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Here and There on the Turf How Importations Help. Cebrians Good Mares. Empire City Stakes. Turfs Magic Circle. After many days of anxious waiting the valuable shipment of foreign thoroughbreds have safely reached this country. Many of them have already arrived at their new quarters, where they will rapidly recover their land legs. It was just a bit remarkable that, in view of the storms that were encountered on the long journey, there were not some casualties, but the thoroughbred is a tough animal when occasion demands, and they all came through in better condition than could reasonably have been .expected. These importations are of importance, and that importance is not thoroughly realized by many. It means the infusion of new blood and the big thing of it all is the number of mares that help make up the shipment. These matrons were all carefully selected for their blood lines, and the most studious of breeders long since has come to a realization of the importance of stoutly bred horses on the dams side. No longer is a mare simply sent to the stud because she ha3 lost her usefulness in racing. She must have something else to recommend her as a matron besides this or her size. She must have the blood back of it all if she is to in any measure produce worth- offspring. The wise breeder now buys yearling and weanling fillies with a view cf making matrons of them. Their racing is a secondary consideration. They are bred along producing lines that have been proved, and that is all that is necessary. There will always be an clement of luck in breeding. Occasionally the champions may spring from unexpected sources, while there have been failures when the greatest care is taken in the study of blood lines, but when the raatings are made along the proved lines of excellence . this element of luck is in a great measure overcome. For the few champions that come from unexpected quarters there are infinitely fewer failures when the mating is of animals of proved blood lines. Just as often as there is brought to this country mares that carry the best blood, just so long will there be a forward march in breeding. As a general proposition the male line takes care of itself. A horse is not sent to stud duty unless he measures up well to what is expected of him, but too often there is not enough care taken in choosing his mate. For this reason the importation of mares is of more benefit than the bringing over of stallions. America is already blessed with some of the best stallions in service. There are count-less good mares, but there must be outcrosses, and it is impossible to bring over too many of : the mares that will furnish the best of these . outcrosses. In this connection the disposal sale of the i Edward Cebrian thoroughbreds on January 22 is of immense value to other breeders. Mr. t Cebrian has always been a firm believer in i breeding from successful female lines only, and I : . i t i I only such mares found a place in his establishment. In his comparatively short time as a breeder his success was evidence enough of his wisdom. Of the thirty-eight mares that are to go under the hammer are some carefully selected foreign matrons that bring to this, country the most prized blood of both France and England. This in itself makes the sale a truly remarkable one. Attention is again called to the fact that the stakes of the Empire City Racing Association for the coming summer meeting are to be closed Friday, February 1. The Empire City Handicap and the Empire City Derby both have ,000 added and are two of the most important fixtures of the racing at the Yonkers track, and already there has been a response to both of these, though horsemen as a general rub put off the making of nominations until the time for entry has just about expired. In all there are sixteen stake offerings to bo closed on January 1 and of these seven are for three-year-olds and over, three for the three-year-olds exclusively and the remaining six for two-year-olds. The offerings for two-year-olds are all of the guaranteed variety, with the SI 0,000 East. view Stakes at the top. The Whirl Stakes is of ,500, the Demoiselle and Wakefield Handicaps of ,000 each and the Frivolity and Sprightful Claiming Stakes of ,000 each. Incidentally it is well to note that all of the stakes that were formerly selling stakes have been made claiming stakes, and in this the association has shown regard for the amendment to the rules governing the running of the platers that was adopted last year. The selling race and the selling stake is still possible under the rules, but the adoption of the amendment made known the desires of the stewards of the Jockey Club for such races. No good reason remains for any secretary still availing himself of the antiquated and obnoxious selling race conditions. 1 i For a long time there was a list of twenty American thoroughbreds that had earned in excess of 00,000. It was the crowning ambition of every owner and every trainer to reach into the magic circle; many approached but fell short, and there were but twenty for many a year. Domino led with total winnings of 93,550, and he was secure in that lead until the comparatively recent coming of Man o War with his 249,465 and Exterminator with his 44,206, and now Zev jumped into the circle and to magnificently top all with his total of 96,673.57. Just how the changes have come in the list of great winners since the days when but twenty horses shared the high place is interesting. It was in 1910 that Ballot, racing for the late James R. Kcene, made it twenty-one when his winnings reached 54,545. Then in 1911 King James was added to the list, bringing the number to twenty-two. His total winnings were t03,405. There were no further additions to the select company until the coming of Man io War, and it was in 1920 that Samuel D. Riddles champion took his place at the top cf the heap. Both Willis Sharpe Kilmers Exterminator and J. K. L. Ross Sir Barton came into the charmed circle in 1921, and that brought the list to twenty-five. In 1921 Benjamin Blocks Morvich took a high place in the list and in 1922 J. K. L. Ross old Boniface also became one of the company when his earnings reached 19,950. Thai made the totaL twenty-seven, and for 1923 Zev brought it up to twenty-eight in glorious fashion. The twenty-eight that are now on this list of winners of more than 00,000 are Zev. Man o War, Exterminator, Domino, Sysonby, Colin, Morvich, Ballot, Kingston, Boniface, Hanover, Banquet, Miss Woodford, Sir Barton, Peter Pan, Raceland, Potomac, Delhi, Strath-mcath, Salvator, Tammany, His Highness, Firenze, Dobbins, Tournament, King James, Beldame and Africander. This list is given in the order of amount of winnings.
