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REGISTRATION OF FOALS Total of 2,820 Announced for 1924 Up to Nov. 18. Growing Popularity of Tnrf Strikingly lllustrntcd in the Increase in Thoroughbred Bloodstock. i NEW YORK, Nov. 22. The growing popularity of the turf is shown more eloquently perhaps in the increased registration of thoroughbred foals with the Jockey Club than through any other source, and the annual returns as furnished by Registrar Herkert are awaited with interest by those who believe that racing should be encouraged, not only because of the enjoyment it gies lovers of the outdoors, but for the benefits conveyed through it to the industry of horse breeding. Mr. Herkert reports a total of 2,820 registrations for 1924, up to November- 18, as against 2, 60S for 1923. Many new breeders are represented and there is every indication that the high watermark in foal registrations for this country will ultimately be surpassed, despite the pessimistic outlook of a decade ago when the number had reached the low ebb of 1740 in 1913. Students of bloodstock breeding will find the registration figures from 1894, the year the Jockey Club took over the safeguarding of the pedigrees of American thoroughbreds, illuminating. In that year 3,000 foals were reported. Exactly the same number came along in 1895, but from that time there was a gradual increase until the peak was reached in 1905 with the recording of 4,414 foals from the various parts of the United States, Hawaii, the Dominion of Canada and the Republics of Cuba and Mexico. Shortly after this period racing in some parts of the country fell into disrepute through the need of a strong guiding hand. Restrictive legislation embracing every part of the union where the sport had flourished followed, and, as Avas natural, with a narrower market for thoroughbreds in sight, there was a falling off in breeding. Pastures were seeded to grain or other crops and some of the largest thoroughbred nurseries were abandoned. SALVATION OF BREEDING. It was when the racing sky was darkest that a change came. Through the courage and devoted sportsmanship of the group of individuals responsible for the Owners Fund, under which racing was resumed in this state in 1913, the thoroughbred breeding industry of the United States was saved. A market for yearlings and horses ready to race came into being almost over night, once the crisis was passed. Progress has- been slow, however, as it takes six or seven years to produce a brood mare and bring her to a point where she becomes an asset. For many years the increase in registration was hardly noticeable. The revolution in Mexico played havoc with the breeding of thoroughbreds in that Republic. Not a single registration, according to Mr. Herkert, has come out of Mexico since Villas campaign of fire, rapine and blood. The best evidence that progress is being made in bloodstock production is indicated in a comparison of the figures for 1920 and 1924. In the former 1,SG1 foals were recorded, almost a thousand less than the total for the current year. The figures in full for the entire thirty-one year period of Jockey Club control, which are appended, show a total of 91.C32 foals recorded: 189 1 3,000 1910 2,429 1S9i 3,000 1911 2.41G 1S9I! 3,470 1912 2,003 1S97 3.714 1913 1,740 1SSH 3,794 1914 1,880 1S9! 3,700 1915 1,994 1900 3.094 1910 1,980 1901 3,000 1917 1,901 1902 3,910 191S 1,987 190S 3,878 1919 1,829 1301 4,374 1920 1,861 190.-, 4,414 1921 2,105 1900 4,202 1922 2,205 1907 3,984 1923 2.C03 1!0S .3,721 1921 2,820 1909 3,124 ENGLANDS BEST JUVENILE. It is worthy of comment that the best two-year-old in England this year is bred much like our own Master Charlie, and like Mr. Daniels colt, he cost ,000 as a yearling. Diomedes is the name of the unbeaten Englishman, or rather Irishman, as the youngster was foaled in Ireland and he owns as sire the stallion Argosy, by Bachelors Double, Home of whose get, notably Irish Marine, has been raced with success in this country by William Hogan. The dam of Argosy is Fra-grunc. by Spearmint, and his next dam, First Over, is by Pioneer, a half-brother to the Avell-known broodmare sire, Gallinule. Master Charlie is by Lord Archer, a son of Spearmint and from Bachelors Choice, by Bachelors Double. The dam of Diomedes is Japdanc. by Captivation, a good son of Cyl-lene, which was from the noted mare Charm, by St. Simon. Diomedes is full of Hermit blood and will probably be the winter favorite for the English spring classics. The performances of Master Charlie and Diomedes should bring fresh fame to their sires. Lord Archer is only ten years old and ias had little patronage, though beautifully bred. Argosy has stood at a moderate fee, but is known throughout Ireland as a sire of speed. The luck of bloodstock breeding is illustrated in the careers of Master Charlie and Diomedes. C. F. Madden of this city, bid in Master Charlie at the Newmarket sales of 1923 for forty-five guineas. He turned him over to the Himyar Stud, which in turn disposed of him at Saratoga in a few weeks for ?1,000 to Andrew G. Blakely, representing "William Daniels of Chicago. Diomedes was sold by his breeder to Thomas Leader, the well-known English trainer, at the Dublin yearling sales for ,000. Leader, after winning good races with the colt, sold him for ?17,500 to a Mrs. Beers, who presented him to her son Sidney, in whose colors lie is now racing. Mr. Beers could make a fine profit if he so willed at this juncture as an unbeaten two-year-old in England with the sort of breeding Diomedes possesses is worth a lot of money.
