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$ Q HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF € • The Withers, which had its first running away back in 1S74, will be the big event at Belmont Park tomorrow. This is an inheritance from the old days of Jerome Park and it was carried on through the term at Morris Park and then to Long Island when the Westchester Racing Association was crowded out of Westchester County to its present beautiful racing ground on Long Island. There is no old American classic with a more glorious history, even though it is only a gallop of a mile. For the running tomorrow there is every promise that the field will be a thoroughly representative one of the best three-year-olds, with the exception of Clyde Van Dusen. The fact that he is a gelding bars him for the prize, but all of his greatest rivals are found in the eligible list and many of them have shown a readiness for the question. G. D. Wideners Jack High has been carefully prepared for the running by that veteran A. J. Joyner, and all of his trials would suggest that he will attract most of the public attention. His only race this year was a really impressive one and since that running he has progressed further in his training. Edward It. Bradleys Blue Larkspur, one of the greatest rivals of Jack High last year, and with scores over the son of John P. Grier, is another that is ready. The son of Black Servant failed in the Derby but, that is easily attributed to the muddy condition of the track for the running of the Kentucky classic. Samuel D. Riddles Battleship Gray, while he has not raced to his work promise, is another of quality that is ready. Joseph E. Wideners Curate proved his eligibility by his victory of Monday and the maiden Indigo is another from the same stable that has steadily improved. Soul of Honor, from the Audley Farm Stable, while not always consistent, ran an excellent race Monday, when he attempted to give away great lumps of weight and one of his good races would make him exceedingly dangerous. Chestnut Oak, which races for C. Ryans Oak Ridge Stable, is another that has come back a better colt than he was last year and there are other bright prospects among the eligibles. While Florida seems to be fn a fair way to enact a racing law that would adequately protect the sport in the state, the measure recently adopted by the Senate, at Tallahassee, could bring no relief along those lines until after an election in 1930. This is the law providing for local option in the various counties and it passed the Senate by a vote of to 13. A provision of the measure is that there be a state-wide referendum at the general election in 1930. The original bill was introduced by A. M. Taylor of St. Augustine, while the amendment, which was adopted, was offered by Senator W. D. Bell of Arcadia. There was a long debate on the amendment and the contention of the supporters of the measure was that it would prevent racing for two years should there be no action before the general election of 1930. This bill provides for a referendum by various counties, the creation of a racing commission of five members and a tax to the state of l%% per cent of all admissions. It further provides that operators of a race track could not take less than 5 per cent or more than 10 per cent from the paii-mutuel wagers, out of which the state is to receive 30 per cent. In the course of his plea for the passage of the measure Senator Watson said : "We found out two years ago that tourists would not come to the state without races being conducted. Last year, with racing, Miami had the greatest crowd in its history and the crowd overflowed to all sections of the state. It fills our hotels and apartment houses. And, gentlemen, as Miami goes, so goes the state of Florida. "If you kill this bill you will bankrupt our banks and force our hotel and apartment house owners into bankruptcy. I hope you wont slap these people in the face, these same people who spend more than 00,000 annually for publicity for Florida." It was also pointed out that the measure would bring a revenue of something like , 000,000 to the state and the point was stressed that the racing attracted tourists of high character and those most to be desired. This measure, of course, is only one of several that have been proposed at Tallahassee during the present session of the Florida legislature and the end is not yet in racing legislation in the state. Of course, local option would be the eminently fair solution of the whole matter. It would mean that such counties as desired the sport could have it, while those opposed would naturally vote the sport out. And in that connection a survey of Dade County has revealed that approximately 97 per cent of the voters desire the racing. It has also been assured that St. John County would go for the sport, but this amendment would delay the referendum until 1930 and, accordingly, the action could not permit racing, under the proposed law, until 1931. That is the joker at this time and if any other law should be enacted for racing next winter it will have to come from one or the other measures now before the lawmakers. Of course, there is no reason why the Miami Jockey Club could not carry along again next winter, as it did last winter, without the enactment of a law. The sport was conducted at the Hialeah course within the existing laws and it made friends, instead of giving any offense. There was no interference. A principal reason for a racing law in Florida, or anywhere else, is its value as a revenue measure. That admits of no argument. It also assures that the sport will be under a control that will make for better sport and better sport naturally means a better class of patrons and, consequently, belter revenue. The amendment that puts back the referendum on meing until the el-ctions of 1930 is something of a victory for the opponents to the sport, but it would also indicate that they were not strong enough to defeat the bili. They are in the position of denying the state a considerable, and much needed revene for at least one more year, or until early 1931.
