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s $ Here and There on the Turf Belmont Park Ready. Toboggan Handicap Day. Mud Brings New Hopes. Latest Derby Rumors. e • The opening of the Belmont Park season of the Westchester Racing Association is always a red letter day for the American turf, and a tremendously Dig day for New York racing. The spring meeting begins this afternoon at the big Nassau County course and it is to continue until June 2, when the running of the Belmont Stakes will bring the season to a conclusion. For this opening day the program that has been prepared by secretary Schaum-burg promises a worthy opening and the big features of the occasion are the International Steeplechase Handicap and the Toboggan Handicap, over three-quarters of the Widener course. Time was when the Metropolitan . Handicap, a mile test, was the opening day feature of the association, with the Toboggan Handicap run later, but this 5 change seems to be an excellent one - when the sprint feature comes first on l the program of stakes. But there is a reason for this opening to have a greater importance than ever . before. That reason is the first trial of the new rule proposed by Joseph E. Widener during the winter months. This rule does away with the promiscuous 5 . scratching of horses and the consequent ruining of a program. The rule prohibits the withdrawal of a horse that has been entered, unless there should come a change in track conditions, after the time e of entry, or for some physical disability to which the track veterinarian testifies. Then there must come the consent of the stewards of the meeting. There has been much speculation as to just how this rule will work out at Belmont . Park, but it is to have its trial and it appears to be a big thing for the ei betterment of New York racing. It is a rule that should meet the hearty approval of the racing public generally, , and it will do away with the entering of . 5 - l . 5 . a e . ei a , of horses for other than rarcing purposes. ■ In other words, it will do away with the entering of horses for the purpose of scaring others out, while the bugaboo will eventually be scratched himself. Some trainers predict that the rule will be a colossal failure, but there does not seem to be any good reason for the belief and there are few rules that are more commendable in track management. * n The election of William E. Caskey, Jr., to the presidency of the Thoroughbred 1 *" 2 Horsemens Association seems to have ~" 3— been a happy choice, and with such a 4— forceful man at its head the association _ has no fear of dissolution, as has been 6 intimated. The resignation of Edward R. 7 7. Bradley from the presidency, after all he had done for the association, was locked upon as a calamity and it was feared that 1-no 1 man could be found to adequately „ 2 take his place, but Mr. Caskey, and his policies, promise to continue the asso- 3 * ciation as a great good to the horsemen 4 4 and to the turf. 5 On his election to the high office Mr. I e Caskey briefly outlined his ideas of prov- 7 7 ince of the association and his sound exposition of what the association will 1 2 mean to horsemen must be commended. % He proposes that the association will 4 4 not consider complaints of individual 5 ■ members unless there be an urgent de- 7 7 mand on the part of the entire membership. He is opposed to radical methods 1 j to bring about the correction of real or 2 fancied wrongs and he will urge media-tion, tact and diplomacy in the handling 3 of any of the problems that properly , 4 come under the notice of the association. Mr. Caskey has also a keen sense of 5 6 the rights of the racing associations as 7 -well as the horsemen, and he urges that his association at all times keep these rights in view, and at the same time con- 1 1 sider the rights of the great racing pub-lie, 2 so essential to the welfare of the sport. Under such an interpretation of 3 the purpose of the Thoroughbred Horse- 4 4 mens Association it is sure to be a body 5 that will do big things for the turf and [ G at the same time bring about conditions 7 7 more agreeable to the horsemen themselves. Almost on the eve of the running of the Kentucky Derby there comes new interesting form shown by Misstep. From the beginning of the preparation of 1 this good colt he has attracted attention 2 j and he has been the greatest work rival • 3 4 at least of Reigh Count. There was a ■ 5 general impression that he might find 1 the mile and a quarter too far, but now 7 he has demonstrated that he is well able to race the Derby route and it would appear that he will go to the post at least second choice to Mrs. Hertz champion. The rain and promise of more rain has I brought hope to the camp of those with candidates of mud-running ability, while there are others in the list of eligibles . that will be severely handicapped should I the track be other than fast. Dodgson is probably benefited more in 1 a muddy track than any of the others, , but his race Monday was so utterly bad that it is hard to conceive of his having ; a chance under any track conditions. Then, there is the Wheatley Stables Distraction. " He is a rare mudder and, while his victory in the Wood Memorial Stakes ; at Jamaica was a fluke and his recent t race in the Preakness Stakes was disappointing, a heavy or muddy track condi- - tion will see him improve greatly. Bonivan and Irish Pal are both mudders, but there does not appear to be much of f a chance for either one to cut any figure 2 in the running. Reigh Count himself is able to race over heavy or muddy tracks. He may be e helped slightly, but such going will not j prevent his giving an excellent account t of himself. And it is ineviable that with h a heavy or muddy track on Saturday the e field will be thinned down a bit and such h a field will be a help to Reigh Count, t, and any other starter that may be just it a bit lacking in the early foot required j to take a position. There is cause for congratulation in n the fact that Harry F. Sinclair is to have C a representative in Mowlee. Before the Le , running of the Preakness, Nassak loomed up as a worthy representative of the e stable, but with him eliminated it is pos- j. sible that Mowlee will carry on credit-I ably. Mowlee has been rated as purely a sprinter, but his victory in the Southampton proclaims him as something more and he may prove troublesome, for he is a colt of undoubted class. * — — — = ? J 1 | 1 I Jl I I I | ji I I I I I l| ij j 1 ! *■*.
