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Here and There on the Turf Closing of Futurity. Division of Prize Money. Breeders of 1924 Winners. Skull Caps at Tijuana. There is much interest among breeders and sportsmen in the Futurity of 1927 which is to be closed by the Westchester Racing Association, Saturday. There are important changes in that particular running and the most important arc that it is to be run over the seven-furlong distance and the association is to add a prize of 5,000 for that renewal. This old race was the most valuable of all the American prizes of 1924, when, with but 0,000 added, it was worth 5,730 net to Harry Payne Whitney when his filly, Mother Goose, was returned the winner. With an additional 5,000 to the prize money it is easily understood that the 1927 running will approximate 00,000. Of the 5,000 that is added there is 2,000 that is distributed among the second, third and fourth horses, and the breeders of the three placed horses. There is also forty percent of the starting fees go to the second horse and twenty percent from this source is a part of the award to the third horse. To be eligible for all of this the fees amount to ,160. There is a nomination fee of 0;. a forfeit of 0 for yearlings on November 1, 1926; and a second forfeit of 00 due July 1, 1927, with ,000 to start. It will be S3cn that in the fixing of these forfeit dates there is afforded a chance for the yearling trials before the first becomes due, while by July 1 of the year of the running, it should be possible to have a fairly accurate line on the quality of the nominee. - The fixing of these dates also is of importance to the breeders for those who breed for the market will only have the nomination fee lo pay, for a great percentage of the yearlings are sold in August. It is such races -s the Futurity that offer the largest premium on thoroughbred production. It is a race that does an incalculable good in the production of the best and the conditions are such that breeders can ill afford to pass them up for their mares. It is an engagement that will greatly enhance the value of the produce and the fact that there are breeding prizes for the first three at the finish is an additional incentive to nominate the mares. The breeder always remains eligible for this prize no matter how often the produce may change hands before the running of the race. Like several of the other big prizes, the Futurity is for entire colts and fillies. This is for the preservation of the breed and to deter the unsexing of good colts. In addition to the Futurity of 1927 there will abo close the Matron Stakes of the Westchester Racing Association. This is for the running of 1926 and at this time the nominations will be those of yearlings. It i3 a prize of ,000 added and is decided over three-quarters of the main course at Belmont Park. In this the nomination fee is 5, with forfeits of 5, due Nov. 1, 1925, and 0, due July 1, with a starting fee of 00, making the entire cost of sending a candidate to the post 00. In this, as in the Futurity, there arc prizes for the breeders. The Matron is confined to the fillies. While on the subject of the advantage to breeders in liberally nominating produce it is interesting to review the breeding results of 1924. Of Hixty-six imjortant stakes that were decided there were thirty four different hived ers represented. Of these the late August Belmont and Harry Payne Whitney were each represented by seven, but the score would have to go to Major Belmont for the reason that Mad Play, one that figures in the Harry F. Sinclair list, was purely Belmont bred on both sides of his house. John E. Madden was represented on the list by six and there were four each that were bred by Harry F. Sinclair, Willis Sharpe Kilmer and William Woodward. A. B. Hancock was breeder of three, and those with two each were Edward F. Simms, Himyar Stud, W. B. Miller, James Butler and Headley and Miller. Those of one each were R. II. McCarter Potter, Edward It. Bradley, Edward Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, Count de Brettes Thurin France, John Sanford-, W. M. Cazlet England,. Count J. de Nicolay France, Samuel Ross, White and Garnett, H. II. and J. II. Gaines, J. Musker England, II. Rozier Dulany, Kecne and Cleveland, Mrs. U. Tristam England, M. De Saint Alary France, II. T. Oxnard, M. E. Johnston, J. T. Gwathmey, J. 0. and G. II. Kecne, S. K. Nichols and W. E. Walsh. Thus it is seen that .six foreign breeders shared in the big turf victories of this country during the ycr.r, while other of the winners were of foreign birth, but produced by our own breeders. Master Charlie, the most successful juvenile, was English-bred and produced by J. Musker. Among the thoroughbred deaths of the year there passed two matrons that did much for the turf. Thcj were Usecit, the dam of Black Gold, the remarkable little Derby performer of last spring and winner of the Kentucky Derby as his biggest achievement. The other was Enchantress II., the dam of In Mcmoriam, the brilliant three-year-old of 192. and conqueror of Zcv in one of his sensational races that year. These niarfs were by no means considered fashionable as matrons, but giving to racing two such sterling performers was enough to inscribe the name of each in the hall of fame. The stewards of Tijuana are to be commended, for ruling that all the jockeys performing over the Mexican track must wear the protecting skull cap. It may be that all through the long season there will never come an accident that will call into use the protecting qualities of this cap, but nevertheless it is a wise rule. Ons accident would more than repay all of lh boys for wearing the cap and the association for having its rule that they must at all times be worn in races. There is no discomfort in wearing the skull cap and they are so light that they hardly add more than an ounce or two to the weight. As far as that part is concerned it need not be counted in weighing in or weighing out. It would be easy enough to permit the few ounces when the jockey has trouble coming to the proper poundage. The other associations would do well to have a like rule and see to it that all of the riders are equipped with the skull caps every time they ride in a race.
