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Here and There on the Turf In Winter Quarters. Ohios Newest Track. Racing at Miami. A Good Official. Whitney Leadership. Those who turn out for the winter, as do several of the horses, have no more racing with which to be entertained until the thoroughbreds return to the Bowie track next April. The sport of Saturday at the southern Maryland course brought it all to an end and the stay-at-homes have only memories and speculations as to what 1925 is to bring forth. The stay-at-homes are fewer each year. There are so many alluring meetings that year after year there is a constantly increasing number of those who journey with the horses to a southern clime, but there are still those who hole up for the winter months. They are back home now telling of all that happened in 1924 and expressing hopes of what will happen in 1925. The follower of the racing is nothing if not optimistic, and no matter how glorious one season or how disastrous they always see a bright one ahead. And after all the 1924 season has been a good one from almost any angle. It is true that there was just enough of uncertainty about the championship in the various age divisions to furnish food for plenty of winter argument, but that all helps along in the long winter evenings. Sarazen, naturally, will be the popular champion with most of those who have gone right through the season. With others, Master Charlie will be the juvenile king, but in both cases there is room for argument and plenty of room. Along in mid-December many a good argument will be offered for this or that horse in both of these divisions. These arguments are just an evidence of the grip that racing has and it is well there should be arguments. .Then Epin-rd will come in for his full share. Many a good judge at this time is willing to argue that he should not have lost a race. Others will tot see his campaign in the same light and it yiU go on right through the winter months xntil spring. May there be plenty of arguments. It is the life of it all and just so the boys dont come to blov.s they cannot argue too vehemently on matters of the turf. It shows a becoming interest and there is no getting away from the fact that it is a constantly growing interest. In all truth these are great days for the turf and the thoroughbred horse. And now Ohio is to have another race course. It would seem that there is racing enough in the state, but the plans as announced for the new venture may make it of importance enough to crowd out some of the existing meetings. J. McMillen, who has organized the corporation that will construct this new track, has plans that look to a first class plant. It is to be a mile oval at North Randall that came into a certain amount of fame some time ago for its harness racing. The plans are to have a thoroughly modern plant and they have progressed to a point where even the dates are announced. These arc to be from August 1 to August 22. It has also been promised that there will be a 810,000 stake to be named in the memory of Flint Stone, the best horse that ever bore the McMillen silks. In the selection of the officials for the meeting Mr. McMillen has obtained the best and it is intended that the rules of the Jockey Club shall be followed in the conduct of the racing. There is an ever present danger of too much racing in any district and it surely seems that Ohio already has all of the race c-urscs and the race meetings for that territory. Some of these meetings do not measure up to what is promised by Mr. McMillen, but the fact that those tracks and those meetings are already a part of the Ohio circuit, give them certain rights. If Mr. McMillen offers a better brand of sport than the existing tracks, his will take the patronage, but it would be better still if there was a thinning out of the Ohio circuit for the good of them all. Miami is out with the first book for its meeting. It provides that no purse will have a lesser value than ,000 and thsre is a ,500 handicap. This is a program that is decidedly attractive for the winter sport and it is in keeping with all the other plans of the Miami Jockey Club. From the beginning it has been apparent that this newest of winter race meetings is to have an instant importance. From the begin ning there was an assurance that good horses would be on hand. The promises from New York alone left no doubt of that. Now it is promised that there will be a purse distribu tion that will be worthy of the attendance of the good horses. Already there are a number of horses on hand, but it is natural that it will be some time before there is a general movement to the Florida course. The meeting does not open until January 15 and it is a sure thing there will be no lack of first-class thorough breds ready to race before the gates are thrown open. Word that comes announcing the engagement of Martin Nathanson at the Aurora track for the 1925 season is of great importance. Martin Nathanson is an official that lends importance to any race meeting and his association with the racing at the Chicago track will give it much added importance. There is no more painstaking official than Martin Nathanson and it is doubtful if any other racing secretary has obtained better results in the racing furnished. Mr. Nathanson always keeps closely in touch with the material he has to draw from at any meeting and he has a trick of bringing horses together in a way that makes certain good contests. If he has been obtained by Aurora as has been announced, the new track has good cause for congratuiation and his appointment will be of great interest to the sport generally. When James Rowe shipped Candy Kid out to Lexington to bring back the Breeders Futurity it was a master stroke. That was the race that not only placed the name of H. P. Whitney at the top of the list of winning owners, but it gave the stable the credit of having topped all the winning owners at Lexington. Hildreth had kept the Rancocas Stable at the top of the heap and early in the year it looked as though he would add another year to his score, but that Lexington trip upset it all for the Rancocas Stable. The horses in that string have all gone into winter retirement and there is no chance for any other owner to head the Whitney score for 1924.
