New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
RACING WEIGHTS AND PLANS
GREAT nANDIcAps AND sTEEPLEcHAsEs.

announcement OF stakes by the American Jockey CiuD
and the Monmouth Park Association. and the closing OF
the nominations for the three great cross country con-
tests of the ROckaway Hunt, racing men have nad
plenty OF material to talk about and as IN about Two
weeks trainers will begin to take up their horses Ior
the seasons work. there will DO no lack OF supects ior
discussion hereafter.
As to the weights for the Suburban, hears many
compliments for Mr. Lawrence's work. 10 handicap
107 horses last years form with scarcely any data
as TO how they will after having been taken
up for strong work, Is great undertaking, and that
tho handicap is generally received with favor among
horsemen is high praise True 1t has flaws, and st.
Saviours 119 pounds is point which has been dwelt
upon in some places with rather undue severity OF
the form shown by this colt last was high,
but he cracked before the end Of the Monmouth
Park meeting, and Snedeker had trouble with him Tor
the rest of the year. does look ttle unkind to give
him pound more than weight for age to carry. At
the time must be remembered that good race
horse is liz his prime at the beginning of his touryear-
old caeer and Mr. Lawrence seems TO have borne this
in mind for all the good thrceyearolds OF last year
have been assigned sti weights, excepting Knight OF
Elerse. whose spring iorm last year seems to have
been somewhat overlooked.
At an uptown sporting resort, 1t Is said, backer
offered to take 10 to that Brighton Bcacher would
win tho handicap. The bet, however, was not made.
The hacker would have decidedly good thing at these
Odds for he would have the bulk Of the entries most
of them let in at light weights, running for him. In
fact Mr. Lawrence does not appear to have iyen late
Brig hton Beach form due recognition. Many horses
whose performances would have made marked im-
preston had they occurred other tracks earlier in
tho season amss throughout the yea. and did
not manage TO run thems elves into form until Nov
ember ret in. That these horses will as rule do well
this season is almost beyond question The cases OF
Agincourt and Leroy, who conld not win IN any com
pany at Brighton Eeath until well into December but
have now picked up good races at NewOrleans, are to
the point. promising horse in the handicap
ia MIker Dalys fOnr-year.od, Jim Carlisle.
at 90 pounds-25 pounds less than weight for age On
November II This colt. with that weight up won mile
aud q quarter handicap at the Beach IN 2;l0, bealng
He won pule d to stand,t almost by four lengths.
a neck between second and third. This was pertor-
nance of merit. The Suburban last year was won in
2113 and the Twin City in 2104. Carlisle how
ever, will not try unless he gets OFF IN front
The success of the Suburban and Twin City handi.
cans has prompted the American Jockey Club to add
two haLdcaps to list of stakes to close on March 2
These are the Croton mile. and the Empire City'
a mile and quarter. The entries for these VIII no
doubt be heavy To satisfy racing men who regard
handicaps evil and selling races a' iittie oe'ter
than a crime a weight forage race, thr haI ~
for all ages with maiden allowances, mile aad a
furlong has been opened. The added money TO these
three stakes liberal, and VITA such weiRhowh nA-
tnrs, a. the Juvenile and the Fordham Nes'chester
and Great metropolitan Handcaps to attract owners,
the opening of tho racing season on the classic grounds
Westchester should be brilliant beyond precedent.
The Monmouth Park Association has added another
~-"'N~
Stakes for three year-ods mile and half, and is to
be run at the second sumner meeting. By that time
the process of sitting the merits OF the
of the East and West will be pretty well Accomplished
and ne purpOse of the stake IL 10 bring the champions
of different sections together to decide the question Oh
superiority
The entries for the stakes OF the Rockaway Hunt
closed OH Monday but, the secretary f. T. La Mon
tagne has been of most OF the week. the lists
could not be prepared. j. ID. Cheeyer the moving
spirit cf tho organization however told the writer on
Friday that on Monday morning, when several mails
could vet be depended upon to bring entries the n0mi-
nations ran as follows Rockaway Green Steepechase,
"a; Queens County Hurdle race. 81 Great Long
Island steeplechasc % This is highly satisfactory
shownr and itself the success ot the Roeha
way meeting from sporting point oil view.
Some difficulty was feared from the Meadow brook
Hunt or account of the cashng OF dates Though the
Rockaway Hunt gave ample notice OF the dates
claimed by them the Meadowbrooks recently COM
paned that the new association had appropriated their
day IN ann ouncing races the two Saturdays May
and I6 hey urged that they cpuli not race on the
folIowine saturday Nav D. because the Coaching
Club paadc fixed for that date. Considerable cor
respondencc followed and at last an amcabe arrange
ment was entered into. The MeadowDrook huht gives
n. raee. on the new course at Rockaway on the first
day of the meeting, May y. IL will be called the
Mcadowbrook Day. aud III. regular fixtures OF the
Mendowbrook Hunt the Heavyweight Steep!echase 10
which n silver cup IL added the Meadowbtook Hunt
Cup to he held for one year anu the great empsead
Heath Steeplechase, will DO run on In ADDITION 10 inc
Roekaway' q own stakes including the Green Steepe-
chase The adued money to the Hampstead Heath
Steeplechase last year was Sl.0Oo IL has TOT VET
teen decided whether TO make it Sl,ooo or SloUo.
The Rockaway Hunt will pay all the expenses OF the
day including the purses and added money IL Will
also give the IL 900 for the ilempstead Heath chase
should the Meadowbrooks, however decide 10 MAKE e
81 800 they Will be expected 10 pay the extra s3oo
This IA an excellent arrangement for the meadow
brooks as they will have oil the honor of race meet
ing without risk or expense La S year d III ths
deficit would be fully large. II Is impossible 10
maze a one days meeting which. In addition to ITS
sporting features TO offer social ut racnohs pay ior
itself.
II s likely that the Essex County Hunt will make
s;miIa, arrangement with the Rockaways In that
case the last day Of the meeting, May 18, will be given
~, IN them and called Essex Day. The winner OF the
U.mp,tend Heath Steepechase will be penalized tor
the regular Rockaway races AMI the oondi,ohs " 'ne
Meade " brooks race will be altered accordingly
The Rockaway Hunt have In contemplation the open
inc Of thee additional stakes The first OF these will
be called the Town Cup, and will consist OF Slooo
added money! contributed by the many wealthy men
who live ut Rockaway during the summer; lhis VIII
Inc ON the flat at light special weer weights II las
not vet been decided VIII ther to make it handicap or
vc,gbt.for-age race, with penalties and allowances
Then there will be green seepeehase for gentleman
riders who have ridden IN steepecha>e rihai,y
bere will be a consolation steeplechase, to which only
those horses will he admitted that have not been placed
in nny OF the three great stakes
The association have decided TO let no jockeys ride
without first securing "a license from the Executive
Comtee but it has not yet been determined whether
to charge a fec or not Probably fee OF % will be re-
ouired The club will make arrangement with an
accident insurance company, whereby jockeys meeting
with an accident will be paid S25 week during the
time that they are unable to ride; BY next year the
club will have an insurance fund OF their own lhis
stsn merits high praise BY This rule the Jockeys can
be kent under proper control and the money is raised
to keep many poor fellow out of hardshps
The Rookaway Hunt furthermore contemplate
tborourh revision of the schedule of weights. The
committee will TO largo extent be guided by the Eng
Ih Grand National Hunt rules. but the main features
Of American Jockey Club rules. and the fruits OF the
observations of experienced practical racing men ana
tnrf writer's will be embodied in he new rules