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CUT IN WOODBINE PURSES Stakes, Overnight Races and Claiming Prices Reduced to Meet Changed Conditions. TORONTO, Ont., Sept. 3. The Ontario Jockey Clubs program book for the autumn meeting at Woodbine Park, now in the hands of the printers, incorporates some drastic changes to meet the requirements of the racing material available in Canada. The entered claiming prices, which have been criticized as inordinately high, have been reduced in nearly every instance and this change is going to be greatly appreciated by the majority of the owners who have found difficulty in locating opportunities for many of their horses in the list. All stakes, with the single exception of the Maple Leaf Stakes, for three- and four-year-old Canadian-bred fillies, have been reduced in value and the minimum value of overnight purses has been cut from ,200 to 00. While representing quite a cut, this schedule is only in keeping with that of most other major courses throughout Canada and the United States. The conditions of many feature offerings have been altered considerably and they should now have a much wider appeal to stables racing in this sector. In the recent past the dignity and value of many Woodbine prizes have, undoubtedly, been out of keeping with the quality of material attracted, speaking generally. Too often one big stable has sent up a few star performers to carry off the richest prizes with ridiculous ease and, recognizing the losing fight being put up to compete with the larger American courses in attracting a good representation of high class performers, the directors have changed the policy of the club to meet existing conditions and are to be commended for their common sense attitude. Woodbine Park is now assured of big fields and spirited racing and the great majority concerned are going to be better satisfied with the new book.
