Morning journal and courier., 1890-06-17
CHANGES IN THE TURF.

Some Of khe Why's ana ygherefoYes.
 From the Fortnghtly Review.l
 The turf has long since ceased to be the pastime of the nobility and gentry exclusive ly. For some years past the ranks of racing men have been largely recruited from the mercantile classes, and the race horse Is now one of the first destinations of the newly ac- quired wealth of a prosperous fnancier. A further infusion of new blood has, more- over, been made from different source from the body of professional racing men which has for some years past been decidedly increasing in numbsrs-with whom racing Is or an avenue to social notoristy; who look for their profits, not only to the stakes which their stock in trade can win, but to the odds that may be laid them in the betting ring; as with athletic sports, professionalism Is on the increase rather than on the wane.
 As an immediate consequence of this de- velopment the race horse has shared in the general boom in prices. The sums which able percentage put them beyond the reach of any but capitalist. The record of the sales of blood stock during the pnst year shows that forty-three yearlings fetched no less than $72, 800. There was, moreover, an in. creased demand for sxportation to foreign countries, such as France, Germany, and particularly Buenos Ayres, which may or may not be sustained in the future.
 It is largely true that horse Is expected to bring in not only handsome but speedy re- turns to his owners. The heavy engagements of two-y -year-olds are one of the outcomes of this. The rules contain no limitation in the number of times two year-old can run in a season, at meeting or during day. The only restrictions on their exertions are that they must not run in races of more than six furlongs in length before the first of July; nor must they run in handicaps, except with horses of their own age (such handicaps be- ing termed "Nurseriea''), and that only after the first of September. Of course it is not 90 much the number of two-year-old races that Is material as the mnnifcent prizes that are open to competition, as witness the prin- cipal two.year-old events at SandoWn and Kempton. Statistics of the past year show that of the four hundred and eighty thou sand pounds won under. jockey club rules, about one hundred and ninety thousand pounds was won in two-year-old events. The principal suggestion that has been made with view to counteracting this tendency Is that horses should not bs allowed to run as two.year-olds more than 8 certain number of times. Of course any such curtailnent of the liberty of the subject would require care full consideration.
 The same sign of the times-the eommer. cial spirit introduced into racing-is discern ible in another tendency, slightly different, but not far remote from the last, viz, the preference shown in races for horses of any age for short distance courses of five or six furlongs. Owners of horses have, with no uncertain sound, given their vote in favor of what are commonly known as the ''T. Y. c. l (two-year-old eourse) scurries." The promo- l ters of meetings have but to sail with the | stream their business is to offer program which will attract entries. It is scarcely, ! therefore, to be wondered at that, in the sta | tistics given in the last volume of the Racing ] Calendar of the number of races of various distances during the last six years, we have ! the following figures: Of races of five fur. longs and under six, the average number run was about seven hundred and fifty per an- l mum, the actual number in 1889 being seven hundred and ninetv-three; of races of six | furlongs and under a mile, the average was over two hundred and ffty-6ve, while the | average number of mile races was about ! three hundred and thirty. The old fashioned long distance cup races are now but feeblJ
 patronized. For such events as those jus mentioned horse must go through g 10n1
 course of training, which will by no mean
 prepare him for the short distance races, ou l Of which there is far more money to be mad l with less tax on his strength. Again, thes events being weight for aee rsees, tho hors