RACING IN AMERICA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1144, 14 March 1912, Page 8

RACING IN AMERICA.

A prominent sportsman (Mr J. S. McDonald), who has been closely identified with the Turf in America, is hopeful of racing regaining its former prestige in the States. In an interview published in the “London Sportsman,” Mr McDonald said there would again be racing in 'New York within two years. Thenceforward the American turf would be on a better and sounder basis than ever it was before,

and plenty of the best class of people would take up the. sport again. Personally he regarded the present deadlock as one of the very best things that could have happened to the turf in that country, for not only would it he.-p to eliminate a lot of undesirables and hangers-on, but it had been the means of getting rid of a lot of moderate and inferior stock (?), which did no credit to the country and never would have .done. NEW BLOOD STOCK REQUIRED. He said that with fresh blood well selected in this country and in France, the horse-breeding industry in America will, during the next few years, start booming as it never did before, and that within the next decade the blood stock of America will reach a higher standard than it ever has done in the past. “There is no better country in the world for raising thoroughbreds. They only want the proper and uncontaminated seed to start

with, and they will then grow horses to rival any other' nation. The country has reserved its best, and will add pure stock from England, as they get rid of the rubbish, and will make a fresh start on better grounds.

Delegate met with a rather serious accident on Saturday while taking lessons over the steeplechase jumps. At one of the obstacles he overreached himselJ, and came down, with the result that he sustained several bad cuts. It is now questionable whether he will be able to take part at the Easter meeting.

An Irishman in Germany in three seasons has earned nearly half a million dollars on the turf. That is what James H. McCormick, the noted trainer of Sheepshead Bay, has accomplished. In 1909 his horses won £28.000, in 1910 £25,000, and last year he capped the climax of his endeavours to capture the German money by finishing second to Emperor William’s leading winning stable with £32,000 to his credit He has fifty-six horses in training for this season.