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Here and There on the Turf Western Racing Revivals. Missouri Outlook. Progress at Miami. Maryland Racing Popular. Events that are being slowly but skillfully fashioned bid fair to change the whole map of western racing. The definite and formal announcement of Chicago racing, which is promised within ten days, will be the first giant step forward. Thursday last a case which may legalize oral betting in Missouri was argued and submitted M briefs in Division Two of the Supreme Court, the court of last resort in that state The case, which had already been won in a lower court on a sustained demurrer, would place the race track interests on even a firmer basis than is enjoyed in New York. The constitution of Missouri is silent on the question of betting or gambling and the supreme court twice has held that racing is not a game and prosecution cannot be brought under the common gaming act. The legislature has never made an ordinary bet on a horse race a crime, and the only question involved is what constitutes the re cording of a bet within the meaning of the statute. If the court wdl follow the Lambrix decision, in New York, and the Austin de cision, in Louisiana, as the lower court did. the case car. be won. Joseph A. Murphy, who is giving his personal attention to the Missouri situation, has plans laid far ahead. He has formed a working agreement with the people high in the councils of the St. Louis Chamber of Com merce to create and maintain under the direction of that body a great live stock and agri cultural exhibit in connection with the racing, during the fall festivities in October of each year. He has convinced the press of St. Louis that rating can be conducted as a clean sport. He is also planning to remove, a.- far as is possible, active opposition to state supervision of racing by the legislature in January. Phil Ball, owner of the American League baseball team, is a member of the prospective .lickey Club. James Jones and Lm Hooker, attorneys of the National League team, are pcr.-onal friends of Mr. Murihy and, if a favor able decision is made by the supreme court, he plans to call the baseball interest into a con fcrence. Attention will be called to the fact that ut 4 r present conditions unlimited racing can be given, and every promoter and soldier of fortune crowd into the sport. He will agree to limit the racing to fifteen days in May be fore the opening of the baseball HUM and fifteen days in the fall at a time when the base ball MMM has come to a close. This, he feels, will convert what might have been active opposition into powerful co-oj eration. i With St. Louis under way, the bustling city of Kansas City, with its green memories of Waldo Park and Klin Ridge, is already restless and anxious to go. Dallas. Oklahoma City, Wichita Falls and arWnphis have gone exclusively to the thor cufhbred for their fairs and bills are in prep iff tt ion in all the states represented by these tXes for the legislatures in January. With racing already legalized in Nebraska and Louis iii*i», and the activity in other states, breeders and horsemen will watch the developments with the keenest interest. i Word has been received from Luke Cassidy that the work of building the new track at Miami has progressed to such an extent that he expects the construction to be at least sixty per cent completed. Mr. Cassidy has been hard at work on this construction for a considerable time and has accomplished wonders, as has been testified by all of those who have visited the Florida plant. With the completion of the eleven days of the Bowie meeting the new racing season is, well under way. That short meeting was of a character to hold out great promise for what is to come. Although for most of the time the weather was decidedly unseasonable for the sport, the attendance right through was ex ceedingly large and racing continues to grow in faor in Maryland. Havre de Grace is assured of even greater success. With the natural improvement in the weather that is anticipated there will come lincreased attendance. The program book for the Harford Association meeting is a truly interesting one and the first appearance of the steeplechasers gives the sport there an impor tance that was not enjoyed at Bowie. All of this leads up to Pimlico and the Dixie Handicap, the Preakness Stakes, the Green Spring Valley Steeplechase and many other rich stake races. But before that time there will be both Lexington, Ky., and Jamaica, N. Y., to interest the faithful, and it is not long now before all the various racing centers will be booming along at full blast. There have been fewer cas?s of spring sickness at the training quarters than usual and it is a racing year that is indeed rich in promise. | j ! I I j j J
