Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04
TOOK on THE TURF
The Coming Season Win Sur
pass All Others.

There will be no lack of horses in the
east during the coming racing season, and
from present indications 1t will surpass any
year in the history of the sport, both n.om
financial and a racing standpoint. The
closing Of the tracks in Missouri. Illinois
and Indiana, the move on one part of The
class to attempt 10 end racing In Tennessee,
with the mixap between the American Turf
Association and the Western Jockey Club,
have caused the owners of large and small
stables in the west to rub their eyes and
ask. Where are we at?''
At the present time racing is allowed In
Louisiana, where the two rival tracks are
hard at 1t in New Orleans: also in Arkan-
sas. where there is talk OF more turf war;
in Kentucky and Tennessee, but in the lat
ter state everything waits upon the de-
cision of the supreme court. Should that
body overrule the decision of the lower
court horsemen will have to look elsewhere
for place to race, as this will mean the
closing of the tracks at Nashville and Mem
phis. the latter place being one OF the lead
ing turf centers in the south.
A few days ago a bill was introduced In
the Kentucky legislature aimed at race
tracks and pool rooms. and heavy penalties
are provided for any violation of any sort
If this bill goes through 1t may stop racing
in Kentucky. which would mean the closing
OF Ire TRICKS at LeXEuStOA. A<eitoui6ap
Churchill Downs and Douglas Park.
Should this happen the sport in the west
would receive body blow, and there would
be only one thing for western owners to
do, and that is race their horses on the
eastern courses or ship them to Canada to
be raced over the Canadian circuit.
The east Is amply provided with tracks.
having the important clubs at Aqueduct,
Benning, Jamaica, Belmont Park, Graves
end, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay and
Saratoga at which to hold meetings. With
them are the minor courses for second
grade horses at Narragansett Salem. PM
lico Kenilworth Park, in Buffalo, and per-
haps Albany. In addition to the above,
meetings will also be held on the Canadian
circuit which includes the tracks at Mon
treal, Toronto, Fort Erie, Highland Park
and Windsor.
There are many undesirable owners,
Jockeys and trainers of horses in the west
who would not be allowed to race on the
Jockey Clubs tracks, and as their appn-
ca atoms will have to pass under the watch
ful-eye of the stewards only the best Will
be allowed to occupy stable room ana start
their horses. The forfeit rule. which is still
good, would have to be lived up TO, and
many owners would have to be compelled
to meet their obligations before their en-
tries were accepted.
Western men are beginning to size UP the
situation, and as the prospect looks little
blue in their section, one and another OF
the more important turfmen beyond the
mountains are announcing their intention
of trying to win few purses and stake
events in the east
Seattle is to have a new race track, con-
Quoted as are the tracks in the east. The
new track is to be built at Pleasant Beach,
one of the finest spots on the sound, and
the grand stand will be constructed so that
long promenades in the back of the stand
will have fine view of the rolling pillows.
There is plenty of money behind the scheme
41I, L. Oh dnr,, IN,
every particular, and the men interested
think so we'll of the proposition as bust
ness investment that they have already
turned down good offer to retire with
comfortable profit. Options have been Sc
cured on sixty acres of ground at Pleasant
Beach and another 125 acres, including the
fine hotel and bath houses, have been tied
up so that the company that builds the
track will also have control of the privi-
leges. 1t is planned to make Pleasant
Beach pleasure resort, and with good
boat service. the track will be closer to
Seattle than the Oakland track is to San
Francisco.
Horsemen are talking about raising q
fund for Jockey Patsy McCue, who is re-
ported to be dying in a local hospital from
consumption, and steps probably will be
taken within a few days to see that his
last moments are not clouded by financial
difficulties. Mccue without doubt was one
of the best riders this country ever knew
lie nad the distinction OF riding kinney
Mack when that horse won both the Brook
lyn and Suburban handicaps in 1900, feat
never accomplished by any other horse Nc
Cue is about twenty-three years of age
He did not ride In the east last year. never
calling for the license which was granted
him during the middle of the season.
Last season at Belmont Park there was
inaugurated a system to keep the jockeys
engaged to ride to themselves, and 1t Is a
rule that appears to have met with general
appreciation by the other racing associa-
tons. For the coming season the Coney
Island Jockey Club is erecting a new build
ing for the jockeys and the clerk of the
scales and his assistants Here the custom
for keeping jockeys strictly to themselves
will be rigidly enforced. The Brooklyn
Jockey Club has also announced its inten-
tons to isolate the Jockeys from the public,
and 1t Is presumed that both Brighton and
Saratoga will follow suit