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Here and There on the Turf The Ohio Situation. Plans for Lee 0. Cotner. Nursery Stud Dispersal. Belair Stud Stars. It is possible that a turf war has already be gun in the State of Ohio. It is to be hoped that such is not the case but unless the Ohio State Racing Commission takes in all the various interests, a war seems inevitable. It is indeed a high sounding title that has been chosen, and it will mean something if it s strong enough to bring all the racing in this state together. It is the only manner in which it can govern racing in the state, and it will only govern by the consent of the association for such a body is in no sense official, even though a name is chosen that would suggest a legal right to govern the sport. As far as the officers of the new commission are concerned it appears to be a Cleveland and Columbus organization. These gentlemen may be entirely acceptable to the recently formed United Circuit. They may be entirely satisfactory to Coney Island at Cincinnati and if such is the case the "commission" would be strong enough to govern the racing, but if it is an effort to assume control, without the hearty accord of the other organizations the commission" instead of bringing harmony will bring nothing but strife. It is just possible that there may be a working agreement between the proposed "governing body" for Illinois and the "Ohio Commission." If such be the case it might lend just a little more importance to the new body, but it seems on the face of it that any central body that would seek to assume entire control of Ohio racing without the accord and :o-operation of such a meeting as is proposed at the new Coney Island course, would be unable to go far in the enforcement of any of its rules for the state. Coney Island, if ignored by such a "commission," could well afford io ignore the "commission," and that is just the beginning of turf war. It was the beginning of many a disastrous conflict in the past. It is imperative that there be some sort cf central control to avoid confusion in these states where there is no government in control of the sport, but it must never be a control by a self-appointed body that does not have the hearty accord of all the racing interests. And now announcement has been made that another potential candidate for the Kentucky Derby is to have a Maryland campaign before trying for the Churchill Downs feature. The latest one announced as a candidate for the Maryland race before the Kentucky Derby falls due is Lee O. Cotner. This colt is to be shipped to Maryland and the present intcn tion is to send him to the post in both the Dixie Handicap and the Preakness Stakes. The Dixie is at a mile and three-sixteenths to be run at Pimlico May 1, the opening date of the Maryland Jockey Club meeting and I-iee O. Cotner is handicapped at 104 pounds. His recent training suggests that he will be ready for this race and, should he come out of its running satisfactorily, it will surely go a long way toward tightening him up for the Preakness Stakes, which is over the same distance and in which he is only opposed by three-year-olds. The Preakness Stakes is run May 8, amply long enough after the Dixie Handicap, and then it is another eight days, or May 10, before the Kentucky Derby falls due. With the Dixie Handicaps 5,000 added and the Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby with 0,000 added each, it becomes possible for a real champion to earn in the neighborhood of 50,000 by the middle of May. That would be a big lead for the money championship of the year. The definite announcement that such good ones as Stimulus, Quatrain, Single Foot and Lee O. Cotner are to try for both the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby has been made and there will be many another that will be campaigned in like fashion. Joseph E. Widener, recently back from Kentucky, expressed himself as greatly impressed with the interest that is b?ing taken in the coming dispersal sale of the stock of the Nursery Stud. This big auction of thoroughbred stock is to be held May 15, the day before the running of the Kentucky Derby and at this time it is attracting more attention than the Derby itself. For a considerable time prospective bidders have visited the famous old thoroughbred stock farm and inspected the horses with a view of making purchases. In fact, it would have been possible to make advantageous sales privately, but when Mr. Widener took over the entire establishment from the estate of the late Major Belmont he announced that it would be an auction and such it will be. It will be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, thoroughbred vendues ever held in this country. James Fitzsimmons is one of the Long Island trainers who promises to cut a figure n the Maryland racing when he ships a considerable string to Havre de Grace, where it is intended he will show the colors of William Woodwards Belair Stud for the first time this year. The horses Fitzsimmons will ship from Aqueduct will not be lacking in condition, judging from the manner in which they have been going along, and it would not be surprising if he uncovers a real champion in his big string. Aga Khan and Flames appear to be the stars ; of the stable and, though Flames came to th I races a maiden last year, he has shown enough J to promise that he will keep the best of them | busy this year. Both of these, with five others from the Belair Stud, are eligible for the Dixie ] Handicap, and each is intended, at this time, for that big race. Aga Khan proved himself a stayer of parts last year when he won hc Lawrence Realization Stakes, and was a good ami to Altawood in both the Bowie Handicap and the Pimlico Cup Handicap. Flames continued to improve right through the racing jseason and at this time he appears better than ever before. Aga Khan is handicapped at 117 pounds in . the Dixie Handicap, while Flames is only asked to shoulder 106 pounds. In the light of 1924 performances this seems an eminently fair ! : allotment, but just now the work reports indicate that Flames has a bit the better of the allotment. It is still too early to tell much about the new crop of two-year olds that have been uncovered at the Bowie meeting, possibly good ones have come to the post, but there will undoubtedly come better ones before many days. What has been observed thus far is that they are of goodly size and for the most part are well advanced. They are as a band i well behaved and there is evidence that most of them have been carefully schooled. Tuesday the various stakes of the Maryland j i ! Jockey Club for the Pimlico spring meeting. I I which begins May 1, are to close. There is a1 notable array of rich races, including the ! : i j i I I 0,000 Preakness Stakes, and with the Dixie Handicap, that has already been closed, the old racing organization will distribute no less jthan 23,200 for the eleven days of the meeting. Already the stakes have attracted a liberal response from the horsemen and it is just about assured that when William P. Riggs, secretary of the Maryland Jockey Club, makes known the totals a new record will have been est abhshed. It is of interest to steeplechasing that Brigadier General will be back to the races this year. This flashy big fellow for a time loomed up as one of the greatest cross-country developments of this country. Then he went amiss. But now he has been training soundly again* and Gwyn Tompkins, than whom there is no more skilled conditioner of jumpers, expects to have him better than ever before,
