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Show FOR THE PONY LOVERS nnn nnn nnn nnn TURF NEWS AND YARNS By JACK SALLEE. LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 17. There nill be at least two great races at Churchill Downs this spring during the twelve-day meeting at the historic course. Both the Kentucky Derby and the Oaks filled better than expected, the former drawing seventy-six seventy-six nominations and the other about two score. Both events rank among the oldest old-est in the nation, and have annually drawn the best of the three-year-old fillies and colts to the barrier. In the Kentucky Derby all of the cracks of the country are found, with the exceptions of Hourless and Camp-fire. Camp-fire. It was hoped by the wiseacres that these two would would be named, but conditions were such that their owners own-ers did not see their way clear to send the pair to Kentucky for such a race so early in the season. Campfire, the biggest big-gest money winner of the two-year-olds in 1916, undoubtedly would have been the choice in the winter book, and the Belmont crack would also have drawn a lot of play. Despite the fact that these two stars were not named, the field is the most representative one in many years, and General Manager Winn is anticipating a wonderful race. All sections are represented rep-resented in the event. Square Set and Maud Bacon are coming from the coast and forty-three three-year-old cracks of the east have been named. Kentucky has a fairly strong candidate in the race, and the south will have to depend upon the staying qualities of Harry Kelley, the high-tempered son of L'ltimus, which represents the stable of J. W. Schorr of Memphis. When the Derby closed February 1 it was believed that there would be tary Applegate waited several davs before be-fore announcing the list, and the public began figuring on possible winners of the big race. However, last Monday a very much travel-worn special delivery letter arrived at the offices of the -Jockey club. It was postmarked Seattle, Wash., and the time of mailing was 10:30 p. m., January 29. The letter then bore the postmark of some little town down in Mexico, and several days later had the mark of National Citv, Cal., stamped upon it. The letter then took another circuit and wound up here several sev-eral days after the Derby field had been announced. The letter contained the nomination of Maud Bacon for the Derby and the Oaks. Owner James Bel-lerman Bel-lerman wanted to get her in both races, and, as he had complied with the rules of the race, her name was added. Maud Bacon apparently stands a better bet-ter chance in the Oaks than in the Derby, but the fact that her owner recently re-cently refused $7500 for her shows that she must be a fair kind of a racer. She is -A Tony Bonero-Oviedo product, and has created a fine impression at Tia-.iuana Tia-.iuana this winter by her races. She and Square Set will be shipped to Kentucky Ken-tucky probably early in April for their preliminary work for the Derby. North Star Promising. If North Star runs as true as the star for which he was named, and it is the truest of all stars, he will prove a hard nut to crack in the $20,000 classic in May at the Downs. Owner A. K. Macom-ber, Macom-ber, who is claimed by the racing fraternity fra-ternity of California and New York, is the heaviest nominator in the Derby, having seven to his credit with North Star as the best feathered arrow in his quiver. However, he has several other good ones, and he will receive much ! consideration at' the hand9 of turfmen "who are pointing their charges for the i rich stake. Johnny Loftus, who rode George Smith to victory in the Derby last year, will ride North Star in the race "this vear. Loftus is one of the greatest riders in this country, and it was due to his fine work last year that George Smith beat Star Hawk, from the Macomber stable. The Oaks looks more like an open race this year, with a lot of fillies of class contesting. Harry Payne Whitney, A. K. Macomber, Schuyler" Parsons and a half dozen others with good ones are preparing for the race. Horses in Kentucky. There are now about 400 horses quartered quar-tered here at Churchill Downs and Douglas Park, and when a lot of two-year-olds that are now being quartered out of the state are taken up the number num-ber will likely be increased. The real influx will come after the closing at New Orleans. However, many of horsemen have expressed their intei -tion of taking their strings over to Hot Springs and racing through the two meetings to be held at the Vapor eity Hot Springs has always been a "r spot for racing earls in the year, and this year conditions are better by far than those of last year, when the sport was rejuvenated there after a hiatus of several seasons. Last year one track held a meeting, and it was so successful success-ful that a second meeting is to be held there this year after the close of the first one, which begins in April. By the time the two meetings are over there it will be time for the horsemen to move on to Lexington. And from then on until July 4 there will be continuous con-tinuous racing in the Bluegrass state. Horsemen from the east are making a strong bid for the Kentucky stakes this spring, and the old battle which has been with the Kentuckians in the past promises to be renewed with vigor flia rtntmo T,rnl.okl,r v,.;.. the invaders this year. The number of horses that will race in Kentucky this spring will be greater than any year probably in the history of the turf in this state. There are now pretty nearly as many horses here in winter quarters as graced a meeting at Lexington years ago. That every stable at both tracks will be filled is certain, and there may be a small overflow. 1919 Latonia Feature. After considering the suggestions and conditions as laid down by the Thoroughbred Thor-oughbred Horse association, General Manager John Hachmeister has decided to give the Latonia Championship stake, for foals of 1916, to be run in 1919, as the breeders desire it. He has made just one little change in the conditions as suggested, 'and that Is in regard to the payments, or, rather, the method of paying, and feels confident that the breeders will offer no objection to it. Last week he had decided upon a race, made his conditions public and had j his blanks printed, but destroyed thera and had new ones published aft Thoroughbred association had wnTten the conditions. The race now is a welght-for-age stake, colts and geldings to carry 122 pounds and fillies 119" pounds. The breeders held out for such a stake, and Mr. Hachmeister has deferred to their wishes. The estimated value of the stake is still put at $40,000 and the winner's win-ner's share will be well above the $no,- 000 mark. Nominators of horses in the money will share for $1750 of the stake, I $1000 going to the nominator of the winner. win-ner. $500 to nominator of second and $250 to nominator of third. President Myers and Manager Hachmeister Hach-meister were well pleased with the offer of-fer of the Thoroughbred association to donate a cup valued at $1000 to go to the winner, and it is believed that this action, more than anything else, caused the Latonia management, to give the stake as requested by the association. Conditions for the event now read as follows: Latonia Championship stake, for 1919 (foals of 1916). by subscription subscrip-tion of $10 each (cash to accomnanv entrvV Fifteen thousand dollars adder), of which $2500 to second horse, $10nn to third, fourth to save its stake. Ordinal Ord-inal nominator of winner to receive $1000; second horse. $500; third horse. $250. Colts and geldings, 122 pounds, fillies 119. If declared hv January 1, 1918. $25 each: if declared by January 1 1918, $50 each: all remaining after Januarv 1, 1919, $100 each; $250 additional addi-tional to start. One mile and three-quarters. three-quarters. Entries close on March 1. 1917. |