RACING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 307, 19 May 1941, Page 8

RACING NOTES

WARTIME TURF U.S.A. AND ENGLAND STARTLING CONTRAST The war has had most serious cffects on horsei racing and breeding [n England, where all fixtures have been cancelled and many worldfamous studs dispersed. In contrast, the sport is enjoying an unprecedented boom in thei United States of America. Totalisator betting is now legal in 25 of the 48 States in the Union, and the stimulus this has given to the sport is reflected in the ambitious programmes of the chiejf tracks of the country. Typical of this prosperity is the plan- for, the summer season at the two principal courscs in Chicago, Arlington Park and Washington Park, where stakes values at about £237,500 will be offered in July and August. Each of the five racecourses in Chicago stages meetings of between 80 and 40 consecutive days of racing. It is this centralisation of the sport and the concentration of a month of racing on one course, madei possible by the laying down of dirt tracks, that enables American executives to offer such big inducements to owners. In the opinion of many people, Bays Sporting Life,, London, a considerable degree of centralisation will have to be adopted in England if racing is to flourish in the postwar years.. The first season of pari-mutuol betting on racecourses in the State of New York showed the remarkable turnover of nearly £26,000,000 at current rates of English exchange. Five courses raced on 174 days, and the total attendance for the season was 2,038,000. The Statei and the tracks shared equally in the 3 0 per cent totalisator taxation, which was worth more than £2, 500, 000 sterling to each. The summer season in Chicago will comprise 66 days of racing, th? Illinois Racing Commission having allotted 34 days, fr,om June 23 to July 31, to Arlington, and 32 days, from August 1 to September 6, to Washington. The Classic and American Derby,- for three year olds, have a stake of 40,000 dollars added, and an estimated gross total together of 140,000 dollars, and the two year old and handicap races are in proportion. In addition 15,000 dollars will be distributed in prizes for trainers and jockeys. The chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, Lord Rosebery, at th j. annual meeting of that body in December, referred to! the effect on Ihe sales that the cancellation of fixtures had had. Wellbred, yearlings at one stage sold at from sgns to lOgns, but later prices improved. "I' sincerely trust," said his lordship, "that all thoroughbred breeders will hang on as long as they can. After we have l , won the war,, I feel that there will be an increasing demand for our thoroughbred stock. 'As far as we know, France has lost the whole of her thoroughbreds In this connection I would point out that no one can enter a horse in a race unless it is the bona-fide property of the owned. Similarly, no one can enter an animal in the Stud Book without the authority of the owner and the approval of Messrs Weatherby, Keepers of the Stud Book. Therefore, I think that those people who have stolen the horses, even if thej' are not returned, will not find them such a bargain as they thought/* Tentative arrangements have been made for holding substitute classic and other events in England, these including the five chief classics, for three year olds, and the Gold Cup St. James' Palace Stakes,, Craven Stakes, Coventry Stakes and Queen Mary Stakes. RACING FIXTURES MAY 15, 17 Otaki Maori Racing Club 15, 17—South Canterbury J C. 17 > —Waikato Racing Club 24—Foxton Racing Club 31—Napier Park Racing Club 31—Wunganui Jockey Club 31—Dunedin Jockey Club