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AMERICAN GRAND NATIONAL Planned for Belmont Park With 35000 Added to Be Bun During Fall Meeting NEW YORK N Y Miy 24 President Joseph E Widencr of the Vestchester Racing Association announced at Belmont Park to ¬ day that the management of the big Nassau County track will cooperate with the gentle ¬ men interested in steeplechasing who had raised a fund of 20000 to endow a cross ¬ country event which it is hoped will be to this country what the Grand National is in England The Westchester Racing Associa ¬ tion will add 15000 to make the event the most valuable contest through the field in this country and practically as rich as the Aintree classic The fixture is to be known as the Grand National and it will be run on Saturday September 17 at Belmont Park ParkIt It is expected that the new feature will replace the race of the same name on the stake roster of the Westchester Racing As ¬ sociation and that it will attract entries from England and France As the old race of the same name is already closed for the autumn renewal the Westchester Racing Association will ask the subscribers for permission to sub ¬ stitute the richer and more important race and a new closing date for nominations will be announced in the near future futureThe The committee having the drafting of con ¬ ditions for this splendid stimulant to the crosscountry sport in charge is composed of Joseph E Davis president of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association Henry W Buel and P S Von Slade The conditions are not known at this time but the race will be framed with penalty and allowance clauses The Westchester Racing Association has the right under the rules of racing to de ¬ clare off any race on its schedule The Grand National which is now abrogated was first run at Morris Park in 1899 1899It It is expected that the new crosscountry prize which will have an added value of 35000 will do as much for chasing in this country as the international races did for flat racing A few years ago some Irish sportsmen wished to send their horses here to race if prizes of good value were offered Prominent among these were Frank Bar bour who at the time owned Blancona which now is in the stable of Stephen San ford It is thought that British sportsmen will not be backward while the sporting spirit always is high in France FranceThe The rule under which the old Grand Na ¬ tional can be declared off reads in part partThe The Westchester Racing Association re ¬ serves the right to reject ah entry or cancel any or all of the events named herein with out notice at any time prior to the actual racing thereof without liability except the return of the entrance money
