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TROPICAL INAUGURATING FLORIDAS BANNER YEAR a a a Horse Colony Best Ever Assembled for Miami Racing Season War Admiral, Stagehand, Lawrin, Inscoelda and Possibly Seabiscuit Head Equine Campaigners on Grounds or Expected Rich Stake Program MIAMI, Fla., Dec. 17. The long winter season in Florida, a stretch of ninety-six days in the Miami area, plus the forty proposed for nearby Hollywood, will be under way Monday when Tropical Park opens for a short run of twenty days, a meeting which will serve as a prelude for the forty-six day session at the more pretentious Hialeah Park. The latter course, presenting an imposing array of stakes and attracting the foremost stables in the land will, as usual, stand out in the local turf picture. I The latest bidder for public favor is Gulfstream Park, located on the I main highway north in the adjoining county of Broward, just over the Dade County borderline. This plant, now under construction, has accepted dates from January 18 to March 4, inclusive, thereby running in opposition -to Hialeah Park. Though there are doubters it is generally believed this meeting will open by January 21 at the latest. ANOTHER BIG YEAR. Indications at present point to another big year for the Gables Racing Associations f and the Miami Jockey Club, two organiza-T tions which netted close to three-quarters of a million during the past winter. Some are optimistic enough to declare the season ahead will be even bigger for these properties, basing this on the belief that unsettled European conditions will bring to greater Miami more tourists than this area has seen since boom days. However, if its just as good as the past one, there will be no complaint. Registration of thoroughbreds at the two tracks say there will be no lack of horses, Hialeah Park reporting 945, while track superintendent Collins said there now were 650 stabled at Tropical with fifty more due. This means there will be plenty remaining for Hialeah Park, even when Gulfstream Park and Oriental Park cut in, for they will have a 00 purse minimum against that of ,000 prevailing at the Miami Jockey Club meeting. ANXIOUS TO RACE. That horsemen are eager to run may be judged from the fact that eighty-seven have, been named for Mondays regular eight races, with eighteen entered in the "sub" number. Many of the most prominent thoroughbred performers in the country are slated to swing into action in Miami this winter, notably War Admiral, Stagehand, Lawrin and Pasteurized, while the belief prevails that Seabiscuit will be here for Hialeah Parks two 0,000 stakes. Thanksgiving, winner of the Historic Travers, is expected on from Columbia, S. C, with Dauber being the only outstanding three-year-old of 1938 slated to race during the winter, not coming on for the Widener Challenge Cup. The juveniles of 1938 will be strongly represented in competition at the two local tracks, no less than four of the top dozen now being quartered at Hialeah. This group comprises Volitant, winner of the Saratoga Sales Stakes and Spalding Lowe Jepkins Handicap; Benefactor, and Third Degree, all mighty capable males. The filly quartet is Inscoelda, stablemate of Lawrin and a miss swift enough to whip Volitant in the Walden Handicap, though her most important mone- Continued on tioenty-second page. TROPICAL INAUGURATING FLORIDAS BANNER YEAR Continued from first page. tafy triumph -was scored in the Lassie Stakes at Arlington Park. Americas leading thoroughbred establishments also will participate in the winters sport. The horses of Maxwell Howard, who topped the winning owners list during 1938, are expected on from Columbia shortly, that sportsman having reservations at Hialeah Park. He will send Stagehand, The Chief and Sceneshifter here. The first named will be sufficient. The Woolford Farm outfit of Herbert M. Woolf,. which was second only to the Howard Stable, already is on hand in heavy .numbers. Lawrin and Inscoelda stand out in this collection which topped all others in Florida last season. William Woodward, chairman of The Jockey Club, has a division of his Belair Stud outfit at Hialeah Park as has Joseph E. Widener, also high in the councils of the countrys parent t urf organization. The Wheatley Stable of Mrs. H. C. Phipps is another prominent metropolitan combine which again will be active at Tropical Park and Hialeah Park, as will the Greentree band of Mrs. Payne Whitney. The West will have powerful representation as the stables of E. R. Bradley, Warren Wright, the Valdina Farm and Jimmy Norris already are present. In addition, Louis B. Mayer sent on ten coming two-year-olds from California with older horses in this outfit due in January. JOCK WHITNEYS DIVISION. Jock Whitney, one of the countrys leading breeders, has a division at Hialeah Park, with Marshall Fields horses expected from Columbia next week. The Maemere racers of Dewitt Page will be making their usual Miami campaign, while William du Ponts Foxcatcher thoroughbreds are. the most prominent newcomers. War Admiral and other Glen Riddle horses will be in next month, with those of Mrs. Dodge Sloans already taking their gallops at Hialeah Park. In addition to the above, there are many stables which are powerful numerically, though not heavy in stake horses. Looking over the registration lists at the two tracks, one is strengthened in the belief that the racing season ahead should prove of high calibre from a competitive standpoint. That it will be a profitable one for both associations also seems certain. Whether the customers will fare as well is still another matter. This depends upon the formfulness of the racing.
