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2 Here and There 3 5 on the Turf : Value of Epinard Visit. Tribute to Wertheimer. 2 3 Championship at Latonia. 4 Mutuels for Miami. 5 i The" last of the three great contests that induced Pierre Wertheimer to send his magnificent celt Epinard to this country has been decided. American history has been written of- one of the biggest undertakings since the infancy of the sport in this country and thj ; benefits that will come from racing can hardly be overestimated. , In this country the fact that two of the races were decided over New York courses . . and one over a Kentucky course was an ideal arrangement and it formed a partnership and ; 1 community of interest between the two great : racing saction3 that has long been desired. A sporting rivalry must always exist among , the big rasing sections and it is a good thing for racing, but it must only be a sporting rivalry. On occasions there has been a disposition to have rivalry along other lines that has worked hardship on the horsemen and a rivalry that has been, to say ths least, bad business policy on the part of the racing associations. So much for the closer bond between Kentucky and New York, brought about by the Epinard visit to this country. Bui there is a much bigger thing to be considered in th2 three races that have been run. It is the new and healthy interest that has been created in the sport. The coming of Epinard, just as did the coming of Papyrus last year, has done marvellous missionary work for racing. And the coming of Epinard has been of greater and more far reaching importance for the reason that he has been shown on three occasions ; and in both New York and Kentucky, while Papyrus confined his efforts to Belmont Park and for one race. Such champions interest those who previously had no interest in the turf or in th2 . thoroughbred horse. They show racing in its best light and they do more to break down i the narrow petty attacks on the grandest of all sports, than any other sort of missionary work. , Racing has nothing to apologize for and 1 : those who are devotees of the turf should not be put on the defensive, but, unfortunately, too often they are put in that position. Yfith races that become national affairs, as these have, there is born a national pride in the thoroughbred horse and his prowess and that is as it should be. The real turfman ha3 always been imbued with that national pride, but to have a foreign champion here for an invasion arouses the interest of those who never before knew or appreciated just what is meant by the turf, and those to whom the thrilb of the contest were unknown. The turf is to be congratulated in having such a sterling sportsman as Pierre Wertheimer. His surrendering of the many opportunities enjoyed by his magnificent four-year-old in his native land for an invasion of our turf was a. tremendously big thing and he will ever be remembered in this country for what he did to make the racing of 1924 the most remarkable ever enjoyed in this country. With the International races completed interest at Latonia now turns to tbe Latonia Championship Stakes, to be decided next Saturday. This mile and three-quarters race for three-year-olds in its five devisions has grown to great importance. It is a race with 5,000 in added money and the fact that it is at weight for age makes it a contest of high importance. Had it not been for the coming of, Epinard this race would have attracted wider general attention, but the trainers have kept it in mind from the beginning and it is sure to bring about a great race. With the harmony that has been brought about there should be continued harmony that would mean a careful consideration of stake dates, so that one section will dovetail with the other in the important fixtures for horses of a like age. There probably will never again be a conflict on dates between the Maryland Jockey Club and the Kentucky Jcckey Club in the running of the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, two races that of necessity must always be run close together. But there are some of the big New York races that conflict with Kentucky races of like importance. What must be done, and what probably will be done, will be some sort of conference between the various big racing centers on stake dates that will avoid a conflict. To set at rest the question of the system of wagering which will be used at Miami when that meeting is opened at the new Florida course on January 15, it has been announced that the racing will be operated under the pari-mutuel system. This announcement has been made on other occasions, but more recently the erroneous impression was abroad that there would be "oral" betting after the system in New York, Chicago or New Orleans. The sportsmen who are fathering the Florida sport have not only made a positive announcement that the pari-mutuel system will be used, but have promised that no othsr form of wagering would be tolerated, and that all handbooking will be prohibited. In this connection the decision was reached after a test case had been made and carried to the highest court of Florida, which opened the way for the legal operation of the mutuel machines.
