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Here anc! There on the Turf Some Important Changes. "Ham" Keenes Success. Three-Year-Old Quality. Stakes for Coney Island. Important turf event." of the past few days were the purchase of Son of John by Jeffer.-on Livingston and the employment of John Schcrr to train for the stable and also the appointment of William Garth to take over the horses of Edward B. McLean, for whom Schorr trained for several years. It is possibl? that Son of John was b:st in the Kentucky Derby. He was fortunate in saving much ground at the head of the stretch when Heupel forced Hying Ebony wide, but he was also unfortunate when he. Heupel, with Captan Hal. had him so closely pinned next to th? rail through the final sixteenth that Turner had no chance to come through with him. Mr. Livingston has decided that William Perkins will continue to train Son cf John until after the running of the Latonia Derby and that seems to be a wis; decision. Perkins knows the horse well and Schorr would be at some disadvantage in taking him over at this time. Son of Jchn is evidently a long route traveler and at this nme looms up as one of the most promising of the Latonia Derby eligible*. There was a bit of surprise over the news lhat John Schorr had severed his connection »ith the Edward B. McLean stable, for he has met with a full measure of success in training for the Washington turfman. But there was no surprise that William Garth should have b?en chosen as his successor. Uncle Billy" is something of a neighbor of Mr. McLean, for he is of Virginia, where Mr. Mrl ean has his breeding farm. Not to know Billy Garth is not to know racing and for forty years and more he has been a familiar figure, although he has seldjm journeyed far from the eastern courses, excepting an occa sional visit to Kentucky, such as he made when to took Paul Jones to Churchill downs in 1920 and came back with a Kentucky Derby to his credit. The Garths are all horsemen and "Unci- Billy" taugh- them all and taught them thoroughly. Mr. McLean is to be congratulated in obta ning such a sterling con ditioner for his racing establishment. "Ham" Keene thus far has only shown the Joseph E. Widener silks on thre? occasions since he entered the employment of the preandi dent of the Westchester Racing Association last fall, and his record is three victories. Last fall he saddled Altawood for his victories in the Pimlico Cup and the Bowie Handicap at Pimlico and his third victory came Tuesday, when Ruthenia, daughter of Lemberg and Da maris II.. bred by Mr. Widener, was the winner from a sperdy band of fillies Ln the opening da«h That race run by Ruthenia was also the first mount that Earl Sande has had f.r his new employer so that his debut under his new contract was eminently successful. Trainer Keene has taken his time with the Widener horses and that was evidenced by the fitness of Ruthenia on her first appear ance under colors. Altawood. the cup de-I endence in the stable, has been gallopi ig well since early in the spring, but it is the intention to reserve him for the long distance events in which he is so well suited. Tuesday morning he was sent along for an easy mile and an eighth in 1 57 and there is little doubt of his being ready, when he is called upon to bear colors. The son of Master Robert, in ■ addition to being a rare stayer, is a barile mud runner, so that no stress of weathr should interfere with his campaign. Now thit Keene has broken the ice for Mr. Wideners !i2. campaign, he promises to show the colors more frequently. He has several others n the stable ready for the call and he has pron wed that he will start some of them befoie , the end of the week. While i;i this country, there has been a gen eral bemoaning the alleged fact that the threi year olds are of such ordinary class, the sane condition seems to prevail in England. Thus far the thre» year olds have not measured jp to the standard and the field for the Derby was not what it has been in other years, it, this particular. There does not appear to be a truly worthy champion in the division, either in England or France. There is a best one. but he dnes not have to measure up to the standard of many of the good years. Every once in a while there comes a year when the thoroughbred crop is not exactly tin to standard and apparently for no explainable reasons. Year after year the same care in the mating of thoroughbreds is exercised and there has been a close and intelligent study of blood lines. The matings appear well nigh perfect, the produce has everything of which to expect great things, but the sum; matings of one year may give entirely different results the next. One striking example was Man o War antl Playfellow, brothers by Fair Play and from Mahubah and about as different as thorough breds cme when it came to racing. And there have been countless other such examples that, makes it absolutely impossible to have a certain and sure line on matings. After every care has been taken and the , best of blood lines chosen there is a certain element of luck. Unless the horse has an indiwduality that is separate and apart from mrre blood lines it will never become a chum pion. The off years can never be anticipated and all the breeders can do is to contbue to use every care in the production of the thorough breds and then hope and pray that the foal will inher.t all that is best from both sire and , dam. Bids are being made for nominations to the various stakes that are to be decided over the New Coney Island course, near Cincinnati and the list of stakes is one that is sure to bring a liberal response from the horsemen. These stakes are to close June 6 and the big event of the meeting, which follows Latonia with an opening July 6. is the 125.000 Cincinnati Derby, over the mile and a quarter route. For a new racing association the stake and purse list is a remarkable one and, unless all signs fail, the racing over the new course will find an instant and lasting success. The program book calls for seven races each day and, in addition to the stakes, there will be a daily distribution of 0,500 in added money. Such a program makes Coney Island racing of instant importance and it will begin j where it has taken many another association | years to reaci.
