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I am very pleased to hear that there is going to be a major speaker at these meetings on returning stamina to the North American Thourghbred. I always feel sad when I hear so many people talk about reducing the distance of a time honoured race like the Belmont.It hurts enough that it happened to the Coaching Club American Oaks. I well remember Ruffian winning the 1975 running of that race in the time of 2.27 and four fifths a fantastic time for a young filly at that time of year over 12 furlongs. The year after that Optimistic Gal who was by the Epsom Derby winner Sir Ivor had to settle for second to Revidere which proved this race truly was a great test of stamina for young fillies. And what about the Jockey Club Gold Cup when it was run at 2 miles and was won by some of the greatest names in the sport some of them only 3 years old when they won it like Citation, Nashua, Gallant Man, Buckpasser, Damascus, and the great Kelso who went on to win it 5 times in a row. Hopefully there will be some good productive talk at these meetings in putting stamina back in North American racing.

Ask the NYRA why they keep shortening and de-emphasizing classic distance races like the Suburban and building up with money and publicity extended mile races like the Whitney and (new) Woodward. They brought back a 10f handicap at Saratoga only to kill it a few years later. Not to mention the way GP management built up the Donn to the detriment the Gulfstream Park H. And do you remember when the John Blanks Campbell at Bowie was a G2 race at 10f? The Monmouth/Amory Haskell/Philip Iselin H was 10f and G1? Shorten it, cheapen it, and the grade slips down. Just like the Super Derby - at 10f it was G1 and was won by horses like Tiznow, Sunday Silence, and Alysheba; at 9f it has become irrelevant. And the once mighty Charles H. Strub S; G1 at 10f, a last chance for a Derby generation to race among themselves. At 10f its winners included Intent, Round Table, Gun Bow, Bold Bidder, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, and Best Pal. While it had not slid as much as some other former classic tests, it is not what it was and has lost caste as a result.

When graded started, there was no G1 for open 3 and up on dirt shorter than 8f and the only one of these was the Met Mile. Of the 15!!! G1 races for 3 and up, 11 were at 10f or more. What was so wrong with racing in 1973 that we had to so drastically change the balance toward shorter races?

I wish there were more longer (1 1/2 miles-up) now--its tragic what has happened to the thoroughbred.If I were in a position to breed a thoroughbred-it would be for more

distance races. Eliminate all the five furlong races now.

Add distance to the daily allowane/overnight handicap/stakes

races. The horses of today are treated like a fragile flower----2 to 4 races a year! And sprint races mainly.No wonder the thoroughbred isn't as sound or durable as he once was.