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PREPARING FOR SARATOGA _ » — - Leading Turfmen Already Looking Forward to Meeting at Spa. ♦ Saratoga Special anil ! "n:;or Following One of Outstanding lurid "lit. of Rariag at This Noted Tr::ck. ♦ ■ NKW YORK, N*. V.. June 24.— With the halfway mark of tin- Metropolitan racing mason passed, the big stables are now making their plans for the month-long meeting at Saratoga Springs, which will open on July :?o. Not that the stakes at Aqueduct or Empire City for that matter will suffer thereby from the quality or quantity of the entries — but somehow the big stables like to point their best, particularly their two-year-olds for the fixtures at the Spa. In fact since the very beginning of racing there more than half a century ago. the racing of two-year-olds has been a feature. This year will be nr exception. According t present indications, the Hopeful Stakes, at «ix and a half furlongs will come close to rivalling the classic Futurity itself in the quality and quantity of its nominations and the richness of the purse. Secretary Hchaumberg said last week, when he turned his attentions from the closing of. the Westchester Kacing Associa lions Belmont Iark spring meeting to prepare for Saratoga, that the Hopeful would be worth 0.010 this year. The nominations for the race- 348 — passed all records. After the declarations winnowed the field of what owners and trainers did not think quite top class there were 202 juveniles left, actually the pick of the horses in training both Kast and West. Some of the colts and fillies named for the Hopeful have carried silks with distinction at Relmont I;irk. but more have yet to face the starter. One re;ison that the best juveniles are l eing reserved for the Saratoga meeting is that the weather this spring retarded training operations considerably and owners and trainers have been unwilling, and jistlv so. to huriy the preparation of high priced or choiccv bred juveniles with such rich prizes in view. AIMED FOlt HOPEFUL. Among the colts and fillies named for the Hopeful are the Belair Studs General I-ee and Sun Hawk, which was bought for a fancy price at the Saratoga sales last year; tie-Morvieh youngsters Mormask. Moremine and Moregold; Casting. Sou o Battle. Draconis. winner of the Colorado and Juvenile Stakes: Selene-, a sister to Pompey. winner of the Make last year; Donnez Moi. Jove and •ley. from the same stable: Mrs. W. K. Yan-derbilfs Dos Pesos and Dorado: the Green-tree Stables Adios. Saxon. Arrogant and Cantankerous; James Cox Bradys 0,500 Man o War filly War Feathers: Sam Harris Terry; W. M. Jeffords Point Breeze and Seapa Flow, both by Man War; Mirafel. brother of Sarazen; the Rancocas Sweepste.. Cheops and Saukari. which are now recovering from the coughing epidemic .but will bc-ni their best form by August; Cold Coin, from the Sagamore Stable; A. Charles Schwartz Watkinson : H. P. Whitneys Afterglow, winner of the Keene Memorial. Bos-tonian. Byrd. Witehmount and Pantella; J. F. Wideners Chaise Shot, winner of the National Stallion Stakes, and Kiev. Arc I-ight and Caroler, from the same stable. Every available stall at the course was engaged more than a month ago and secretary Schaumberg said that he could fill at least five hundred mole stalls if he had them. The West and Kentucky will be represented as strongly as in other years by the best stables, in spite of the conflicting meetings in that section of the country. SAKYTOGV SPF.tlAI. 1MNNEK. Not the least interesting feature of the meeting, at which the social side of racing is more in evidence than at any other course, will be the Saratoga Special. The race always has been a good one, but this year it will carry an additional appeal, as R. T. Wilson, in behalf of tin- Saratoga Association fur the Improvement of the Breed of Horses, will give what will be known as "The Saratoga Special Dinner" to the subscribers to th.- Special, the members of The Jockey Club, tie- New York. Maryland and Kentucky State Racing Commissions and others prominently and closely identified with the sport. It is Mr. Wilsons contention that this dinner may prove of sufficient interest to make it an annual fixture It also may be said in passing that there is every indication of his hopes being realized to the fullest. Sportsmens dinners have done more to strengthen the hold of the sport among people of the right sort than almost anything else for no other reason than they established a contact under most favorable conditions. It is a matter of history that the beginnings of the turf in Fngland came from sue! gatherings where matches were made between men with good horses with the races frequently taking place- on the heath the next day. Even in England t day the dinner after tie- running of the Gimmick Stakes at York is the most important event of the year in the annals of The Jockey Club. That eve-• niug the members, in the course of the siM-echmaking. outline tin- policy, hopes end plana of the governing body of the British turf for the next year, while guests of hon r and the owner of the winner nave an opportunity to speak their minds. PI.AYFU IMPORTANT PA III. In the early days of racing in this country, too. these dinners played an important part because new races were planned or announced for the coming year. Racegoers of an -older day remember how much a part in the social side of the turf the Astoria Dinner Stakes played and how men sent their very best fillies to the post With the hope of ■winning and giving the party. The dinner planned last fall by Mr Wilson was a Mb step in the right direction and a fitting climax to the most sporting race in Averts it costs i..ju for a nibaciiption to the ■aratoeja Special with forfeit, sub scribers to inak their nominations by June IS. The ainnei takes all and the Saratoga Association presents . piece of plate There were forty-five subscriptions taken for the event this year, the subscribers being: H. T. Archibald, I: B. and Moutforl Jones. Benjamin Block, lie Belair Stud, the Brook-meade Stall-. A . Cost wick. F. M. Byers, R. S Clark. W R Coe. J S. Cosden, Mrs W. K V.-udeiiidt. who races under the name of the Fair Stable. Marshall Field. R. I.. Gerry, the Green tree Stable, the Hen Kiddle Farm Stable. Sam Harris. H. | Smyiie. Mrs. K. E. Hit t. Mrs. W. M. Jeffords. Frederick .Johnson. K. R. Bradley. W S. Kilmer, C. Leroy King, the- log Cabin Stud, of which w. AvereU Harrbamn ami :. Herbert Walker are owners; A. D. Mellon, the Newtoridalc-Stable. John K Madden. T. W. OBrien, Harry I-, Sim-lair. Samuel Ross. Mrs Ray-moral T. Raker. Who races as the Sagamore St i le. H. W Sage. W. J. Salmon. James Cox Brady. Basil Herz. E. R. Thomas. George D. Wider.cr. Joseph K. Widener, H. P. Whitney. R T Wilson and William Ziegler, Jr.
