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i Here and There on the Turf New Racing Commission. Making Ready for the Dixie. Pimlico Stake Closing. Governor "William Jason Fields of Kentucky has appointed his new racing commission for the state and his selection of the men who are to have the government of the sport in their hands will surely meet with the hearty approval of sportsmen. The new commission is composed of men of standing and ability that have always had a close connection with the turf and breeding, and the sport should be perfectly secure under their government. Thomas A. Combs, named as chairman, is a name of social, political and financial importance and was a former member of the state senate. He is thoroughly conversant with the turf in all its phases and has ever been a staunch supporter of both racing and breeding. He is of a thoroughbred horse family and brother to Sewcll Combs, who has been breeding and racing thoroughbreds for many years. The other members of the commission were all chosen for their peculiar fitness for thz 1 high office and it comprises a lawyer and an editor, as well as men of business affairs. But each appointee has the knowledge of both racing and breeding so essential to properly administer the office. Polk Laffoon, the only member of the old commission to be retained, is a breeder of horses as well as being a man 1 of wide importance in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. Gemmill Senff is the editor on the commission, while Charles G. Middhton is the lawyer, and he is also a son of John Middletcn, who raced a strong stable of horses under the name of Middhton and Jungbluth. The other member of the commission, Walter I. Kohn, is a merchant of Louisville who has ever shown an interest in the turf and who has raced a stable under the name of Kohn and Thicsen. The retiring members of the commission are Johnson N. Camden, recently elected to membership in the Jockey Club; R. H. Hunter, Ernest Pcllard and Major Thomas C. McDowell. These commissioners, with Polk Laffoon, served racing and breeding faithfully and well during their term of office and the sport grew marvelously in Kentucky under their wise supervision. With the example set by this commission the new body will have every chance for a wise and prosperous administration of the office, and the sport seems to be absolutely safe in the keeping of the new body just appointed. With the close of the racing at New Orleans j there comes a new interest in the training operations in Kentucky, Maryland and New York. It is Maryland that make3 the first bid for spring patronage with the opening of the Bowie meeting April 1, and reports would tend to show that already there are several horses in Maryland and at the old Benning track that are ready for the colors. i 1 1 At all of the tracks there are almost daily arrivals of hard and fit horses from winter racing grounds and the spring promises to begin its racing auspiciously. It has been an open winter for the most part and several of the trainers have found it possible to send their horses along almost continuously. Each day from Kentucky there comes news of how the Derby candidates are progressing and, while nothing fast has bc2n attempted up to this time, it is pleasing to know that the general health of the horses has never been better, and most of them are big and robust and in a physical condition that will make the hard training, soon to b?gin, possible without fear of evil consequences. While General Thatcher did not exactly come up to the expectations of Preston Burch last year as a threa-ycar-old, there was a bit of bad luck entered into several of his races and there is every reason to believe the son of Sweep and Polistena will make his way among handicap horses this. year. Burch has the Nevada Stock Farm colt at i Banning, and it is his present intention to start him in the 5,000 Dixie Handicap at Pimlico on May 3. Should General Thatcher continue to train satisfactorily for this mile and three-sixteenths dash, he must be given serious consideration, for he is in the handicap under 110 pounds, and that surely is being in well for a four-year-old of his pretentions. General Thatcher is only one of the Benning colony that is heading for the Dixie, but he is one that is attracting attention from the manner in which he has been training. Entries for the Preakn3ss, as well as ten other of the stakes of the Marylad Jockey Club, are to close April 8. The Dixie is the one stake of the spring season that had an early closing, and the fact that it received 113 nominations offers a good line on what may be expected in the other features. It has already b:en announced that the 0,000 Preakness has been converted from an allowance race to weight for age, and it is a change of conditions that is to be com-; mended even though it should reduce the number of nominations, as is possible. For the eleven days of racing that the Maryland Jockey Club will conduct at Pimlico, from May 1 to 13, inclusive, there will be a distribution of 23,200 among the horsemen, and this bountiful liberality is sure to bring to the famous old Baltimore course the best horses from almost every sec-1 tion.
