsman in commenting on tile performance of Duettiste said that he jumped perfectly and was prominent for a long way but perhaps was not yet thoroughly thoroughlyEscott thoroughlyt t Escott has plenty of time before the running of the Liverpool Grand National to tighten up the son of Ethelbert and when it is re ¬ membered that he shouldered 170 pounds in the Victory Steeplechase his race should be encouraging The way in which the work of preparation is going forward at the new race courses calls to mind that the winter is slipping by and the 1923 racing season will soon be in full swing swingAt At Tanforan it is promised now that the opening will be early hi June and there much work has been accomplished in making the old track ready readyThen Then the TriState Fair and Racing Asso ¬ ciation has let out a contract for building of twentytwo stables with a total of 505 stalls for its July meetings There is ample time for this construction work and the plans contemplate modern buildings that will endure
