Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-11-25
RACING REVIVAL.

that Virginisns favorable to racing sse
sure OF getting a racing bill through the
legislature which will sit in Richmond
this winter.
O'Neil Sewer, writing to the New
York Morning Telegraph, Gays:
There is 40 outcry against the thor
oughbred or against good clean racing in
the Old Dominion. the country OF Wash
ipgton. Madison, Jefferson, Monroe, the
Lees aud the Rsndolphs. Virgins is
indeed awakening TO the Importance OF
encouraging breeders of thoToughbreds
to buy up her vast tracts of blue grass
and establish stock farms upon them.
The wealth of central Kentucky is conf
prised in its great stock farms. And
Virginia was a great breeding State when
Kentucky was crude and new. The raw
egss of the great civil war, which
touched Kentucky but lightly, wiped out
Virginia's breeding industry. Her :hor-
oughbreds we're confscsted for sterner
work than racing by the Ccontending
armies in the four years from the spring
of 1861 20 the spring of 1865, and the
men who bred and owned them we're i'm
poverished.
Virginia has concluded that the most
effective way to encourage breeders to
buy up her lands and cover them with
finely bred horses is to foster racing.
Already public spirited horsemen in
various parts of the Stste-.he Oxnsrds
aud the Dulsney's, Of Fauquier; the
Nevilles, of LoudouD; the Breckin-
ridges, of Botetouri; the Hancocks, the
ChsmberIsins and the Garths, Of Able
marie; the Kerrs and the Msddoxes, OF
Warrenton-sre at work framing bill
which will be acceptable TO the whole
people of the State.
The trainers of this Virginia bill
seek to profit by the good examples OF
the trainers of racing bills in other
States and to avoid their mistakes. 1t
ia probable that Captain Breckinridge,
Of Fincss.le, may introduce the bill.
Captain Breckenridge is the right man
TO introduce such bill. He represents
an ancient Virginia family which has
sent virile branches into many States
and produced many brilliant public men.
Moreover, he aud his family have wide
sores of blue grass in The southwestern
part Of the State. His con, Hunter G.
Breckenridge, is breeder on rather an
extensive scale at CataWba Farm, near
Fincsstle.
If the Virginians pass bill there will
be racing next season at Richmond,
Norfolk, Lynchburg and Roanoke, and
ultimately Alexandria. There are tracks
OF respectable proportions at Richmond
and Norfolk already, and 10 anticipation
of favorable reception by the legisls-
ture of proposition to legalize the sPor'
arrangements are making for enlargiDg
them.
Under proper restrictions racing at
these Virginia towns will pay handsome
ly. No State Of the South is advancing
in material prosperity more than is the
Old Dominion, and the people, urban
aud rural, were always strong for sport.
There has been no racing in Virginia,
save at county fairs, for years, yet the
Old Dominion develops more good hunt
ers and s'eeplechasers than aby other
State where horses are bred, and she has
furnished veritabls legion Of 6rst-class
riders. The racing festure Of The county
fairs is By all odds the most attractive
feature.
That the construction OF a 6rsl-class
plant at or near Alexandria will follow
the passage of racing bill is inevitable.
Alexandria is itself one of tie biggest
towns in the State. 1t has a wealthy
population OF above Is, 600, aud it is as
easy of access as is BenniDgs. Since the
construction of the fne new steel bridge
over the Potomac, Southern Railway
trains can easily get from the Union
station at Capitol Hill to Alexandra as
quickly as the trolley cars get to Ben
nings track from the corner of Fifteenth
street aud New York avenue.
B:anings has long since outlived its
Usefulness as a race track. The course
is too small and its management is too
unpopular. There are in Virginia TO-
day a number of men Of wealth anxious
to build fne modern mile and quarter
track with appropriate chutes; a fine
steeplechsse field and commodiOus stands,
because they believe that such an enter
prise will pay.
That the project to get a racing bill
through the Virginia legislature will
receive the support Of the Bennings folk
is hardly to be expected. The construc-
ton at Alexandra of Hrsl-class racing
plant will, Of course, put Bennings out
OF business. But the opposition of Ben
nings can do no harm TO Richmond, nor
will it prevent the Jockey Club OF New
York from giving frst-class track at
Alexandria full and proper recognition
and support. The Jockey Club controls
racing in the east because the COney
Island, Brooklyn, QUEENS County and
Metropolitan Jockey Clubs and the
Brighton, Saratoga and Westchester as
sociatiops agree that it shall, The SUBJ
s!antisl and faiI-minded men of these
concerns will never consent to the dis
elimination against a Virginisn course
IN favor Of Bennirgs or any other track.
Appendicitis
Is due in large measure to abuse Of the
bowels, by employing drastic purgatives. To
avoid all danger use only DR.. Kings New
Life Pills, the safe, gentle clsnsers and in
yigoTators. Guaranteed for headache, bill
liousness, malaria and jaurdice, at all drug
stores. 25c.
NO NOMINATION.