Telling Test of Racing: New York Heralds Experiment to Ascertain Whether the Sport is Honest, Daily Racing Form, 1908-11-19

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TELLING TEST OF RAGING, NEW YORK HERALDS EXPERIMENTtTO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE SPORT IS HONEST. Result a Complete Vindication of the - Integrity with Which It Is Conducted Through- out the Season. Last summer tiaily Racing Form called attention to an experiment conducted by the New York Herald and its results up to that time. The eastern racing season having ended, the experiment Is also concluded. What the experiment was. its purpose, results and the conclusions drawn are best shown in the following statement and summary, published in that great newspaper: "With a view to testing the honesty of the turf during the 184 racing days which comprised the season of ,100S the Herald has made as many selections of probable winners. There was no effort or desire to tip. From among the entries each, day one horse was picked as apparently the best under the conditions of the event in which the animal was engaged. Betting calculations were ignored. Nevertheless the public classed the selection as the Heralds one best bet, a designation that.was obviously misapplied, for the reason that many of the selections named were prohibitive choices, and if they won the backing of them yielded very limited profits. They were selected simply because they were believed best. ... "There was. however, a betting element Involved. It was incidental to a practical test of the integrity of the turf and its simulative features. The work was undertaken at the suggestion of a gentleman who had attended races for twenty-five years, but had not made a bet in four years. He said if the Herald would have an expert make one selection daily he would have a commissioner place 00 .on each horse named, regardless of other estimates or betting quotations. Maintaining that raclug was not so dishonest as its opponents asserted, and most of the attacks on It were unfounded and reckless, he wished to confirm or disprove his views in a practical and convincing manner. "The result was gratifying and. profitable. Beginning at Bennlng in the spring and terminating at Jamaica in the autumn, fifteen meetings were held. Ten yielded profits and five produced losses. The meetings on which losses were sustained were the spring and autumn at Aqueduct, the summer and autumn at Empire City and the autumn at Gravesend. The greatest profit realized from one meeting was recorded at the spring races at Jamaica. On the entire series a net profit of ,564 was returned. For only a few days at any period was the balance on the wrong side. An investment of 00 was all that, whs ever necessary. . "That honesty prevailed was demonstrated by the percentage of winning selections. Of 154 horses named as probably best 02 finished first and only 20 failed to be placed. Thus the Heralds selections furnished 50.7 of winners. The average throughout the season reflected that racing under the conditions existing at the spring meetings and the legal restrictions developed by the Hart-Agnew law was equally consistent and honorable. If . there was any preferred distinction It was In favor of the conduct of the turf under the oral betting, system, since the introduction of which contests for purses were generally free from scandal or even gossip. Stako events rarely presented occasion for unfavorable comment. A record of the selections for the season is as follows: , Bcnning. Selection. odds. Result. Royal Lady 5.2 Lost Comedienne 2-t Second Animus .. 2-1 Won Smoker ......... 0-10 Won Goes Fast ; II--5 Won Bellwether 4-"5 Second Scratched v ... ...... Taboo 115 Third Greeno 1F-10 Lost Jubilee 1:2 Won Takahira 2-5 Won Spencer Wells 4-5 - Lost Balbek 7-1 Third Oxford 4-5 Won Banyah ; 3-5 Won Takahira 4-5 Won Dress Parade 11-5 Second Cheek 8-5 Won Panlque ... 