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Here and There on the Turf Havre de Grace Opening. Bentons Suspension. Unscrupulous Touts. Stutts Good Ride. Today the Maryland racing moves over tt the Havre de Grace course; of the Harford Association, and it is a meeting that will bring out a better class of horses than those that raced at Bowie. That is assured from the opening program and from the number of good class thoroughbreds on the grounds and ready to race. The racing at Bowie introduced the ne* northern racing season auiciously, and, while there was a dearth of good horses, the racing was excellent. There really was only one occurrence during the eleven days of sport that was regrettable, and that was the running ol the horte Vexation. The owner of this horse has been punished, and it is probable that his sentence of suspension will have a salutary effect. R. Benton, the owner who came under official displeasure, wdl find that his punishment does not end with the term of the Bowie meeting. He has been indefinitely suspended and his case referred to the Maryland Racing Commission for any further punishment that may be deserved. This case was one in which no palliating circumstance could be discovered. Two days before the opening of the meeting a tipping ! letter was widely circulated setting forth that Vexation was to start Wednesday and would be beaten, but would start Saturday and would be a sure winner. The letter purported to come from the stable and the two races were ! run exactly as had been promised. This letter was what fixed the blame for . the inconsistency of Vexation and, whde F. J. Kearns, who trained for Benton at that time, cleared his skirts by refusing to train the horses any longer, B.ntcn evidently was not able to come clear of blame in the matter. The stewards instituted a searching investigation and this investigation is still progressing. Enough was uncovered early in the investigation to warrant a ruling, but it was withheld until this time for the obvious reason of finding out all of these that were guilty. This is the most pernicious sort of touting, and the offense is one that must always be dealt with harshly. Unscrupulous touts can work a greater harm to racing than almost any other offenders, and when they are found in racing stables they should be banished from the sport. There is a legitimate way to furnish inferma tion on racing. There Is a legitimate way to prognosticate winners. There is information on the condition of a horse and on its chances for victory that is both legitimate and valuable to those who would speculate on the racing. No fault is found with this, but the alleged information that savors of fraud in any races, or makes an appeid on any grounds that would bring racing into disrepute, must be suppressed. Such information invariably conies from unscrupulous rascals who make all sorts of promises and assume knowledge of horses they do not possess. They attempt to create the impression of a stable connection that they do not enjoy and, accordingly, cast a reflection on reputable sportsmen. Unfortunately Fuch information will frequently fall into the hands of those who know bo Little of racing that they are willing to believe all that is written. Of course, they are doubly sure of giving credence to any of the libels should the tout pick a winner. Men of integrity have made an excellent living furnishing information on the probable winners. They are men who have closely studied the horse and they have a knowledge of the sport that enables them to send out information that has real value. They do not resort to these tricky methods of the shysters, who know nothing of horses and whose only desire is to "catch suckers" with the lure of their literature. R. Benton is Utile known to the turf. He may not have sent out the letters on Vexation himself, but the stewards at Bowie, and they worked carefully, uncovered enough to indicate that there at least was some one in the stable who was guilty. Kearns convinced the stewards of his innocence and the care that was taken before the ruling was made suggests that the ruling against Benton should be banishment from all race courses. It is bad enough to find a tout that assumes a stable connection that he does not enjoy, but it is unforgivable when such letters as were sent out about the two races run by Vexation come from the stable itself. It is well that this Benton case came up early in April. It is well that his operations were nipped so early in the racing year, and . , it is to be hoped that the turf has seen the last of him. The stewards at Bowie are to be congratulated and they are commended for making sure before the ruling was handed down. Now this suspension should continue, and it should also be strictly applied to the four horses of the offender. The horses should remain ruled off the turf. He should not be permitted to sell them with au idea of having some one else race them. He strictly does not belong under this ruling, and it would be . , well for everyone, and there were many who received a letter from 0. M. Oxford of Washington, or any other tipping bureau that sent out the same Vexation information, to fight shy of all like information. It is information that is of no value, if the honest man would just stop and think for himself. Any crook that would promise to "stop" a horse would also "ride it out." The best little trick of the crook is the "double-cross." By all means permit the men of integrity and turf intelligence to sell their knowledge of horses and of racing, but the fakers and the crooks must be driven out. That is about enough on this question of those who would bring the best of all sports into disrepute. Getting back to that last day at Bowie, it is fitting that something should be said of the skill of one Harry Stutts. Down at Miami Stutts gave several skillful exhibitions in the saddle, but it is doubtful if he ever rode a better race than when he brought Red Wing-field home winner in the closing feature race at Bowie. Red Wingfield was apparently dead beat before reaching the eighth post in the stretch and Stutts by his skill and strength brought him first over the line. True, little O. Brown could hardly do Thomasine justice in the last eighth. He is too light to offer the support a tiring runner needs, but Stutts fairly carried Red Wingfield home and it was an exhibition the like of which was not seen before all through the Bowie meeting. Harry Stutts did not have a full opportunity to show his skdl at Bowie, but such a ride as that on Red Wingfield will make him in such demand that he will have better mounts and greater opportunity at Havre de Grace.
