Aim Is High Class Racing.: Speculative Feature to Be Relegated to Rear in Proposed New York Revival., Daily Racing Form, 1913-04-08

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AIM IS HIGH CLASS RACING Speculative Feature to Bo Relegated to Rear in Proposed Now York Revival Tlie New York Sun in discussing the prospective revival of racing on tlie New York tracks has this to say sayUnder Under the Scudder decision eminent attorneys have advised the racing interests that they can pro ¬ ceed without fear of prosecution for alleged viola ¬ tions of tlie socalled directors liability law The Scudder decisiou also permits oral betting between individuals the laying of odds the acceptance of a wager which may be recorded by the bettor bettorNot Not long ago It Is said that two prominent mem ¬ bers of the Jockey Club called on Governor Suler at Albany and explained the plans for a renewal of the sport According to tlie story told in Albany Governor Sulzer informed tlie turfmmi that so long as it was clear that tin racing interests were will ¬ ing to spend money to place the turf on a high plane and also to rebuild the thoroughbred Industry he would not interfere But if the gambling element was allowed to dominate the tracks he would take measures passedWith to have new legislation passed With the idea of establishing high class racing and of helping the breeders in various parts of the i country at the same time keeping the professional liookmakers out of the game the Jockey Club and the racing associations have started with a clean slate It is admitted at the outset of tin new era that racing must be made attractive in order to cam the support of the public As good horses are scarce and as the Canadian and Kentucky tracks will offer valuable stakes and purses a number of New York men interested in the various racing associations operated under the jurisdiction of the Jockey Club have agreed to subscribe a large amount of money to provide suitable attractions for horsemen horsemenInterests Interests have been pooled to conduct the meet ¬ ings at Beiniont Park Jamaica and Saratoga and what is to be known as The Owners Fund has been subscribed by August Belmont II I Whit ¬ ney Thomas F Hyan II K Knapp John Sauford H T Oxnard James Butler Joseph E Widener H T Wilson Charles Kohler George D Widener Frederick Johnson and other prominent men with others to be heard from The fund will he used to provide added nioneyfor well known stake fixtures selling stakes and overnight races The big stakes will call for 2000 or 2500 added with 1800 iur selling stakes and 400 or 500 for tlie other trials of speed At Belmont Iark the expenses will be paid out Of tlie fund and many big races famous iu former years will be run here Racing will be conducted strictly within the law said prominent steward of the Jockey CJiii last night Thero will be ho bookmakihg iro fessioiial gamblers will lie prevented f rum operating There will be no betting ring and no organized spee ulaUtm No revenue of any kind will lie derived froiuthe beating element Individuals who obey the law by betting privately among themselves will not be molested hut persons who attempt to violate the autibuokmukiug statutes will be arrested and prosecuted The gentlemen who have subscribed tho fund to guarantee valuublp turf prizes do not favor wholesale gambling or betting They are anxious to restore racing to popularity without depending UIKMI betting for assistance A fair trial under new conditions is nsked for we believe that the sport can be conducted without offending the general public Concerning the purchase of Aqueduct stock by James Butler the Morning Telegraph says James saysJames Butler has become a stockholder In the Aqueduct race course the homo of the Queens County Jockey Club Yesterday he completed the purchase of 500 shares from David Holland and he becomes tlie second largest individual stockholder in tlie pro erty There are 4000 shares and of that amount the Brooklyn Jockey Club of which Philip J Dwyer Is the controlling spirit holds 2200 shares For a considerable time a big real estate con ¬ cern has been endeavoring to obtain the Aqueduct track for the purpose of cutting it ifli into building lots but Mr Dwyer has steadfastly refused to sell Tlie association of Mr Butler in the property makes tho real estate chance now even more remote and tlie famous track bids fair to remain in the recog ¬ nized circuit of thoroughbred race tracks of Long Island indefinitely In addition to the race track proper the holdings of tlie tracks are considerable Tlie course Itself is a mile and three furlongs in cir ¬ cumference and it is a tract that is particularly valuable valuableOne One reason for Mr Dwyer holding to the prop erly is the fact that GravesHnl the course of the Brooklyn Jockey Club is inevitably doomed as a race track For several years this track lias been crowded by tlie thickly settled neighborhood until its value as residence proiierty outweighs its value as racing property There have been frequent stories of its being cut up into lots but they have each time met with a denial but now with Aqueduct within such easy reach of Manhattan it is prob ¬ able that the last Brooklyn Handicap lias been run at Gravesend GravesendTlie Tlie association of Mr Butler in the Aqueduct track is right along the lines of ills other ventures Iu racing He is largely interested in the Mexicin raw course at Juarez is the virtual owner Of the Yonkers track of the Empire City Racing Associa ¬ tion and has various other interests in the sport But a few days ago he bought the entire thorough ¬ bred yearling output of the estate of the late Janis It Keeue for fOOOOO and he still remains faithful to the trotting horse horseIn In the announcement of tlie return of racing the Yonkers track as well as Aqueduct were not men ¬ tioned in the allotment of racing time but it is known that both Mr Dwyer and Mr Butler are eager to conduct a meeting This would make it appear wellnigh certain that Iwth the Yonkers course and that on Long Island will throw their gates open in tlie fall fallThe The substitution of Jamaica for Aqueduct in the spring and summer dates that have been decided upon is easily understood Aqueduct is essentially a fall or spring track and tlie same might be said of Yonkers Racing after the heat of summer is much more desirable at lioth of these courses in September and it is a pretty safe guess that iKith will be In the picture before the end of the New York racing easou of 191 191There There have been steady improvements made nt tlie Aqueduct track since its construction in 1814 Originally known as a merrygoround it is now a mile and threeeighths iu circuit witii a start at the head of the backstrctch for races at one mile and a quarter A new field stand was built there only a year or two Iieforn hostile legislation stopped tlie sport The old grandstand was added to boxes put in the club bouse enlarged and the course at the time racing was suspended was declared by John Huggins to IK one of the best lie ever saw The long homestretch tended to insure truly run laces


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