4-5 Won Taboo 4-5 Won Profit on the meeting. 20. Aqueduct. Saraclnesca 5-1 Lost Personal , G-l Second Besom ,.. 9-10 Won Jack Atkln ... .... 3-2 Second Berry Maid ... 3-1 Won Restigouche 1-1 Second Besom ..j 14-5 Second Fltz Herbert .. 7-5 Second Robert Cooper 2-1 Won Tom Reld , 1-1 Lost Trance 1-1 Second Jane Swift 6-5 . Won Loss on the meeting, 0. Jamaica. Pantoufle 6-1 Won Scratched . 4. Preceptor -18-5 Won Fitz Herbert 12-5 Dead heat Rlalto 3-1 Third High Private 1-2 Won Castle wood 7-5 .Second King Cobalt 1-4 . Won Monfort 11-20 Won Baby Wolf 8-5 Second Preceptor 1-2 Won Scratched ....... . Profit on the meeting, 1908.sh10. Belmont Park. McCartcr 2-1 Lost Scratched ... ....... Golden Pearl G-5 Third Zal 3-1 Won Spooner 5-2 Lost Big Ben 7-2 Lost Scratched - Lawrence P. Daley .4-5 . - Won Miss Highland 12-1. .Lost Colin 1-2 . . . Won Park View .2-1 . Won Continued - on second Dage, . i TELLING TEST OF RACING. Continued from first page. Queen Marguerite 3-1 Lost Stamina 3-5 Won Celt 4-5 Won Alniee C. ". 7-5 Third Colin 11-20 Won Profit on the meeting. 25. Gravesend, Scratched Trance 3-5 Won Blackford 17-10 Second Stamina 1-2 Won Field Mouse 2-1 Won Royal Tourist 7-10 Lost Scratched , Scratched Statesman 11-10 Second Rosebeu 1-1 Third Mnrse Abe 5-2 Lost Fair Play 1-2 Won Juggler jj-10 Won Scratched Suffragette 1-3 Won Field Mouse 2-1 Second Loss on the meeting, 117. Sheepshead Bay. Fayette 2-5 Won Colin 1-5 Won Hessian 3-5 Won Ballot 1-12 Won Stamina 9-10 Won Hessian 4-5 Third Connaught Ranger 4-5 Won Sir Martiu 2-5 Won Priscillian 4-5 Won Preceptor 3-1 Won Ballot 1-4 Won Fitz Herbert 1-4 Won Roseben 4-5 Second Footpad C-5 Third Fair Play 1-3 Won Profit ou the meeting, 01. Brighton Beach. Edward 7-10 Won Marathon 1-4 Won Scratched Bouquet 8-5 Second Scratched Granla 2-1 Won Scratched , Watervliet 7-5 Second Scratched ...... Great Pirate , 8-5 Won Beauclere S-5 -Second Scratched Fashion Plate 7-10 Won King Cobalt 4-5 Won Kentucky Beau 1-2 Won Aras.ee 1-3 Won Scratched Heknowa 8-5 Third Crack Shot 7-5 Won Scratched Profit on the meeting. 28. Saratoga. Scratched Delirium ; 1-3 Won Scratched Hilarious 1G-5 Won Maskette 2-5 Won Royal Tourist . . 1-3 Second Maskette 2-5 Won Scratched Fair Play 1-5 Won Sir Martin 4-5 Won Jersey Lightning 11-10 Won King James . 11-5 Second Helmet 7-10 Lost Practical . 8-i Second Bar None , . . , 2-5 .Won Helmet 8-5 Won Profit on the meeting. 43. Empire City Queen Marguerite 7-5 Second Melisande i 7-20 Won Cressina 1-3 Won Scratched Mascarada 3-5 Won Bad News 13-5 Lost Scratched Joyner entry Golden Pearl and Hessian 1-4 Won Royal Tourist 4-5 Second The Wrestler 8-5 Lost Scratched Goldproof 1-1 Second Loss on the meeting, 55. Sheepshead Bay. Wedding Bells 1-3 Won Sen Wolt 2-1 Won Scratched ... Maskette : -.v.- 2-5 Won Falcada 9-20 Won Ballot . .... 1-3 Won Milford 7-5 Won Fair Ploy 4-5 Second Brookdale Nymph 3-5 Won Moquette . 2-5 Second King James 1-3 Won Profit on the meeting. 84. Gravesend. Wallflower 4-5 Won Fitz Herbert . 1-2 Won Trance 9-5 Second Scratched Scratched ... Wallflower 7-10 Won Brookdale Nymph 2-1 Lost Juggler 2-1 Won Ida D. 9-10 Second Arasee 1-1 Won Fashion Plate C-5 Third Juggler 3-5 Won Profit on the meeting. C0. Aqueduct. , Spellbound .; 4-1 Lost Transvaal 3-1 Lost Yankee Daughter 3-1 Second Scratched Scratched Ida D 3-5 Won Loss on the meeting, 40. Belmont Park. Helmet 1-5 Won Fair Play 2-5 Won Maskette Walkover Fair Play 0-5 Won Gowan 2-1 Won Helmet 2-7 Won Babv Wolf 11-20 Second Fair Play 1-8 Second Profit on the meeting. 03. Empire City. Slmcoe 5-2 Lost Wise Mason 1-0 Won Scratched Jeanette M. 3-5 Third Loss on the meeting. 83. Jamaica, Scratched May River S-5 Won Raquel 1-1 Won Jeanette M 9-5 Lost Scratched ; Profit on the meeting. C0. Total profit on season. ,504.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1908111901/drf1908111901_1_10
Local Identifier: drf1908111901_1_10
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800