American Impressions of Racing Abroad, Daily Racing Form, 1911-07-22

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AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS OF RACING ABROAD. New York, July 21. "Skater" Reynolds, who was in the employ of John W. Sates as a betting commissioner When that capitalist was cutting a swath on the eastern turf, has just returned from Europe, whore he saw some of the racing in England, France, Germany and Austria. He gave his impressions of some of the things that struck him forcibly while abroad as follows: "You know they do not bet as much money on a race over there as we used to bet here at Sheepsliead Bay and Saratoga. I know that J. B. Joel sent a man into the ring to bet a thousand pounds on Sun-star for the Derby at 0 to 55, and he had to go to twenty-two books to get it down. I bet .0O0 on one horse at Saratoga some years ago, the majority of it at ! to 5, I got it all on. Of course, there is a lot of ifetting in England long before, a big event oomcs off over there and that makes some difference. Yes, I have handled some big bets in my time, and on one occasion I had a commission from Mr. Gates to bet 00,000 on Colonial Girl, which boat nermis in the big Worlds Fair Handicap at St. Louis. "i saw a lot of racing over there and I think the course at Berlin is the finest in the world. There is a magnificent clubhouse and quarters for royalty and their friends, at a stiff price, with other places for those of lesser degree, and they really take their positions cheerfully. In England its a guinea to the grandstand, but these general visitors to the course only bet on the lawn in limited degree. TaUersalls of course, is of u bigger figure, two guineas being the price on Derby Day. "Ill tell you something," he continued. "Sir Martin is the best horse wo over sent to England. I saw his Derby failure. 1 watched the race through strong glasses, and In my inind there is no question but that he would have beaten his field easily with a fair ehanfo. This year ho never gets an ounce otr. He is given the absolute top weight in every big event in which he is entered. Still I do not believe that Sir Martin likes tho turf course. He was trained and tried as a two-year-old on tile dirt track, and theres a vast difference. I do not know that we ever sent more than two good horses to England in tho last decade, and these were Cap and Bells and Sir Martin. Theres still the same old prejudice against the American horse going to England and winning the big stakes, but their horses have been trained and raced on the turf for centuries, and over here with Us it is entirely different. "But the American who wins over there and establishes himself properly becomes a favorite. Take tho Instance of jockey Danny Manor, who has them all beaten when It comes to race riding. He is not only the kingpin of the riders in England, hut all over the contineiul I saw Jimmy McCormick in Germany aud he certainly has a great horse in Daniello. which won the Austrian Derby. Theres so much size, .coupled with speed. In these horses yoxi see racing for the big events over there that you arp compelled to give it to them,"


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800