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Improved Past Performances Beginning April 8, DAILY RACING FORM, pursuing its established policy of improving the contents of the paper wherever possible, adopted new designations in the past performances for the various types of races. This change was designed to differentiate more clearly between classifications. Every type of race in which thoroughbreds compete is described exactly, eliminating all possibility of confusion in determining the quality of any horse. For example: Handicaps are not designated merely as "Hep,* with no distinction made as to whether they are overnight, graded or stake events. The same distinctions are made in allowance races, steeplechases and hurdle contests. Other races are similarly treated. Following is a list of the abbreviations, with the type of races they denote: Mdn Maidens stake — HcpS — Handicap AlwM — Allowance, maidens Wfa — Weight-for-age Alw — Allowance WfaS — Weight-for-age, stake AlwA — Allowance, graded, Class A ScwS — Scale weight, stake AlwS— Allowance, stake Comb — Combination HcpO — Overnight handicap SplW — Special weights HcpA — Handicap, graded, Class A Mtch — Match race All claiming events, whether purse, stake, handicap, etc., and whether flat, steeplechase or hurdle race, are denoted by the price for which the horse is entered. In combination races, the claiming price is given if the horse is entered to be claimed. If the horse is not liable to claim the term "Comb" is used. Some of the above designations are used for steeplechase hurdle races. In such instances, an S in a single bracket, S, denotes steeplechase, and an H in a single bracket, H, denotes hurdle races.
