STATE OF NEW YORK

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

State Racing Commission

For the Year 1924

ALBANY

J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS

ANNUAL REPORT

To the Legislature of the State of New York:

The State Racing Commission in accordance with the Statute submits herewith its annual Report for the year ending December 31st. 1924.

Racing in New York State during the season of 1924 continued upward and onward. Not in years has there been such great general interest in the sport and this was reflected in the daily attendance at the various race courses.

International competition again gave the Empire State worldwide publicity, the first two contests in which the famous French horse, Epinard, competed being held within its borders.

These two contests during the Autumn Meetings at Belmont Park and Aqueduct marked the high spots in New York racing notwithstanding the fact that the usual number of classics were held throughout the racing season.

Epinard's fine record as a two-year-old and three-year-old stamped him as the best horse of his age in Europe, in the general opinion of expert horsemen; and that we could bring forth his superior in the three races run in this country was a great triumph for American breeding. The value of Epinard to our racing and breeding can never be properly estimated. The gallant French colt and his owner, Pierre Wertheimer, a Sportsman and a gentleman of the highest type, found high favor with our public who realized the magnitude of their task. Though unsuccessful in the two International races in this State and the one in the State of Kentucky, Epinard left our shores a greater hero than on the day of his arrival.

The popularity of racing in the Empire State was never demonstrated more fully than on the day of the first International race at Belmont Park. On that day a vast throng of men and women, probably the greatest in the history of the Westchester Racing Association. jammed the course to its capacity. There is nothing finer to witness than a contest between first class thoroughbreds; and this advanced day the public is quick to realize to what a high plane racing has tended and shows its appreciation of the efforts to elevate the sport to this high plane by its attendance.

It is to be greatly regretted that Major August Belmont, Chairman of The Jockey Club and President of the Westchester Racing Association, and one of the prime movers in the promotion of International racing, should be taken away from the turf he so loved, just at a time when his ideals for which he had

so long fought, clean, honest fair racing, were reaching their zenith. A real true lover of the thoroughbred horse and a great breeder, his guiding hand and the energy he expended in the interest of horsemen and breeders throughout the country will cause him to be sadly missed.

In the death of James Shevlin, President of the Queens County Jockey Club, and a staunch supporter of everything that tended toward the improvement of racing, the American Turf loses another fine sportsman and suffers a great loss.

There were one hundred and sixty-two days of racing in the State of New York, four more than in 1923. These were about equally divided among Belmont Park, Aqueduct, Jamaica and Empire City and Saratoga Springs. Careful Stewardship prevailed at all of these race courses and the sport furnished was of the highest type.

That the throughbred breeding industry is progressing in our State may be judged from the fact that Willis Sharpe Kilmer and James Butler, who breed their horses on their farms in New York State and who race no horses they do not breed themselves, finished well up in the money winning division at the close of the Metropolitan racing season. There combined earnings totalling slightly over $95,000. Several notable stake winners of the past year were bred in this State. Willis Sharpe Kilmer's stud at Binghamton sent forth the best of these, among which were the crack colt Sunny Man, rated as one of the leading juveniles of 1924; and other stake winners included Sunsini, Sun Flag and Sunny Sal. The East View Stud owned by James Butler contributed Sting and other fast juveniles to rival the products sent forth from other breeding states.

The yearling market was slightly better than in 1923 demonstrating that breeding is an important business. There were four hundred thirty-five future racers sold in the sales ring at Saratoga Springs last August for a grand total of $1,151,650. This was $37,600 above the previous year. The average was also higher being $2,648 per head.

There were many importations of foreign bloodstock during the year and New York State benefitted through the addition of several fine broodmares to the Willis Sharpe Kilmer Stud. These important additions will be felt at the Saratoga Sales ring in later years. It must not be forgotten that this is the greatest yearling sales center in America and a credit to our State as well as a source of considerable revenue.

It is a well known fact that racing has contributed much to the United States Army and the State Constabulary. Thoroughbred stallions have shown their usefulness in the production of cavalry mounts. Such horses are used almost exclusively by the Goverment in its Remount Service. During 1924 its 365 stallions were mated with 12,000 mares.

The Breeding Bureau of The Jockey Club has been of great benefit to farmers, and horse breeders of the Empire State.

especially in the Genesee Valley. During the past season upwards of 300 mares were mated with the sires that have their headquarters at the Lookover Station at Avon. Sales of half and three quarter bred stock by these horses have been made at from $250 to $1,000 at two years of age, while some two-year-old thoroughbreds have brought as much as $2,500.

As an adjunct to diversified farming the breeding of good horses has been most desirable in grazing communities throughout the State. Any group of farmers may secure a thoroughbred stallion by applying to the Breeding Bureau of The Jockey Club. The following are the stallions presented to the Breeding Bureau for the year 1924.

Spearpoint

By Spearmint out of Forget-me-not by Martagon, was donated by Mr. William Woodward of New York. This horse was among those at service at Hillandale Farm, near Mamaroneck but has lately been transferred to the New York State Constabularly, Troop G, Troy, N. Y., where he takes the place of Arnold, by Peep o 'Day, the latter horse having been forwarded to the New York State Police at Batavia, N. Y.

Maintenant

By Maintenon out of Martha Gorman, was donated to the Breeding Bureau by Mr. Joseph E. Widener of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He will be permanently located at Hillandale Farm, which is now the headquarters of Troop K, N. Y. State Constabulary.

Sunny Jim

This horse has been donated to the United States Remount Service by the Breeding Bureau of The Jockey Club B. h., 1918, by Friar Rock out of Lucy M.

The Bohemian

Another horse that has been donated by the Breeding Bureau to the Federal Remount Service of the United States. Br. h., 1918, by Jim Gaffney out of Kittenish.

The following stallions of the Breeding Bureau are still doing stud service at the various farms throughout the State:

Adams Express, by Adam, out of Frederica, Lookover Station, Avon, N. Y. (Remount).

Arnold, by Peep o' Day out of Victoria M, Troop G, New York State Constabulary, Troy, N. Y. (Breeding Bureau.)

Chief Lally, by King James out of Rosslaro, transferred to the Federal Remount Service.

Cock o' the North, by Hamburg out of Braw Lass, N. Y. State Constabulary, Hillandale Farm, Westchester Co., N. Y.

Estimator, by King Hanover out of Estimate. Lookover Station, Avon, N. Y. (Breeding Bureau).