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Here and There i on the Turf ! I Champions of Virginia. Fame as a Nursery. Affairs in Florida. Ironsides Coming Along. « $ William Garth, whose loBg life of rac- i ing aad breeding activities has had not a little to do with giving Virginia fame as the natve heath of the thoroughbred horse, is naturally proud of his state and , its advantages. It was this same "Billy" Garth — now it is thoroughly understood just who is meant. He is not William [ Garth and he is not Mr. Garth, but he is "Billy" Garth both East and West and wherever horses are raced, for it is remembered he invaded Churchill Downs with Paul Jones some years back and I came back with the Kentucky Derby dangling from his belt. But this is all so well known that it ; needs no retelling. The point is that : "Billy" Garth has proudly called attention i to the fact that while every day the Virginia thoroughbreds are bringing fame to the state, last Saturday was something r of a field day, with Soul of Honor, Toro, , Port Harlem and Solace all winners of 1 big features and all bred in Virginia. Soul of Honor was bred by B. B. Jones $ at the Audley Farm and he took the ; great American Stakes, with its value of f 3,800 to the winner. He raced for Mr. . Jones. Then Edward B. McLeans farm i was represented by two of the winners 3 in Toro, which won the Latonia Derby, , worth 2,525 net to the winner, for Mr. . McLean; while Port Harlem was the winner - of the Illinois Stakes, for two-year-olds, - at the Fairmount Park course, for : M. Finn, and worth ,810 to the winner. . The fourth was Solace, that won the 2 Rush Handicap, of ,420 value, at t Arlington Park for the Seagram Stable. This horse was bred by "Billy" Garth I himself. Both Toro and Port Harlem are - the progeny of The Porter, which raced brilliantly for Mr. McLean, the Derby y winner being a son of Brocatelle, by Radium, while Port Harlem is a daughter r of Harlem Lass, by Broomstick. Soul of Honor is by St. Henry, dam Kiluna, by Golden Maxim, and Solace is a son of Trojan and Bellsolar, by Solar Star. In addition to these, Fredden Rock was 3 a winner the same day in a steeplechase e handicap and he is a product of Virginia, l being a son of Sea Horse II. and Belle of Bryn Mawr, bred by J. T. Gwathmey. Of course, Reigh Count has given Virginia a greater importance this year than a any other of these thoroughbreds from a the state, by reason of his victory in the Kentucky Derby, but many a good one has been shown from that state right through the year and "Billy" Garth, as well as every other Virginian, has good reason to feel proud of the state. While it has been generally thought, t, by those who have made a study of f affairs in Florida, that a majority of the e citizens of the state are in favor of a law v that would permit racing, only recently a a poll of the state was taken. This has s demonstrated conclusively that the will II of the people is in favor of the sport, t, properly controlled and properly conducted. i- This poll was also taken of mem i ! I i , [ I ; : i r , 1 $ ; f . i 3 , . - - : . 2 t I - y r 3 e l a a t, of f e v a a s II t, i- bers and members-elect of the state legislature and, with 85 per cent of those reached, it was shown that 90 per cent either favored a law permitting the use of a pari-mutuel system of wagering, and the racing, or they expressed themselves for local option on the question. The work of obtaining this survey of the attitude of voters and legislators has been going on ever since January and the results have just been made known. This is exactly what was expected by 1 those who have made a study of the question from the time that the Miami . Jockey Club conducted its first meeting 4 4 at the Hialeah course. It has been shown g 3 that the opposition to the sport has in no | sense been the will of the people, where 7 7 the racing has been halted, and at this time there seems to be every assurance that a racing law, such as has proved so ] 1 successful in Maryland and Kentucky, or 2 the law of Illinois that permits the sport " with pari-mutuel wagering would be wel- « corned by the lawmakers. In the framing of this law, as well as 4 its enforcement, Florida has the advan- . Z tage of the experience in these three states and such a law would at once not 6 only be a fruitful source of revenue, in the license paid by such courses as 7 operate under the law, but it would make possible a brand of racing that would be 1 the greatest of all attractions to bring , the desirable tourist trade during the winter season. Turfmen are heartened by this promise ; of a return to Florida winter racing and I this survey of the state, just completed, gives them additional confidence that thoroughbred racing will surely be returned to the state. Unfortunately, the Florida legislature does not convene until next year, and at a time when the racing season is over. That makes it impossible for the enactment of the desired legislation in time for any racing before the winter of 1930, but there are still some who have high hopes that a way will be found to restore it in time for next winter. It is just possible that, at least for the Saratoga Springs racing in August, there may be a return of some of the older horses in the handicap division. There has been regret that such horses as Cru-. sader, Chance Play and Chance Shot have failed to race to expectations this year. The failure of Black Maria and the untimely taking off of Scapa Flow made other holes in the older division, but some of these may come back. Nimba, after her brilliant victory in the Metropolitan Handicap, went off rather badly, but she is in galloping exercise again. Chance Play and Chance Shot, as well as Crusader, may be brought to racing condition in August. Some of the others that may save the day for the older division, before the end of the year, are Brooms, Buddy Bauer, i Sweepster, Rock Man, Osmand, Edith I Cavell, Espino, Brown Flash and Son of [ John. And there are still others that [ have a chance to come back, ■ Then in the Middle West the three- year-olds have not been having their • . own way in the stakes with Jock, Royal Julian, Mike Hall, Genial Host, Helens 3 Babe, Rhinock, Rolled Stocking, Flat i Iron and some others of the good older " horses to race in the big handicaps. The older horses have not shown 1 much, but the three-year-olds have not t shown much more. That is what makes for good contests at least. With one I horse that stands far out over the others, in any age division, it always lessens the chance for spirited racing. The classes 3 may not be so good this year, but there is that much better chance for close and I exciting races. Although there may have been some i disappointment, when A. H. Cosdens Bel-e mont Stakes winner Vito was beaten at Aqueduct on Tuesday, it must be admitted . that he ran a sterling race. He B was attempting to give a good colt ten 1 pounds when he shouldered 126 pounds to the 11G pounds that was carried by r Ironsides. With all that difference in a the weight he was beaten less than a half f length. This same Ironsides is a greatly y improved colt and George Odom has been bringing him along skillfully. He will have a weight advantage over both Vito 0 and Victorian in the running of the e Dwyer Stakes, and, while there is a doubt t of his being as thoroughly capable, ! through his blood lines, to run a mile and and a half as is Vito, he must be given con-i- sideration in the Saturday race.
