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Here and There on the Turf Aqueduct Stakes. Broadway Is Popular. First Derby Prospects. Short Grass Sale. A Poor Sort of Expansion. With the announcement of the stakes of the Queens County Jockey Club there is further promise of a great turf season for New York this year. The list is virtually the same as it has been in other years, with some improvement in values. Nineteen offerings for the flat runners and three steeplechases comprise the list and the nominations are to close with secretary Fred" Rehberger February 25. The Brooklyn Handicap of a mile and an eighth remains the big attraction for the handicap division of horses and is of 0,000 guaranteed value. Other handicaps that are renewed arc the Carter, Brookdalc and Queens Count", each with ,000 added. The laters of that age division have ample opportunity with the Speculation, Myrtle and Rockaway Stakes, all tinder claiming conditions. In this connection it is commendable that the races for the platers have all been framed under claiming rather than selling conditions. When the rules were amended, governing the racing of m platers it must be remembered that the old selling race rule was retained, but the sense of the lawmakers was that such conditions were not desirable. There were some selling races put on last year, after the passage of the new rule, but the stakes that have been announced for this year suggest that the selling race will be as rare as hens teeth this year. It is a forward step for the turf and is bound to have a beneficial effect. Three of the Aqueduct stakes are framed for entire colts and fillies, and in this they measure up to races that are intended to preerve the breed and improve the horse. These races are for three-year-olds and are the Dwyer Stakes, formerly known as the Brooklyn Derby when it was contested for over the old Gravcsend track; the Carlton Stakes and the Broadway Stakes. The Dwyer is at a mile and an eighth with ,000 added, the Carlton is over the mile distance with ,000 added and the Broadway, which had its first decision last year, is a mile and a sixteenth with ,500 added. The Broadway Stakes was built as a sort of consolation stake. It is sure to grow in popularity with the horsemen. Its condiitons are for three-year-olds non-winners of ,000. Every year there are disappointments. There are three-year-olds that by reason of brilliant two-ycar-cld racing or remarkable trials are nominated for all of the great races of the following year. They arc of Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes promise. They apparently measure up to the Belmont Stakes, Withers Stakes and the Lawrence Realization. But they do not race to that promise. They are still several notches belter than selling platers, but when they have to meet the best three-year-olds they have scant winning chance. The Broadway Stakes take care of just these horses. The winners of the big races are automatically barred and these near greats only are opposed by their like. The Broadway Stakes of 1923 fell to J. B. Smiths Autumn Bells. He is a good colt. But he had no. chance to earn a living racing against Zev, In Memoriam and the like. Each year there are many good colts in just the same fix and the Broadway takes care of them. There still remains ample time for the prospective Louisiana Derby candidates to be made ready, for it is not to be run until March 17, and just now it gives promise of being an open race. Many of the eligib!es have flashed up sensationally, but not one of them has endured long enough to really stand out as anything approaching a sure winner. It is just as well that this should be the condition. Not one of the eligibles has shown enough to scare away any other nominee and that is calculated to bring about a good contest. For a time Benjamin Blocks Thorndale was going along in a way to suggest that he would be the star. L. J. Careys Pathan showed flashes of Derby ability. The Greentres Stables Rinkey time and again showed high promise and on other occasions did not seem to be in any sense invincible. Brilliant Cast, Blotter, Wil-mer the Wizard and others have flashed to the front. Then there have been reports of Mrs. R. M. Hoots good colt Black Gold. He was master of them all last year and it is likely that before long he will be shown in public. Ha is training for the big race and, just as about those that have appeared in public, these reports are both good and bad." The son of Black Toney has on occasions worked exceedingly well and then there comes news of a move that was in no sense satisfactory. The weather and track conditions have been so unfavorable most of the winter that all training operations have been handicapped and when the good weather sets in Black Gold will undoubtedly show more consistency in his preparation. But at this time there is no reason for his scaring out any of the others. All of this holds out promise for a rarely good contest. There is considerable interest being manifested in the Short Grass Stud sale that will be conducted on February 22. Emil Herz has had several chances to sell a part of the big establishment, but he has promised that it will all be offered at the auction. The principal attraction to breeders will be the brood mares naturally. But what makes the sale of great additional. importance is the fact that a thoroughly modern breeding establishment with eevry tool, work horse and equipment that could be desired is on ths market. This includes a handsomely furnished residence and the fame of old Kingston Farm as a nursery for the thoroughbred has long been well known. Already many sportsmen and breeders from various parts of the country have made their arrangements to be on hand for the sale. The return of racing to California on a lasting basis would mean a great deal to the American turf, but every such venture as the late Culver City affair is likely to postpone such a development. The men who are sincerely and persistently working to bring about this California revival with no idea of personal gain must realize this fact. They are in a better position than any one else to block any further efforts which may be made to promote meetings of the Culver City type in that state. The horsemen themselves, individually or through committees, should investigate thoroughly the financial standing of a new racing associtaion before shipping their horses for a meeting. A race meeting cannot be conducted without horses and a racing organization which cannot stand investigation by a horsemens committee docs not deserve any support. Daily Racing Form is deeply interested in seeing the turf expand and grow so long as the expansion and growth is natural and healthy. This paper is just as deeply interested in preventing professional promoters from preying upon the horsemen of the country for their own gain. Too many race tracks can he just as bad for the sport as too few. Unless a new racing venture has sufficient financial backing to guarantee payment of purses to the horsemen for the advertised duration of the meeting, it deserves no place in the racing scheme. If horsemen who are asked to ship to a track for a first meeting would combine in a demand that purse money covering the duration of the meeting should be deposited in a bank in a special account not subject to withdrawal for any other purpose, they would protect their own interest in an effective way.
