The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-07-31
Purses Are Reduced at Least
Seventy One Thousand
Dollars; Reason.
Strings of Steppers Will Be On
The Track Tomorrow
Just the Same.
Especial to The Free Press.I

Saratoga Springs, N. Y, July o.
Although the anti-gambling law will
serve to keep away many of the reg
ular race track habitues, it is already
evident that the annual racing meet,
to open tomorrow on the beautiful
Saratoga course will be success from
a sporting standpoint. The hotels are
rapidly filling up with visitors and
their interest in the races appears to
be little less than in past years, when
betting was allowed. The fear that
the Agnew-Hart bill would kill racing
at Saratoga may not be fulfilled after
all.
Cut the Stakes.
In line with the other racing asso.
Citations, Saratoga has curtailed many
of its stakes; in fact, $1,000 less will
be distributed to the horsemen this
year than in former seasons.
Even with the pruning, $9O,OOO alone
will be given to the stake winners, and
at least $4,000 daily to the other
events. This will give the owners an
opportunity to make up for the loss
they suffered at the Brighton meeting.
Sojourning at the Spa are the clever
strings belonging to James R. Keene,
Harry P. Whitney, John E. Madden
and many others. When the bugle
calls the first field out tomorrow the
star thoroughbreds will be thoroughly
acclimated to the strong waters and
cool breezes of the pleasure resort,
and ready to perform at their best.
The Richest Event.
The. richest event to be decided viii
be, the Hopeful stakes for two-year-.
Odds at six furlongs, which is, worth
over. $4,000 to the winner. John E.
Madden is aiming to capture this
event with either of his clever pair,
Sir Martin, or, Fayette. Fighting this
proposition will be Helmet,
the best two-year-old James r.
Keene has displayed; Bobbin, Whit
ney's clever colt, and many of the
youngsters that have trailed in the
dust behind the Madden stars.
The Grand Union, for two-year.olds,
which last year went to Colin, and the
United States, which was captured by
Restigouche, still retain their original
value of $4,000, and the Flash, for
the youngsters, will also be worth
$4,000 to the victor.
The Two-Year-Old Fillies.
The wo-year-old fillies will not lose
anything in the Spinaway, and the
members of the fair sex
will race for the same value of the
Alabama as in former years.
The Travers, for the three-year- Odds,
still is worth $500. The real blow
falls on the older horses. They will
have to race for cheaper purses than
when the sport was at its zenith.
The Saratoga handicap, which was
worth $4,000, has been re-
duced to $500, and the Merchants
and Citizens handicap, Catskill handi-
cap and Beverwyck Chase, instead of
being eliminated from the program,
have been materially reduced. The
change of purses means that the
horsemen will pay particular attention
to their younger horses, and the good
of the handicap division will
nave to be sent out after cheap purses.
John Sanford's String.
AS in former years, the string be-
onging to John Sanford, the only
breeder in this state, will make their
debut. Coming out fresh from the
farm the bearers of the purple and
yold colors never fail to land many
purses at this meeting.