view raw text
! . - . . y Here and There on the Turf Honor Mrs. Whitney Tonight Her Sons Speech Awaited California Breeders Satisfied Keeneland Having Best Meeting . ...... . ..-4 For the past couple of years the Thoroughbred Glub of America has had its mind to honor a woman at its annual testimonial dinner and during this time it had only one under consideration. Until this year, however, facilities were not available whereby guests could include women because of the large demand for reservations to this function but that obstacle has been overcome and tonight, Mrs. Payne Whitney will be duly honored as the "first lady of American racing." Gathering to honor her at Lexington will be many distinguished persons from all parts of the country and particularly leaders of all branches of this great sport of ours. The mistress of the Greentree Stable will not be called upon for a talk but when she is presented with the emblem of honorary membership in the Thoroughbred Club, we imagine she will have something to say in the gracious manner which has made her so popular in the sport she loves so well. It is the custom at these annual dinners that the guest of honor will deliver a speech in which he or she will speak his mind freely on what he thinks is both right and wrong with racing in this countiy. William Woodward, Samuel D. Riddle, Edward R. Bradley, the late Desha Breckinridge and Joseph E. Widener all did that and such a talk is expected tonight. This task is being assumed by John Hay Whitney, son of the Greentree owner and very interesting remarks may be expected from him. Owner of one of the most pretentious studs in the country and a large racing stable, Whitney knows the sport thoroughly from that angle, but his knowledge and experiences extends beyond that. He has been a member of the New York State Racing Commission all during the time the "New Deal" on the Metropolitan circuit has been in effect and consequently he is acquainted with the obligations of officials and racing associations to the public and to horsemen. Continued on thirty-fifth page J HERE AND THERE ON THE TURF Continued from second page. Whitney will be expressing his own views and will be talking to an audience that will understand the portent of his statements but regardless of the significance of his remarks it is very doubtful that the guests will lose sight of the fact that they had gathered to do homage to such a fine sportswoman as Mrs. Whitney. At times her Greentree Stable has been powerful and she took its success modestly. In other years the Greentree fortunes were very poor, but no one has ever heard her complain. She has sent divisions of her stable to all parts of the country, particularly to tracks making the -extra effort to provide better sport and in causes of racing requiring support of Mrs. Whitney was one of the first to respond. Friends of racing everywhere join with the members of the Thoroughbred Club today in honoring a woman as noble as the horse she loves so well . The California Breeders Association has gone on record as being satisfied with the law under which racing in that state is now conducted therefore taking the view of "letting well enough alone." Under the present legislation, the racing associations are permitted to take eight per cent and the breakage and the State receives an additional four per cent and this arrangement enables such tracks as Bay Meadows, and Tanforan to operate with the expectations of a fair profit At least William P. Kyne, general manager of the former track, thinks so. Wagering at Santa Anita has been so great that Charles Strube and his asspciates voluntarily reduced the tracks take to six per cent and it possibly could get along on less, but the Breeders organization seems satisfied with the current arrangement. Nevertheless, the persons who breed horses in California would like encouragement from the racing associations which already have responded to the extent of providing numerous stakes for thoroughbreds produced in the state. These events have not proven great successes insofar as the size and quality of the field are concerned, but they are steadily growing in importance as California breeding expands. When a greater number of horses are produced there and their quality improved, the California tracks can be expected to increase their support of the breeding industry. Until that time, however, the fact must not be forgotten that it is expected of associations to give best racing possible and to do so they must make their events suit the available material. Keenelands Autumn meeting opened so auspiciously that the sponsors of the young Bluegrass course are entertaining hopes it will be a most successful one yet even though the spring dates are considered far superior. For once, no shortage of horses is plaguing the secretarys office and the better races are filling readily. As Keeneland caters to a sophisticated public, this means greater support from the patrons. Should the meeting continue through to the end as it has started, its directors undoubtedly will feel encouraged to continue autumn dates rather than carry out the idea of concentrating on a single session in the spring. They havent lost sight of their goal of making Keeneland a national track rather than one whose interest is only local.
