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Here and There on the Turf Rock Man and Timmara. Noahs New Importance. Changes in Kentucky. Fair Grounds Improvements. Rock Man. the three year old son of Trap Rock and l.ydia A. which races for Mrs. Bakers Sagamore Stable, has come back to the races with a promise of being a colt of high class this year. In his first start at Havre de Grace Wednesday he had T. W. OBriens Timmara well extended to beat him by a narrow margin and Timmara had been mentioned as a colt of Derby class. Rock Man was giving Timmara four pounds in that five and a half furlongs dash and he was under the further disadvantage of making his first start of the year, while Timmara had been sea soned at Bowie, where he was the winner of the only two races in which he wa» started. It must be admitted that Rock Man looked fit when he went to the post, but it is natural to expect that this race will do him plenty of good and he should improve over that showing the next time he is raced. Rock Man is a trial horse not to be despised, for it is remembered that he beat J. E. Griffiths great colt Canter early last spring, and beat him on two occasions. Later the son of Trap Rock went amiss and he was put away for the year. Trainer Stotler has brought him back to the races in excellent condition as his first race wdl testify and he is entitled to plenty of consideration. But, after all, Timmara, while he may be a good colt, does not seem to measure up to Kentucky Derby winning class. He has won each time he has been sent to the races this year, but there has not been enough in any one of the three races over which to become excited. In this last race of his he had to do his level best and. like his other races, it wa* only a five and a half furlongs dash. He has been carefully prepared and brought back to 1 racing a handsome colt. It may be that he will show to better advantage over longer routes, but he is still far away from Derby probabilities. But if there was something to be desired in l the form displayed by Timmara at Havre de . Grace there surely was nothing more to be I desired in the showing of Harry Payne Whit ney"s Noah, winner of the Harford Handicap. The son of Peter Pan and First flight has been started three times and has been three ! times a winner, with each performance a bit t more impressive than the one before. Noah was a winner on the opening day of | the Bowie meeting and he came back with a second victory at the same track. That just I fitted him for his victory in the three quarters 0,000 Harford Handicap on Wednesday and 1 when he won that race he was showing the way to the best sprinters that could be in us tered. What is of particular importance in j the races run by Noah is that he seems to j have a great deal more heart than he ever r displayed before. He is easier to handle and he may be used in pacemaking at high speed without giving way when the pinch comes in ! the stretch. Too often in other years Noah I has apparently had nothing on which he could i be recommended but his extreme speed and he p was capable of quitting just about as fast as he could run. It is not much of a boast to j tell of the ability of a four year old to maintain i his speed for three-quarters, but Noah shapes s up at this time like the swiftest sprinter seen i in a long time and he may develop into an other Roscben, though there is nothing to 3 1 l . I ! t | I 1 j j r ! I i p j i s i 3 suggest that he will ever be aught else than i a wonderfully successful sprinter. i i Without presuming to tell the Kentucky , Racing Commission what it should or shoukl not do. the appointment of judge Charles F. Price to the stewards stand would be tre | mendously popular with the racing public and , a distinct gain for the turf in Kentucky. ] It has been rumored that this appointment will be made at the coming meeting of the commission to be held next week. Rumor also j J | has it that C. W. Hay will be so busily engaged j I with the affairs of the Illinois Jockey Club in j ! j Chicago he will not be an applicant for reappointment as a steward. After the serious , scandal recently uncovered in Kentucky and the drastic punishment of the offenders, confidence in the turf could not be more fully-restored than by the appointment of Charles F. Price to the stewards stand, where he previously served with such far-seeing wisdom and sterling integrity. Charles F. Price in his long and honorable career on the turf has been a lasting influence for its good and no man is better fitted to sit in judgment on the running of races. When judge Price severed his connection with the stewards stand in Kentucky racing some short time ago there was general sur-1 , prise and regret and the prospect of his t return to duty will be received with propor | tionate rejoicing. It is not meant to suggest that the racing has not been properly governed in Kentucky and it it not meant to cast any shadow or reflection on the manner in which the rules of, racing have been administered, but Charles F. Price would be a tower of strength to the j stewards of any section, and he is particularly fitted to the office in Kentucky, where he has exercised most of his talents. When Edward R. Bradley, K. G. Schlieder and John P. Sullivan assumed control of the old Fair Grounds at New Orleans much was done in remodeling the famous old racing ground. The track received the first atten-, tion and then came vast improvements to the stands and the accommodations and comforts I and conveniences for the public. This work entailed an expenditure that is seldom made for the construction of a new race track. When all the work was done the finished prod- uct gave New Orleans one of the most modern of race courses and it seemed there remained nothing to be desired. Now still more elaborate plans have been decided upon, and before the opening of its, 1927 racing the Fair Grounds will undergo | other big changes and improvements that will just about double its capacity and, at the same I time, add greatly to its l eauty and its many conveniences. Edward R. Bradley determined, when he associated himself with the racing at New Orleans, that no expense would be spared to make the home of the sport the most beautiful ! and commodious of any winter racing ground and he is carrying out that idea along plans i i i , | , ] j J | j I j ! j , of real magnificence. And while the track and its appointments have received all this attention, there has been the same liberal policy in the matter cf money. The New Orleans Handicap is to be increased to a value of 0,000 for 1927 and the way this value has been increasing year after year gives promise of its becoming the richest of all the winter handicaps. Just new the 5,000 added to the Coffroth Handicap at the Tijuana track is the richest of value? for three year-olds and over, but the New Orleans Handicap is rapidly com ing to that enticing sum and it may be that before bng James Coffroth will have to make another addition to his big race if he is to still enpy his pr.:ud privilege of staging the most valuable of handicaps. - A
