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5 Here and There 7 on the Turf - - — i 1 The Bedwell Ruling. 2 Weather and Training. , Death of A. McL. Earlocker. 4 Hawthorne Plans. 5 Some capital has been made out of the fact * 6 that the Kentucky Jockey Club has seen fit 7 J to accept the entries of H. G. Bedwell. while the stewards of the Jockey Club would not honor his stake entries. There is nothing to this to become excited : about. It does not mean that the Kentucky . Jockey Club and the Kentucky Racing Com mission is not in heartv accord with the stewards of the Jockey Club and with their rulings. The refusal of the stake entries that were made by Bedvell for the New York stake? did not mean that he was ruled off in New-York. He is not ruled off by any of the governors of racing, but the action mer?ly meant that Bedwell was not welcome to race his horses in New York. The refusal of his entries was along the same lines that made the stewards ef the I Jockey Club refuse to accept him as agent for J. K. L. Ross. It did not follow that the other governing bodies of racing should refuse him as an agent for his employer, and it is impossible that the present standing of Bedwell will in any manner bring about strained relations between the different racing sections, as some publications would seek to suggest. Bedwe.l not so long ago showed an utter contempt for the Jockey Club in his attitude, and it is the most natural thing in the world that the Jockey Club should not accept his entries. He attempted to make a joke of; the rulings of the Jockey Club and was strong enough to enlist some in his cause. It would have been impossible for the Jockey Club to welcome Bedwell. in the light of what has happened, and it b the most natural thing in the world that he should be denied the privilege of making stake entries. There is nothing in I hat ruling that should be taken up by the other racing governors and it only mrans that Bedwell is not welcome in New York. Just what effect the recent unseasonable weather will have on the condition of the horses that have been trained recently in stead of b?ing raced during the winter months, remains to be seen. Up to the lime of the bad weather it appeared that the idlers during the cold months would more than hold their own against the horses that had been campaign?d over one or other of the winter tracks. But bad weather came at a time when it would do the most harm to those that had idled and the most good to those that had raced. It came just when the trainers of the idlers were ready for the real tightening up prepa ration ; at the point when it counted more than at any other time. The horses had shown enough to be asked the real reason, but weather and track conditions made it im-possible to ask that question. On the other hand the horses that were seasoned and fit for racing did not suffer a I like handicap. They were ready to race ! when they were shipped from the winter tracks over which they had raced, and pos sibly needed the rest more than the work. For this reason it is entirely possible that the winter campaigners may show more than those that did not race, for the first few days of the Bowie meeting. There was general regret at th; passing of A. McL. Earlocker. for so many years secretary of both the Westchester Racing As sociation and the Saratoga Association. For a considerable time Mr. Karlocker had be:n in such desperately poor health that the won i i dcr of it was that he lived as long as he did. That made his taking off more or less expected, but he occupied a position tha made his loss to the turf of great importance All through his 1 *ng years of service there • never was a more painstaking official than i jA. McL. Karlocker, and it is admitted that his devotion to the duties had much to do . with his death. Within a short time it is expected that the ■ the dates for the corning meeting at Haw thorne in Chicago will be announced. It is known that when the gentlemen who I ! i i • i . ■ have the destinies of the Hawthorne racing in their hands make these dates known, they will provide for a long and a thoroughly high class meeting. Plans that have already been made provide for purses that will attract the best quality of horses, and the meeting will be conducted at a time when there will be little or no Kentucky opposition. The work that is already going forward in preparation for the meeting assures that Hawthorne is building for permanency and Chicago is sure to b-* back on the turf map in a way that will make it one of the truly great racing points in the country. The coming in of Hawthorne and Chicago means much to the American turf, and it is of importance to turfmen. Chicago has al ways belonged on the turf map. It will be equipped to support racing of the highest order and it should never have been out of the general scheme of the turf. With racing firmly established in Chicago it would mean the broadening of the middle west sport field, and would surely lead before long to the establishment of a central governing body to frame rules and assign dates. There are horses enough and to spare for a middle west circuit and, while Kentucky has done marveloufly well in tilling up that section, the horsrmen of ;he Blue Grass State should welcome Chicago. Any city of the size and importance of Chicago that decides for racing is a turf victory that is of incalculable influenoe to I the thorouphbr d everywhere, and every help must be accord?d the sportsmen who are back of this revival that should not fail to succeed.
