The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-10
By l.. J. ROGERS United Press Staff Correspond

NOnICeO FreSS Stan COrreSpOndentl
 Montreal, Jan. 10 - (U.P) - In
 most fields of sport, Canada follows
 the U. s. pattern rather than that
 Of Great Britain. But when it comes
 to the subject of wartime horse
 racing, Canada will string along
 with Great Britain and keep the
 sport going, though on reduced
 scale.
 Canadian racing got its start over a century ago when English cavalry regiments and English fox-hunting gentry brought their favorite sport to what was then British colony. Since then, the growth of racing in
 the Dominion has been slow but steady - without the boom periods that have marked U. s. turf history.
 The darkest days of the first World War, Canadian racing receiv- ed its equivalent of the Byrnes ban in 1917, and that season Canada S premier track, the historic Wood pine Oval at Toronto, staged only one day of racing. That program was put on so the famous Kings Plate should preserve its record of continuity This classic of the Can- adlan turf -- which will witness its 86th renewal this spring - is the oldest continuously run stake event on the North American continent.
 Most Canadian track operators expect to carry through the l945 season In much the same War-time- restricted style in which they've operated during the five past war tune seasons. These restrictions have shut down all tracks that can- not be reached by street railway lines, have banned all race-track special trains, and have upped the tax slice of the Canadian betting dollar to l5 per cent. Despite these restrictions, more money passed through the parimutuels at Cana da s 70 race-tracks during l944 than In any year since l930. A total of $37 .063, 199 was bet - 12 per cent Jump from 19a3
 Throughout Canada, track opera tors and horScmen appear confident that racing will go ahead pretty much as usual during lG45, with only one big problem arising from the Byrnes ban. That's the problem ol how to get sufficient horses to III seven races day for the 14 days or operation which each Canadian track IS permitted each year. In the past American-bred and owned horses made up the bulk of the en- tries on most Canadian race cards However, Canadian track operators nave been giving consistent cncour- ageinent to Dominion breeders and owners Tn recent years and the sup ply of natiVe-bred horses should be Suincient to offset the Washington ofacr that 1orbids U. s. owners to snip to tracks within 300 miles of tne U. $. boundary CSeyry Cana. dlan track lies within this forbidden region.
 Turf observers see three alter. natives for the coming Canadian season: CD II the Byrnes ban on shipping still is in effect thru May ana June when the Canadian sea- son starts, Dominion tracks can operate with the horses now in canada even tough the number of races per day may have to be cut rom seven to four or five, or the Face-meelS may be forced to oper- ate only three days a week; (2) The 6yrnes ban may be modified to allow U. s. owners to sell horses over the border; (3) The shipping pan may be lifted entirely If war conditions are improved by spring.
 Ihrte oi the four racing regions or Canada will likely operate in some fashion no matter what hap pens, since they each have a fair supply of homebred horses. These regions comprise Ontario, the prai- rie provinces and British Columbia. The only region where a horse shortage may force shutdown is in Quebec province--where racing has been at fairly low ebb ever since the depression era.
 By general turf ratings, Ontario tracks would in the main be classed as grade B circuits in ordinary years. with purses averaging si,- 600 at Woodbine, down to $7OO at Stamford and Fort Erie. Western tracks vary from grade c to grade purses running from an average of $500 at Winnipegs polo park to $400 at the Regiona and half-milers. Quebec cir. cult tracks are strictly grade 4. with a $500 average but with a better class of horse than either Quebec or the prairies.
 Observers estimate that there are 700 horses now in Ontario that are either Canadian-bred or Canadian owned. with another 400 in Western | Canada and 200 more in British Columbia. Last year, Ontario's seven racing associations staged 0s | days of racing on five tracks, run |