The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-19
TURF NOTES.
Anti. POOl-ROOm Bills Before the
Legislature.
Thompson's New Race-Track Seems Remote
Probability Reducing Derby Dis
tances-Haggin's Sales.


ing pool-selling or book-making any here in
the State and Hayes of San Francisco was
to the front with still another, making 1t
misdemeanors punishable by fine of from
$500 to $500 to sell pools, engage in any
way III turf-eXchange business or rent any
building for such purposes. The local book
makers have a representative at Sacramento
TO watch closely all the legislation affecting
the pool-Tooms.
MAY 60 OUT OF BUSINESS.
Should any bill become law that stops
pool-selling or book-making on Eastern
races the book-makers now doing business
here will lose a very large proportion of
their present patronage, as their transac-
lions on local racing are only nominal conf
pared with what they do on Eastern events.
In such case the boOk-makers must either
arrange for almost continuous local racing
or close up shop. With the trouble now be-
ing experienced in arranging for a new race
track that will be suitable for running
events, the chances for steady racing are not
very tlattering.
THoAIPsoN's RACE-TRACK.
Joe Thompson, the Australian book
maker, whose scheme for a new Iace-course
has been so prominently discussed of late,
is now said to be not as Sdre as he was of
his ability 10 carry out his plans The
Ocean House location of the track that
Thompson was up to recently so certain of,
seems 10 have become impossible and
Thompson has ordered the architect who
was preparing the plans for the buildings
and track to postpone their completion.
Tie chief obstacles that have stopped
Thompson ere that the proposed extension
of Market street would intersect the track,
and secondly that the railroad companies
have not agreed in full to all OF his demands
for trans portatl0n facilities.
1t was thought very probable that some
other Australian racing men, who are said
to be interested with Thompson in the new
race-track proposition, would have arrived
Oh one Of the two Australian steamers that
arrived on Saturday last and yesterday, but
they failed to do SO.
sUNoL HAS FILLED OUT.
Sunol is reported as having improved and
filed out greatly since her let up from the
steady course of training she had all last
year. She looks lusty and strong and but
for her peculiar build would hardly be rec
ogniZed. SuuOl Is being logged slowly at
PalO Alto TO keep her in good order for
training early IN the spring. 1t Is as yet
undetermined whether Marvin will take her
or PalO Alt, or both, East this year. Ii is
quite possible that he will not and reserve
their forts TO lower their records for Cali
fOIuia tracks Marvin thinks that by keep
ing the cracks here he secures a climatic
advantage of about second To the mile.
The programme Of the Pacific Coast TrOt-
=
termined upon at their meeting last Saturday
night, will be made public on Wednesday.
The action taken by the ASSOCIATION as TO
decreasing the entrance fees to the different
events VIII also then be announced.
REDUCING DISTANCES.
The recent official announcement that the
distance of the Kentucky Derby wouIds be
cut down from one mile and half to one
mile and a quarter does not seem to strike
the average sporting writer fayorably, says
an exchange. The only excuse for cutting
down the distance of this celebrated race is
that owners If good three year-old colts do
not wish to get them ready for race over
mile and half of ground SO early in the
spring sam Bryant was credited with the
statement that he did not want to start Proc
tor Knott in the Kentucky Derby, from the
fact that he had never seen colt win that
race that proved OF any account after
ward There seems TO be gen.
eral impression among owners that the
severe preraration necessary to win the
! derby tends TO break a colt down. The fact
| Is, however that nearly all OF our good colts
| are Over-raced as twO-year-olds, and are
practically broken down before getting into
their three yeaT-old form. A colt must have
an eNtrnordtnary capacity to stand no under
the pounding lie gets rs a two eaT-old IN
der the modern style Of racing, and then
show anything ike frst-class form under the
same treatment when year older. The de-
cline Of the Kentucky Derby is not due TO
the distance being too long for good colt of
untaXed powers, but the fault must be laid
at the door OF the vicious system of over
racing The twO-year-nlds.
The lesson intended to be drawn from the
above is that good colts are nowadays more
injured from being oyer-raced as two year
Olds than they would be if left alone until
mature and then fitted to run in races of
respectable distance. The money TO a turf
man, however, IS 10 run twD-year-OldS for
all they are capable of doing and make sell
lug-platers of them afterward. Ten years
ago it would have been considered barbarous
TO run twu-year-yld in twenty-four races
and ask him to 90 to the limit Of his speed
each time. But that is what the colt Russell
did in 1890. Who expects him to be three
year-old such as Luke Blackburn was? If
he proves anything like hrst-class he will be
Il wonder indeed.
EUROPEAN WINNINGS.
The American trotting mare Polly won
9i3J0 in English money in European trot-
ting races last season, or more than any two
tTolters drew down in stakes aud purses in
this country. Margaret 5 led all winners on
American tracks, She having gathered in
about 81, 900, yet in England, where har-
ness racing is in its incipiency, and where
little attention Is paid to this sport and
where the purchasing power of money is
far greater than in this country, a mare wins
close to $4,000, and then 1t is not certain
ty that she heads the winning list. Horse
men will begin to think that either Europe
10 Tie pace u ItNC 10 VI Else There 10 SDIlt-
thing radically wrong in the management of
harness racing on this side of the pond.
The San Jose Bl0od-hOrs A association, at
its annual meeting on the 18th, elected the
following officers: President, I. W. Hob
son; Vice President, James T. Rucker:
Garden City National Bank. Directors-J.
II. Henry, T. 5. Montgomery, A. 6. Field
and William Buckley. The association de-
cided to hold their spring meeting this year
in the week preceding the meeting of the
Blood-horse Association in this city at the
Bay District track.
j. u. Ferguson, Kingston Stud. Licking
ton, KY, has purchased for $4,000 the I'M
ported English stallion Ossian, winner of
the st. Leger in 1888, by Salvador, out of
Music.
There are 1886 tracks which recognize the
rulings of the Board of Review of the Ma
tional Trotting Association and which use
the machinery for collecting entrance fees
anu 1orfelts. These tracks are located in
all parts OF the country. and many of them
hang UP from $4,000 to $40, 600 year.
THE HAGGIN SALES.
The annual sale OF the Haggin trotters
and thoroughbreds will be held in New
York in March next The trotters will
yearlings, mostly by Albert w. There are
10 by Alaska, a son of Electoneer, Il by
Altoona, son of Almont, and II by Echo. sire
of Gibraltar. The tboroughbreds in :lude
70 head by Sir Modred, 81 by. Darebin, IL
by Joe Daniels, II by Hyder Ali, 10 by
Warwick, 10 by John Happy, 8 by Hidalg6,
by Tyrant, 8 each by Midlothian and Mil
ner, and by Ben Ali.
PALo ALTO RUNNERS.
Henry Walsh, superintendent of the
Palo Alto running division, has fifteen
horses in training at Palo Alto now. and
among them there may be another FIam-
beau. He states that Flambeau will never
be trained again, but will be reserved solely
for stud purposes.