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Here and There on the Turf Place for Miami. Will Do a Great Good. Pimlico Oaks Importance. Return of Wilderness. r Just where Miami will fit in with the winter racing plan is a subject that has been creating Do end of discussion ever since the building of .the new track was first conceived. It. has bsen predicted that the new track would never be completed and that "there would be no more racing in Florida. And it has also been predicted that it would mean the end of Havana racing. That it would have a serious effect on New Orleans and altogether there have been no end of disquieting rumors. To answer the first one is easy. The track building is going along at a rate that leaves 1 no doubt of the carrying out of all the plans, as far as the property is concerned. Not only that, but it is being built with an idea of permanency and with a lavish expenditure of money that will make it one of the show courses of the country. As far as the second question is concerned the gentlemen behind the venture have had a thorough test of the existing laws of Florida and they have every assurance that it is possible to operate under a pari-mutuel plan of wagering that will be within the law and give Bo offense. Of course, just what effect another winter race course will have on the existing race tracks remains to be seen, but there should be little cause for worry by the other clubs. The Miami course will have a different appeal than either Havana or New Orhans and it has been shown that already there are horses enough to supply one other race track through the winter months. Miami will make its appeal for the most part to owners who have not heretofore raced through the winter months. It will look for its entertainers among the horses that have been idle during the winter. And a large percentage of the turfmen who have signified their intention of racing at Miami have never before H wn their racing colors at a winter racing ground. Both New Orleans and Havana have a clientele of both horses and patrons that no track will take away. Each Ls a track that has its placs and should always hold its place in the winter racing scheme. The coming in of Miami just interests that many more owners in winter racing and in that it is to be commended. One of the stockholders in Havana said recently that he was delighted with the plans for Miami and his view is that rather than in any measure hurting the Havana racing it will be beneficial. His argument is that Miami will bring owners that much closer to Havana itself and the lure of Oriental Park will readily attract them to Cuba for some of the racing. Altogether it would seem that Miami is to commended and supported by all for the reason that it mckes winter racing just a bit i. , 7 8 9 3 1 2 3 4 5 r 1 more important and brings to the winter turf men who have never before raced their horses through the cold months. One of the candmparatively new fixtures of the Maryland Jockey Club is the Pimlico Oaks, but it has already come to importance. It was first run in 1919, when it was won by Milkmaid, under the colors of J. K. L. Ross. The other winners have been W. R. Coes fine filly Cleopatra, Walter J. Salmons Careful, Willis Sharpc Kilmers Dinahmeur and last year Harry Payne Whitneys Gadfly. This is a rather creditabb roster and the race has been steadily growing in importance. The entries for this year are to close April 8 and it is already assured that the nominations will be both liberal and representative. One of the notable nominations already made is that of the Xalapa Farms Happy Thoughts, rated the best filly of 1923 and considered by many as the best of either sex. This good filly is preparing at Havre de Grace and gives promise of being in the first flight of the three-year-olds. It is interesting to note that there is every hope that Wilderness will come back a good horse this year. Time was when this good son of Campfire and Genesta was looked upon as possibly the champion three-year-old of last year. He had shown Toni Healey enough to warrant such a belief, but went amiss when he was wanted for tb.2 Prcakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby, though Healey Avon the former with Walter J. S:inons Vigil. The last appearance of Wilderness was when he was the winner of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga from Flagstaff, Rialto, General Thatcher and Pettifogger. He also won the Delaware Handicap from Little Chief, Brainstorm and Knobbie. The other victor of Mr. Wilsons good colt was in the - Chssapeake iakes at Havre de Grace in the early spring. In that race he beat a good-class band and it made him appear a particularly dangerous candidate for the Preakness Stakes, but un- fortunately he went amiss and was not se?n again until his excellent campaign at Saratoga in August. The manner in which Wilderness is training at this time makes it appear that Healey can have him ready for the 5,000 Dixie Handicap at Pimlico, to which he is an cligibb.
