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* * Here and There on the Turf New York Needs Remedy. Shorten the Season. Jumpers for Pimlico. Prospects for Dixie. s e i "While the Jamaica program for the i . Tuesday racing only attracted fifty-one horses for the six races, the card for Havre de Grace for seven races on the , same day, brought out entries of 101 horses. And it must be remembered I that the Highland Claiming Stakes, at Jamaica, attracted nineteen entries, which i ■was altogether unusual in point of number, . making the other races decidedly scant. Maryland purses are just a bit more attractive, and of course that is one reason for the greater number of entries, but it is too bad indeed if New vork is not able to compete more ably with the Man-land racing. There could be the right I sort of competition, with abundant horses , and patronage for both sections, if the horsemen in Xew York would do their share. If they do not show a better interest . it would be well if the Xew York associations would admit that competition with Maryland cannot be successfully carried on and the New York racing r [ season be set back until after the close of the spring racing in Maryland. No one would like to admit that New York would have to give way in this 5 fashion, but, unless the horsemen do * their part, that is what should be done * to keep New York in its proper place in 1 the turf world. It would be better ten times to avoid this conflict with Maryland if that is the reason for the meagre programs that are - supplied by the horsemen, than to go 3 along with racing that is not worthy of New York. That would be one way to 3 bring horsemen to a realization of what they should do to help along. A curtailing of the New York racing season might awaken them to some of their responsibility in the furnishing of the entertainment. Some of these trainers take the stand that racing cannot do without them, and cannot do without their horses. That is true enough, but without the racing associations and the offered money, there would be no employment for the trainers or the horses. Then again, without the racing public and interest in the sport, there would be no racing associations. Thus, it gets right down to the racing public. The patrons come first and not until that is thoroughly understood will New York racing in the early spring and late fall have the proper appeal. There is no good reason for the existing conditions. The Metropolitan Jockey y Club has tried to suit the horsemen in Q the programs that have been offered. The public has been exceedingly generous s in its support in the light of what has been offered, and yet the horsemen show no appreciation and no desire to help along in the general scheme. Beginning with the meeting of the e Maryland Jockey Club, at the Pimlico 0 course next Tuesday, the steeplechasers s will have their opportunity. Time was s •when the stecplechasing was a part of ] | I . | . I ; , i ■ t ; ; . , i l j 1 i i . , I i . I , . r [ 5 * * 1 - 3 3 y Q s e 0 s s ] the Havre de Grace programs, but the field there was dismantled some years back and now it is Pimlico that affords the first opportunity. The racing of the United Hunts Association, at Aqueduct, demonstrated that there are many of the steeplechasers fit , and ready for what is offered and the races through the field at Pimlico should be up to the best traditions of the sport which has always been popular at that course. A steeplechase is on the program for the opening day and there are several others to be decided in the eleven days of racing. The big cross-country feature j j I] is the Green Spring Valley Handicap, to j be decided May 5. This race was first run in 1907 and it has invariably brought , together a good field. For its running -this year the entry list is a notable one and it is known that many a good one i is fit and ready for the colors. Jolly Roger is one that is named, but it is hardly expected he will be sent to J the post for Vincent Powers has others i i of the Greentree Stable jumpers ready and he will probably save his ace for t later use. Fairmount, the greatest rival ■ of Jolly Roger last year and in the J stable of Joseph E. Widener, was not named, but Barleycorn and four others : are eligible to bear the colors. , Fredden Rock, from the Brookmeade Stable of George Sloan, and victor over Jolly Roger last year, is again an eligible. Joseph E. Davis is well repre- c sented and his list includes Storm King, . a green jumper that has created some- " thing of a sensation in his work. Jefferson Livingston is represented by ! Rabel and Ke Kon Boy, a pair of im- ] ported jumpers that Bob Smith had in I j his care through the winter months. t Madrigal II., Ragweed, Mantonian, J Nomad and many another of more or less ! reputation are found in the eligible list and the field for the running should be both large and representative. With the 5,000 Dixie Handicap of the « Maryland Jockey Club, to be decided at i . Pimlico on Tuesday, there is a growing interest in the possible field that will I t be sent to the post. This is a dash of i a mile and three-sixteenths and several i of the prominent candidates have been I seen under colors this spring. One of the most notable of the eligibles, and the top weight, is Walter J. Salmons Display. His race at Havre de Grace , on Wednesday, though he was beaten, j was one that should do a world of good [ ; in putting the finishing touches on his condition and he is looked upon as a sure | I starter. Then the Seagram Stables Sir . Harry, winner of the Coffroth Handicap of last year, and a close second to , Bostonian in the running of the Preak-ness Stakes, has been working well for • the race. Jock will probably be the ■ Edward B. McLean starter and he also i . has War Eagle to fall back on, as well i as others. Edisto, a stablemate of Sir • Harry is still another that is fit and I ready. Then there are various three-year-olds that have qualified, but as they are, for the most part, also engaged in the Prcakness Stakes, it may be they will be reserved for the later race. Of these Max Hirschs Taras Hall; J. R. Macombers Petee-Wrack and the Salu- . bria Stables Knapsack and Strolling Player have all qualified handsomely. It might be that some of these will 1 be sent to the post in the Dixie Handicap, for, as a matter of fact, it is a race that would surely tighten up a Preak-ness Stakes candidate marvelously for r : the 0,000 added race, to be decided over - the same distance just ten days later. • It is a race that could readily do one g of two things, put the razor edge on for 1 , the Prcakness Stakes, or knock the candidates out for the richer engagement. The trainer himself is the best judge of f what to expect and should a three-year-old give a good account of himself in the 5 Dixie Handicap, it would surely, at least, move him up in consideration of his J chances for the Preakness Stakes. The Dixie Handicap, since its revival * in 1921, has never been won by a three-year-old - and, as a matter of fact, few . have started for the race, though in the first running Gifford A. Cochrans three-year-old . Revenue Agent finished a close e third to Chacolet and Martingale. Sara-zen - was the winner in both 1925 and i 192C, while Mars took the race last year, , beating Display and Edisto, both of f which will probably be started for the e renewal next Tuesday. . .Continued on biitecnU; page. HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF ® § Continued from second page. The Baltimore Sun, in a recent issue, published one more laugh on the Maryland State Racing Commission. It came as a letter from a reader and need3 no other introduction. "To the editor of the Evening Sun: "Sir: A mans headless body was found in Wallbrook Sunday morning and the head was found a few feet away. There was nothing to show how the head had been removed. The head was grinning broadly, and in the tightly clenched right hand was found a newspaper with the thumb pointing to the big headline Sinclair Acquitted. "After considering the case carefully the coroner ordered the jury to bring in the following verdict: "Came to his death by laughing his head off at the Racing Commission."
