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Here and There on the Turf To Breed to Epinard. Duettiste and the Manly. Eummer on Master Charlie. Need for Early Closing. One direct benefit from tie visit of Epinard to this country is that he is to be mated with two cf our American brood mares. These are Hour Hand and Quelle Chance, two of August Belmonts matrons at the Nursery Stud. These mares were both bred in France "by Major Belmont and each is a daughter of "Ethelbert and from daughters of Rock Sand. Hour Hand is a half-sister to Hourless and is in foal to Fair Play, whils Quelle Chance is in foal to Hourless. These mares w31 be shipped on the Berengaria with Epinard Thursday of next week. It is hardly likely that any such mating would have been brought about had it not been for the fact that Pierre Wcrtheimer brought his great thoroughbred to this country. There wi3 be such a demand for the services of the son of Badajoz and Epine Blanche in his own country that there will b2 small chance for any American breeder being fortunate enough to obtain a service. This has been possible through the visit of the French champion and the friendly relations that were cemented by the" presence of Mr. Wertheimer in this country. Even should there never be another international race, and that is hardly to be thought of, the coming of Epinard has done great good. Obtaining of his blood through the mating with these two matrons is the first direct benefit .to the American breeding in this and it is a benefit greatly to be appreciated. It is the Manly Memorial, a S10,000 added steeplechase, that is the opening feature of the Pimlico meeting of the Maryland . Jcckey Club. This is to be run Monday over the Baltimore course and for its renewal this year Joseph E. Wideners Duettiste is at the top of the handicap. The old son of Ethelbert and Dulcibclla has been asked to shouldsr 156 pounds and it would seem that he has earned that impost. The Manly Memorial was first run in 191C when Expectation was the winner under the silks of L. Wood. The following year Joseph E. Davis Brooks was first over the Greentree Stables great mare Cherry Malotte, the dam of Cherry Pie. In 1918 W. It. Cocs Bet was the winner, beating The Brook, at the time the best steeplechaser in this country, and required to shoulder 165 pounds in that race. That year Duettiste was the one to finish third. Then in both 1919 and 1920 Duettiste was the winner for Mr. "Widener. He is the only horse to have two victories to his credit. It was after his 1920 victory, when he carried 173 pounds home in front, the greatest weight under which the race, has been won, that it was decided to try for the Liverpool Grand National with the son of Ethelbert. He was shipped abroad and, though he failed in accomplishing what was expected, he raced brilliantly on the other side of the Atlantic. In 1921 the Manly fell to Flying Scout, from George Saportas Malvern Hill Farm, while George W. Lofts Sweepment, the top weight of the field, fell while in a contending position. Then in 1922 the Greentree Stables Damask beat Lieutenant Seas for the race and last year J. S. Cosdens Dan IV., an imported jumper, was winner, with Lieutenant Seas again in second place. There will be many rooting for old Duettiste when he goes to the post Monday and it would indeed be a big thing if the eld horse could for a third time be returned the winner. William Daniels Master Charlie is off for Churchill Downs and his engagement in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, the rich mile fixture for two-year-olds. He will be ridden by Clarence Kummcr and in obtaining the services of this finished jockey Andrew Blakely has made no mistake. This year Kummer has been riding in better form than ever before and he is calculated to show the good colt to better advantage than any other rider. Master Charlie has developed a bad habit of running out on the turns and for that reason it requires a greater degree of skill in riding him than is usual in race riding. Kummer knows all about this bad habit and that is another reason for choosing him being a wise choice. It had originally been intended to have Babin ride him, after the skillful manner in which he rode him to victory in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and later in the Rcmsen Handicap. Babin understands tha colt, but Babin will be busily engaged for Max Hirsch, his contract employer, and Kummer is well qualified to ride the colt with all the skill that Babin showed in any of hh races. The Laurel meeting comes to a close Saturday and, while the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is being run at Churchill Downs, the Manor Handicap, also a mile for two-year-olds, will ba decided at the Maryland course. It was impossible to avoid this conflict, but there are good onej enough to make each rac2 of great importance, .and both Maryland and Kentucky will surely have great Saturday sport. Tuesday at the Yonkers course of the Empire City Racing Association there was an evidence of the mistake of sticking to the antiquated idea of having entries close at 2 oclock in the afternoon, instead of a forenoon hour! It was found that one race would not fill at the time of closing the entries, and, as a result, the program for Wednesday had to be made over and a race substituted. It took a considerable time to close this race and the entries were not available until well on in the afternoon. All of this would have been obviated if the closing time for entries was fixed at 10 oclock in the forenoon, as is the practice on almost every track except those in New York. Then when it is found that a race is not going to fill it is possible to put on a substitute and have it filled by the noon hour. Early closing was thoroughly tried out during the Saratoga meeting and it met with satisfying success. At Yonkers there is every reason for a like rule. It is too late this year to make the change, for tha meeting comes to a close with the racing of Thursday, but it is well to keep this in mind for another year. For the Yonkers meeting the horses are all close at hand and tha objection that is made to early closing on Long Island tracks, by reason of the separated training grounds, does not hold good. Almost all .the horsc3 that are engaged in the Yonekrs races are trained on the grounds, and of dl ths New York tracks, it is the one that should have tho early closing rule. The closing of the Yonkers meeting brings this years racing in New York state to a close, except for the racing that will be offered by the United Hunts Racing Association Saturday and Election Day, next Tuesday. It has been a thoroughly attractive meeting that has brought tho racing season to an end, and James Butler is to be congratulated in the liberal sums that have been hung up for the horsemen. It is unfortunate that some of the big New York stables deserted for Laurel or Kentucky, attracted by the bigger purses and stakes, but the Empire City Racing Association did its part in endeavoring to keep them at home. For the good of this late fall racing it would be well if some of the New York stables would show a better sporting spirit and keep good ones at home for the edification and amusement of the home folks. New York will never be able to competa in the matter of big sums offered with the tracks where the returns arc so much greater by reason of the pari-mutuel system of wagering, but there is more to be considered for the good of racing than the money that is to be won. New York is entitled to the best racing at" all times, and it has a tremendously large and faithful patronage and this patronage is entitled to every consideration. It is to be hoped that there will be an improvement along there lines for the early spring and late fall racing. It can only come by the big stables staying at home to furnish the entertainment.
