view raw text
COUPLING HORSES IN B00KMAKING, New York Turf Patrons Desirous of the Adoption of the Western Practice in This Respect. In New York there is a call for the coupling ill betting of horses lielonging to the same owner and of horses belonging to different owners but iu charge of the same trainer. It is difficult to see how it is to be brought about. The Jockey Club ignores ! •-: -ting in Its rules, and the layers are not likely to voluntarily adopt a method not to their advantag •. People in the west who patronize racing have bo n so familiar with aha coupling of horses iu betting that it is now a matter of course to tliein. but it is not so in the east. It was not always so in the west, and coupling horses running in the same interest did not original" from the liookniakers. A race that tn.k plai-e at Washington Park in 1887 was direct lv responsible for it. The race was the Washington Park Cup. at two miles and a quarter, and only three horses started — "Lucky" Baldwins Vol. e am. Luckv It. and L. II. Todhuuters Mont.- Cri.-io. Baldwin elected to win with Lucky B.. and :.-e hose was heavily backed, but no formal declaration to win witli him was made. The betting indicated plainly enough that Lucky B. was to win. but the great mass of the bettors knew . : veil that V dante was the best horse and backed him at the . uniting od.s laid. The race was won by Lucky 1;.. with Volant.-under « strong pull, in second place, At once there was a great bowl, one that did not sulrside quicklv. There was absolutely nothing wrong about the race, but it was felt that something should lie done ua prevent the recurrence of such an inebleut. At that time western racing was eoiiducted und- r tbe rules of the American Turf Congress, its rubs Including and covering betting. So. when in the course of the following autumn the American Tin f Congress met in annual session, the Washington Park Club brought the matter of the Lucky B.-Volante race up. and the result was that the Tr.vZ Congress adopted this rule: "When two or more horses, owned wholly or in part by the same person or peraaaal or under the control of the same trainer, start in a race, they shall be coupled and sold as one horse or entry to win in all pools, pari inutuels and book belting. and the bets paid accordingly. At first the bookmakers did not like the ne.v betting rule a little bit. but they soon lieeame ac-eustomed to it. The betting public liked it from the start. It will be observed that the rule onlv required coupling to win. This left the bookies free to do as they pieaaed about place and show lietting. Hence it i.s that sometimes the horses of a coupled entry are also coupled in place and show belting mil sometimes not. The American Turf Congress passed out of existence long ago. and with it its rules. There are now no official rubs concerning lietting. exceed on tracks governed bv the rules of the Pacific Jockey Club. But so firmly Intrenched in use did the rule requiring coupling In-come before the passing of the Turf Congress that lion.- would now oppose its abandonment more resolutely than the western liookmakers. At the same time. It is only a matter of custom now. but I very satisfactory custom.
