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Here and There on the Turf Exterminators Race Next Saturday. Montfort Jones to Enter Steeplechasing. Better Outlook for Canadian Racing. Willis Sharpe Kilmers famous old champion, Exterminator, will be se?n in action again at Havrde de Grace Saturday, when he will be saddled for the old Dominion Handicap at a mile and seventy yards. By the manner in which he won the Philadelphia Handicap last Saturday under 129 pounds he at once returned to his proud place at the top of the handicap horses and will have to shoulder more in the Old Dominion. But it is also expected that he will be just a bit better than he was in the Philadelphia Handicap. B?forc that race there was some fear that Exterminator might not yet be entirely ready for such a test, but he came through with his old-time honesty and now there need be no fear of his going back from that form. This race of Saturday — if he wins it — means much more than another victory. It will mean that Exterminator has passed the record money winning of Samuel D. Riddles wonder horse, Man o War. Edward Burke made this possible when he increased the value of the Old Dominion Handicap from ,000 to ,500. Exterminator is nothing if not consistent and year after year it has only been a question of bringing him back to have him remain after he is back. No high-class horse of recent history has endured as has Exterminator and few have had a greater number of trainers and riders. Just now he is helping George Carroll along while A. Johnson is resting before resuming riding at Pimlico, while it is Will Shields who has the credit for keeping him fit. It is interesting to know that two such turf men as Montfort and his brother B. B. Jones are becoming interested in steeplechasing. The Sage will be the first one to bear th» colors of the Audley Farm over the jumps, and if he performs up to his looks and his size, he will probably show enough to warrant these owners in going further into the picturesque end of the sport. This one has been turned over to Matl Smart, who has an immense string of jumpers for various owners and. with his long experience in the making of jumpers The Sage should be thoroughly tried before he is shown in public. It has already been announced that a schooling ground will be built at Audley Farm for the preparation of other junipers. That means that the jumping string will quickly grow to proportions that will make the purple and lavender silks of importance in the steeplechase field. The Dorval Jockey Club is to be commended for its determination to run all of its stake races as usual and make no cut in the purses This is done without th? hoped for relief from taxation and it is a fine sporting thing to do. The horsemen should show appreciation of this action. . • • , Racing has been seriously harrassed by reason of high taxation in Canada and many of the meetings last year were conducted at a considerable loss. There is scant chance for revenue from racing this year, but with such action by such associations as the Dorval Jockey Club the sport will be sure to endure. Others of the Canadian associations that earlier in the year intimated that it would be impossible to hold their meetings, have made announcement of dates and altogether there will be plenty of racing on the other side of the northern border. In the seven days of racing at Havre de Grace there have been eighteen horses claimed, and there has been no suggestion of a "selling ing race war." Good riders are slower to come out of winter quarters this spring than good horses. Some of the stars of the saddle have donned silks at both Bowie and Havre de Grace, but there are still many to be heard from. Until they appear on the scene of action there is a certain handicap, through the forced employment of riders of scant experience. Winter racing did little to bring to the front any new riding developments of high merit and it will be up to the old timers to carry the load, when they finally put in an appearance. With the opening of Pimlico there will be improvement in the riding colony there, as many of the experienced jockeys are fit and ready when called upon, and the green boys might as well make the best of it during these days. Inexperienced riders are decided handicaps to racing anywhere. In the early days of the racing season they are naturally more numerous on the big tracks than at any other time. When the jockeys of experience, in sufficient number, appear on the scene these boys who are only learning will have to move on to smaller tracks to find profitable employment . •
