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Here and There on the Turf Rules at Fair Grounds. Powers of Stewards. Several Innovations. Chicago Derby Date. Among the many innovations for the racing at tKe Fair Grounds in New Orleans, which is to open with the first of tli2 year, it has been decreed that the stewards of the meeting will meet every forenoon. These meetings will be to consider what Is best for the sport and the other officials will be invited to attend. This will be in the nature of a conference when any existing abuses may be taken up for consideration .and plans for an improvement of the sport discussed. From time to time the stewards of a race mesting are called together for special reasons, but this idea of dally conferences is a new departure and it should be of great benefit. There are so many things to be considered in the conduct of a meeting that the stewards will find plenty to talk over and it should make for better racing. It is also intimated that the starter will be required to recommend such punishments as he considers deserved and that the actual penalty be inflicted by the stewards themselves. This will mean more of a central government and it is not likely that Mr. Hamilton, who will do the starting, .or any other of the officiate, will considsr that their jurisdiction has been in any manner curtailed. As a matter of fact, it is expected that any starter would welcome the change. It is a much more desirable method to pass along the punishment of offenders to the stewards themselves and it is almost inevitable that the offenders will have a more wholesome respeel for the authority and tha punishment inflicted by the stewards than for the starter himself. The fact that their misdeeds have been reported to the highest court on the track is in itself more of a punishment than a fine or suspension by the starter. Altogether it appears to be an excellent change for the proper government of the jockeys. All of this adds greatly to tli2 duties of the stewards, but they will not shirk these duties and will be well repaid if they bring the racing to the high plane that is so greatly to be desired. And there is still another duty that will fall on the stewards. That is to see that horses sentenced to the schooling list arc properly schooled before being permitted to start. The suggestion is that a trainer be required to school his unruly horsQ in the presence of one of tli2 stewards. A report will be made to the board of the actions of the horse while undergoing this schooling and on this report will depend the future disposition of the horse. Too often when a horse is sentenced to the schooling list the trainer has done all that is required when he sends the offender io thr barrier in the morning, where an assistant, and not the starter himself, is conducting the lessons. It is entirely possible that U12 outlaw will behave himself and apparently be tractable, only to again be a menace to other horses when sent to the post in a racs. This may come from the natural excitement of the contest and, if it is ruled that he is incurable of that affliction, he will be barred from racing. This will take a great load and a great responsibility off the shoulders of the starter himself and it surely will be a webome change. The average starter is essentially fair and I12 does not put a horse on the schooling list unless there is ample reason for the ruling. He has his schools for th2 bad horses, but if the ! j j 1 horse is continued on the list the trainer of the offender invariably has the idea that he is being discriminated against by the officials. When the sentenc2 is imposed by the stewards themselves it removes this onus from the starter. Another reason. for the shifting of this authority, and the same one that applies to tha government of the jockeys, is that the trainers arc sure to pay closer attention to the proper schooling of their horses than when there is only the fear of a sentence from the starter that is always subject to review and revocation by the stewards. These are only some of the changes that will be put into effect at the Fair Grounds meeting. All of the innovations have besn carefully thought by practical racing men and there appears to be no reason to expect that they will be other than marked improvements in the government of the sport. While it is entirely possible th:re will be a a sale of the horses of the late August Belmont, and many are of the opinion that it is inevitable, the announcement of the determination to sell was, to say the least, premature. From the best authority it has been learned that the executors of the estate of the late chairman of the Jockey Club have taken no action whatever looking to the disposition of the horses. In the meantime the horses in training are at Belmont Park in the care of Louis Feustd, who developal Man 0 War for Samuel D. Riddle and who campaigned the Belmont horses with such success last year. Should a sale be later decided upon the horses will be found in excellent condition to turn over to a purchaser and, as a matter of fact, tha sale would be one of the most uotabb in history. There would be genuine regret at the passing of the famous old Belmont silks, but he dispersal would b2 a welcome one to sportsmen of means, who would have an opportunity to make purchases that would have been priceless but for the unfortunate taking off of August Eslmont. It has been announced that the Chicago Derby of the Chicago Business Mens Racing Association, to be decided at the Hawthorne track, will be run July 11. This date was decided upon, by Joseph A. Murphy and his associates and the box plan for that holiday of sport has alrcadj- been put on sale. The date is one that should appeal to the horsemen for it comes late enough in the season to make certain that there will be plenty of the best three-year-olds fit and ready for the test. Last year the Chicago Derby was run July 12 and it went to Mrs. R. M. Hoots remarkable little Derby winner, Black Gold, with Gibbn running second and Senator Norris third, while Ladkin and Cannon Shot were the other two starters. Ladkin was sent on from New York and August Belmont went to Hawthorne to see him perform, strong in the belief that he would bring the prize home. Ladkin was fresh from four successive victories in New York. He had won an overnight purse at Belmont j Park and he followed that by scoring in the Broadway, Carlton and the Dwyer. Showing a flash of speed in the Chicago Derby Ladkin ! evidently did not relish the footing and he jgavc way completely in the last sixteenth, to be eased up by Earl Sande, who had the mount. The Chicago Derby has come into instant importance and it is inevitable that the 1925 1 renewal will be a worthy one.
