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Series of Breeders Stakes Is Planned Each of Four Major Tracks , In Maryland to Offer One , Fixture in 1947 Season BALTIMORE, Md., June 28. An important step taken by the Maryland major tracks in-support of thoroughbred breed- , ing in the Old Line State was announced by president J. P. Flanagan at the annual meeting of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association at Pimlico recently. It is the formation, of a series of breeders stakes, sponsored by each of the four tracks, built around the Maryland Futurity, which has been run at Laurel since 1931, and aggregating in added value the sum of 0,000. The plan was originally the thought of Luke H. OBrien of the Laurel-Empire City organization. It was taken up by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and following a series of conferences, it was agreed that each racing organization should contribute ,500 annually toward the added money of the series, -though the two fall races will be worth 0,000 each against the ,000 that will be added to the two to be run in the spring and early summer. The conditions of the races were agreed upon by the representatives of each track. The series of Breeders Stakes will be inaugurated in 1947, with entries closing for present yearlings, September 16, 1946. There will be only three stakes in the 1947 series as the 1947 Maryland Futurity closed in 1945 for weanling entries. In 1948 the four stakes will form the series, with entries closing for yearling entry September, 1947. Thus there will be no weanling closing in 1946 for the 1948 Maryland Futurity, as has been the case for many years. The nomination fees of 0, which make the entry eligible to any or all of the races in which it may run under the conditions of the race, is paid to the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, which is in charge of all the bookkeeping in connection with the race. The entry fees are divided equally between each stake. Deduct Awards From Added Money Breeders awards will be deducted from the added money in each race, ten per cent, of this sum being distributed to the breeders. Division of breeder awards will be as follows: 60 per cent of the total award to the breeder of the winner, 25 per cent to the breeder of the second horse, and 15 per cent to the breeder of the third. First stakes to be run in the series will be the Pimlico Breeeders Stakes, for two-year-old fillies, foaled in Maryland, though not necessarily the produce of mares covered in the state. The race will have ,000 added, will be run at the Pimlico spring meeting, and will be over the four and one-half furlongs distance. Second of the series will be the Havre de Grace Breeders Stakes, carrying the same added money and run over a similar distance. To this race will be eligible colts, fillies or geldings, foaled in Maryland, but, again, not necessarily the produce of mares covered in Maryland. If, as is expected, Havre de Grace continues its 1945 plan of two spring meetings, this race will be run at the second meeting. Increase Value of Maryland Futurity The Maryland Futurity which has always been run over six furlongs at Laurel, will continue to be contested over the same distance, and at the same time as customary. The value of the race will be upped to 0,000. Any two-year-old foaled in Maryland, and the produce of a mare covered in Maryland, is eligible to this race. The Maryland Futurity will not be included in the 1947 series of the breeders stakes, but, as aforesaid, will be included thereafter. The final race of the series will be the Bowie Breeders Stakes, which will be run early in the fall meeting over one and one-sixteenth miles and will also carry 0,000 in added money. To this race will be eligible any two-year-old that is foaled in Maryland and is the produce of a mare covered in Maryland. It will thus be seen that for the very modest entry fee of 0 a Maryland sired and foaled filly can run in four stakes; a colt sired and foaled in the State will be eligible to three, while a colt foaled in Maryland but sired in some other state will only be eligible to one. A filly sired out of the state, but foaled in Maryland, will be able to run in two stakes. The Maryland Horse Breeders Associations office force Finney and Sears will be responsible for seeing that each entry is properly taken care of and put in all the races in which it may run. The Breeders Association will present a piece of plate to the breeder of the winner of each race. Entry blanks will be mailed to all breeders in due time. Further information about the Breeders Stakes will gladly be furnished at the office of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. Though entries do not close until September 16, breeders are urged to make their entries early.
