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Here and There on the Turf Close at New Orleans. What Miami Will Mean. Three-Year-Old Classics. Importance of Bowie. Racing has conic to a close in New Orleans. It has been a continuous turf season there since November 29, with the exception of one day that was declared off by reason of unusual weather and unsafe track conditions. Ninety-three days of racing is a long cam- paign for a city of the size of New Orleans, but it is shorter than is had either at Havana or Tijuana. There have been more successful winter racing seasons at New Orleans, but that is at once explained when it is taken into consideration that the weather was more unfavorable than has been experienced in twenty-five years. It is possible to conduct racing in almost any brand of weather and over almost any track, no matter what its condition, but the one day that was declared off by the Business Mens Racing Association was declared off for the reason that the going was considered unsafe. That gives an idea of the weather that was such a serious handicap to the sport. There was no lack of interest in the racing during the long drawn-out meetings and the brand of entertainment was better than is usual at winter race courses, but the weather was a handicap that could not be overcome. At the Fair Grounds the purses were richer than are offered at any of the other winter racing points, and that was another good reason for the meeting not being the financial success that has attended some of the other meetings. The association is to be commended for the liberality of its offerings and likewise for the prompt manner in which every obligation was met. Racing is S3cure in New Orleans and will remain secure just as long as it is conducted along the lines that marked the sport in the 1923-24 meetings. . With the promised entry of Miami into the field of winter tracks, there will come strong opposition to the existing winter racing grounds, and the old associations will have to keep up the tone of their sport if they are not going to suffer. by reason of the nawj opposition. New Orleans has already shown a liberality that should make it secure for a goodly share of the horses of sportsmen who race the year around, and it is safe to promise that the tone will be maintained to keep the old city where it belongs in the turf scheme. This is not brought about by a few rich stakes at the expense of the overnight offerings. These rich offerings arc well enough, but when it means a pruning down of the budget for the overnight purses they fail of their purpose. What is needed at th2 winter racing grounds is a liberal allowance for the overnight purses. That is what makes for popularity among the horsemen, and it is what makes for an even class of good horses. This has been the policy of the Business Mens 7 1 1 2 2 2 4 5 C 7 1 2 3 . i Racing Association at New Orleans and it will continue to be the policy. Of course, at this season of the year the Maryland Jockey Clubs Preakness Stakes, to be decided at Pimlico on May 12, and the Kentucky Derby, down for decision at Churchill Downs on May 17, are the two big features that will occupy most of public attention. They are the first of the big prizes for the three-year-olds, and, apart from the bountiful money that is hung up, each has a glamor that adds greatly to its importance. But New York has its own Belmont Stakes, which is to follow these rich offerings, and it is a truly conclusive final test for the star three-year-olds. The Belmont Stakes is over a mile and thres-cighths distance, an eighth farther than the Kentucky Derby and a quarter of a mile farther than the Preakness Stakes. It is to be decided in June, and it is proper that it thould be over a longer route than races that arc to be run in May. This year the Belmont Stakes is particularly rich in promise, though it is just a bit disappointing that the nominations of the stars of the Kentucky racing stables are not better represented. It is a race that is confined to entire colts and fillies and for that reason Sarazcn, the unbeaten, is not an eligibb, but it would be interesting if John S. Wards Wise Counsellor was one of the probable candidates. But befora June the results of the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby may bring about a revision of three-year-old estimates, and it is possible that it may be found that there arc better ones than either Wise Counsellor cr Sarazen. The Belmont Stakes for this year received 474 nominations, and its f!e!d undoubtedly will measure up to its b;st traditions. Just how many of the horsemen will be marking time until the opening of the Bowie meeting of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Association, scheduled for April 1 That is not so far away and thos2 who contemplate shipping from New Orleans, Havana or Tijuana welcome the shipping time that is offered. The recent severe storm that swept both Bowie and the old Bcnning track at Washington did not seriously interfere with the training operations at those points, but it was enough to slow up some of the preparations for a couple of days. However, the time is still far enough away to make possible the sharpcn:ng up of horses for ihz opening. Already there have been several fast trials of candidates for the ,000 Inaugural Handicap, which begins the racing at Bowie, and it ought to bring a big field of lit horses to the post. The entries for the Inaugural do not close until March 29, just three days before its running. This will afford every opportunity to thoroughly try out a horse before he is entered and makes certain a greater percentage of nominees going to the post than is possible with an earlier closing. It is the first meeting of the horses that have idled through the winter with those that have been racing at a winter track, and it will give a good line on just how the idlers have progressed. It is at Bowie that the first line is had on the handicap division, and the book there is so attractive that a better class of horses may be"se;n under colors than ever before Horsemen who have waited until vsl into the Havre de Grsce meeting, or even until Pimlico, will show their horses at this first meeting, just as not so long ago many of the stars were not brought to th3 races until the sport moved on to the New York tracks. Maryland has become the scene of the opening of the eastern racing season, and year after 3car it has grown in importance. At the be ginning of the 1924 campaign the prospects are exceedingly bright for a big turf year.
