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Here and There on the Turf Weather Handicap Big One Some Yearling Prices Plan for New York Turf Affairs in Ohio The almost unprecedented unseason ¬ able weather has been a serious handi ¬ cap to the racing at Belmont Park as it was at Jamaica and the spring meetings in all other sections where horses are raced And it is not alone the discom ¬ fort to the patrons of the sport Such weather has been a handicap in the prep ¬ aration of horses for important engage ¬ ments Of course the open spring earlier made possible a deal of useful galloping but right on the eve of the running of such a rich race as the Withers Stakes it is unfortunate indeed that there should come such a weather condition conditionMost Most of those that will race for the mile dash at Belmont Park this after ¬ noon are fairly well seasoned but with better weather and the consequent im ¬ proved track condition trainers would have had a fuller opportunity to put on the final tightening up touch to the training trainingAnd And speaking of the Withers Stakes it is a bit surprising that Edward B Mc ¬ Leans Jock was not sent on for its running His performance in the mile and a quarter of the Kentucky Derby would make it appear that the Withers Stakes would be much to his liking He is a colt with a brilliant burst of speed as the colts go this year and he has shown that he is capable of maintaining it for more than a mile mileThen Then it would have been interesting if there had been a public showing of H P Whitneys Valorous before the race It had been hoped that he would go to the post in the mile and a sixteenth of the Hyde Park Handicap on Monday but there was every excuse for not racing him under his heavy impost so short a time before his Withers Stakes engage ¬ ment even had the going remained favorable It is known that Valorous had trained exceedingly well for his Withers Stakes engagement but the value of a race before such an engagement is great in putting on the final edge edgeIn In any event the Withers Stakes re ¬ newal should be a worthy one this after ¬ noon no matter what the weather or track condition It has become decidedly dangerous to attempt to predict either weather or track condition even a few hours before the running of any race There were only two yearlings sold at the Saratoga Springs auction last August that brought a higher price than Crows Nest the colt that made his first racing effort under the colors of the Greentree Stable at Belmont Park in the last race of Saturday SaturdayThis This colt is a son of Man o War Jean Bowdre by Luke McLuke that was sent to the market by J O and the late G H Keene who bred and sold him to Mrs Payne Whitney owner of the Greentree Stable for 25000 The only other Man of War offspring marketed publicly last August at Saratoga was a chestnut filly the daughter of Scrutiny that was knocked down to A C Bostwick for 13000 13000The The two that ranked Crows Nest were a bay son of Black Toney Humanity consigned by Phil T Chinns Himyar Stud for which E M Byers paid 35000 and a chestnut son of North Star III Shy Missie also consigned by Chinn that went to William Ziegler Jr for 32000 32000There There was nothing in the race run by Crows Nest on Saturday that would give any line on his racing worth It was a race for educational purposes probably and a big crowd of youngsters started It is probable that the race will do him good in teaching him how to take care of himself in company He is a well made colt of good action and it is to ba hoped that he will justify the high price paid for him as a yearling yearlingNassak Nassak cost 5600 as a yearling Al ¬ ways brought 3800 Wonderful 3000 and One Cent 1500 These were all raced in the Keene Memorial Stakes that fell to Dice which was bought privately as a yearling yearlingMr Mr Byers 35000colt has been chris ¬ tened Tuskegee while Mr Zieglers most notable yearling purchase will be known to racing as Terra Nova NovaThis This idea of taking care of the New York racing with four courses includ ¬ ing Saratoga is an excellent one if it ever could be brought about but there will be difficulties to overcome overcomeThe The plan would be to junk Jamaica Aqueduct and the Empire City Associa ¬ tion track That is to say at least move two of them to some other locality and do away with the other one That would mean Belmont Park and two other racing grounds still to be built in the imme ¬ diate neighborhood of New York City and the beautiful course at Saratoga Springs SpringsThe The obstacles to be overcome will be the elimination of one of the existing associations or its amalgamation with one of the others and a change in the laws of racing that will permit racing for a term of more than forty days during the year on one racing ground That all may or may not be easy of ac ¬ complishment complishmentIt It has been known for some time that Aqueduct is doomed and that the Queens County Jockey Club will have to vacate before long It is also known that James Butler has been besieged with high of ¬ fers for his racing ground between Mount Vernon and Yonkers That course is not exactly easy of access except by motor travel and undoubtedly Mr But ¬ ler could acquire a more desirable site in Westchester County should he vacate his present course He could build with ¬ in easier reach of railroad travel and thus add to the popularity of his course courseThe The plan as outlined by Joseph E Widener contemplates beginning the racing season in Westchester County and closing it at the same track Westchester must have its race course in any scheme that is considered for it is a county that liberally supports the turf The opening of the racing there should be much more favorable than a Long Island opening where the cold winds from the Sound so frequently make the early spring days uncomfortable for the spectators spectatorsFrom From that opening the plan would be to move on to Belmont Park for the month of June from there is a seaside course for July with Saratoga Springs still enjoying the month of August and then work back over the same schedule for second meetings winding up the cam ¬ paign in Westchester All of this would mean the elimination or the taking over of one of the associations by another and it would make necessary a change in the legal racing time for each course from forty to sixty days in each year yearIt It would be an ideal division of racing time if it could be brought about One of the Ohio meetings has fallen by the wayside already with the calling off of the Maple Heights meeting which was to have been conducted from May 28 until June 14 14This This is a meeting that has been con ¬ ducted by the Ohio State Jockey Club and rather elaborate preparations had been made for the meeting Then came the recent announcement that the club did not care to become involved in a fight between various factions That is ominous for the sport in Ohio but it mus t be remembered that for a consider ¬ able time there was anything but har ¬ mony among the various turf factions of the state and for that reason the de ¬ claring off of any meeting does not come altogether as a surprise surpriseOhio Ohio is sadly in need of a racing lawto lawtogovern govern the sport but if such a law is ispassed passed it must contain a clause limiting limitingthe the number of courses that will operate operateand and fixing the number by ratio of popu popullation llation in the various sections where rac racing ing is desired
