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i 1 Here and There on the Turf Bowie Gambles on Weather Had to Take Loss This Year Hialeah Could Get Seabiscuit ; Chances for Stagehand Better ; Just because the Southern Maryland Agricultural Association was compelled to cancel the final four days of its thirteen-day autumn meeting because of the rather harsh advent of winter weather is no reason why Joseph B. Boyle and his associates may be expected to seek a change in Bowies future dates. As a matter of fact, the 1939 Maryland dates already have been arranged by the operators of the four tracks, and Bowie is asking for the latter portion of November as it has so many years in the past. Bowie has had snow and an ice-bound race track before, but conditions never were so severe as those forcing curtailment of the present meeting. When Saturdays program , was cancelled, the management hoped for i a change for the better so that the meeting could be continued, the state racing commission having given permission to gain the lost day on December 1, but winter just wouldnt relax its grip. Bowie ever has had the worst dates from a weather standpoint, but its operators have taken the rain and snow as it came, uncomplainingly, believing that shortcoming was offset by the absence of competition. In racing during the first two weeks in April and the final half of November, the Southern Maryland course never has had to worry about a sufficiency of horses, always being the first major track in the East to open and close its gates, and patronage always has been good unless the weather was unusually bad. Only such conditions as that which forced curtailment of the meeting possibly could have done so. The blow to the management and to the horsemen who had been counting on the twenty-eight races yet to be decided undoubtedly was quite severe, but when nature gets contrary theres very little that can be done about it. The Miami Jockey Club has announced that Stagehand and Seabiscuit have been nominated to the Widener Challenge Cup, 0,000 added feature of Hialeah Parks forthcoming meeting, as well as War Ad-: miral and Lawrin, whose presence among the cligibles to the mile and one-quarter event generally was expected. These two horses, which finished first and second, separated by a few inches, in last winters running of the Santa Anita Handicap, probably have been named for the next renewal of the 00,000 event also, announcement of which may be expected within the next few weeks. Other outstanding horses also may be found among the nominees for both events when the complete lists are made v public, but which race will attract remains to be seen. They cant compete in both because the two winter classics are scheduled for the same afternoon that of March 4. Charles S. Howard must have a very good reason for nominating Seabiscuit for the Widener, although it has been the general belief for some time that the champion would make his third attempt to win a santa Anita Handicap. Perhaps, Hialeah officials are toying with the idea of another clash between Seabiscuit and War Admiral, and if that is the case, the Hard Tack veteran still would have the opportunity of enriching his earnings in the Widener, an event requiring his nomination at the regular closing time-. Further, if the California owner should become dissatisfied in any way with the conditions prevailing at the western track, or with the Santa Anita weights, he could load the nations No. 1 thoroughbred commuter on a car and send him post haste to Miami. Victory in either the Santa Anita or Widener would make Seabiscuit the leading money winner of the world, a distinction which is now his major objective. Stagehands situation is quite different He will winter at Columbia, a place offering excellent facilities for training and a few weeks prior to March 4 Earl Sande can decide where he should be sent Sande will have all the Maxwell Howard horses, as well as those he is taking over for John Hay Whitney, in his charge at the South Carolina grounds, but only Stagehand and possibly The Chief will be prepared for winter engagements. If the son of Sickle and Stagecraft comes around in excellent fashion, the writers belief is that he will be sent after the Hialeah fixture for two reasons, one be-caucj his owner maintains his winter home in Florida and the other out of deference to Joseph E. Widener, the colts breeder and for whom the 0,000 race was named. Hialeah Park is only overnight from Columbia and the climatic factor should not be so troublesome.
