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TIMELY SARATOGA REMINISCENCES. i Some Vanished Features of the Days When Joe Ullman Ran "The Big Store." 1 I Ry Ed Cole. Saratoga Springs. N. Y.. July 29. There is only one year that Saratoga Springs inhabitants can recall that may have exceeded the promise of the racing season scheduled to open Monday in the queen of American watering places. That was fifteen years ago and will always be referred to as the Whitney year. It was an occasion, which those who were fortunate enough to participate in, will never forget, not only on account of the excellence of the sport, but for the enormous speculation among the richer class of horsemen and patrons. That was the year of the "big store." as the late Joe rilmnns bookmaking stand was called. An idea of the business transacted that year by VII-mau can be gathered from the fact that he had to have two cashiers and practically double help all around. Rets of 0,000 and 0,000 wen; as frequent as ,000 commissions those days. More than once the business at the "Ins store" reached the 50,000 mark and 1llman was not the only individual who handled those monster wagers. There was another firm, Davis As Cowan, who ran Ullman a close second. In comparing the coming season with the AAhitney year the comparison does not refer to speculation but to the sport proper and the exceptionally large number of visitors who have arranged to put in a month at this noted health resort. Reservations at the hotels have been booked for weeks until the United States and the Grand 1nioiil the two largest hotels have little left in tho way of sleeping accommodations, though, as Now York street car conductors say, "Theres always room for one more." For the edification of those who have never seen this beautiful resort it was well described years ago by a reporter in the following language: "A man once came to Saratoga and built himself a cottage and surrounded it with a lawn and flowers. Soon then- came another man to Saratoga and he also built a cottage, prettier and better than his neighbors. The flowers in his garden were rarer. Later on more men came and each one tried to outdo his neighbor in the way of house building, garden planning and cultivating beautiful flowers, until today Saratoga, to the man in a balloon, resembles one gigantic piece of spring millinery." In years gone by Saratoga was likened unto the Monte Carlo or France, owing to its gambling palace, the Saratoga Club, built by the late John Morrissev and more recently presided over by the late Richard Canfield. Rut those are bygone days. Gambling at Saratoga is a thing of the past. That question was settled years ago. The clubhouse and its grounds have been transformed into a beautiful "park, and the only little white ball that is doing any business on the premises is the one that dances up and down on the spouting water stream of the fountain. The citizens say there never will be any more gambling at the Springs and they know. This does not mean there will be no speculating on the races, for it is mans privilege to wager with whom he pleases that one horse will beat another, and such transactions are well within the law. But such wagers must be an oral contract between the parties, who will settle accounts after the event is decided. Such speculation is permissabie in this state, and so long as there is no infraction of the law the sheriff will have nothing to do but display his gold badge and watch the races. Horsemen have been waiting and preparing for tho opening of the Saratoga season. It means a clashing of the clans. It is where the East, meets the West for tiie thoroughbred supremacy. Honors that are won at Saratoga are honors indeed to the horsemen. Consequently all the best thoroughbreds in the country get a special preparation for the occasion. Many horses will make their initial appearance of the season at Saratoga, especially in the younger division. Inspection of this years stock from the aristocratic establishments is anxiously awaited, for the stables of Messrs. August Belmont, John Sanford. Frederck Johnson, C. K G. Billings, R. T. Wilson and other owners of note shelter some importations of which much is expected. This is a year of international interest, in the thoroughbred world. The exceedingly large number of imported horses here has brought on arguments concerning the ability of the home breeders to turn out as good stock as Europeans. Up to the present the domestics have the better of the situation, but there may be a change of positions as soon as the foreigners are turned loose. Unfortunately hardly half a dozen imported Youngsters have been introduced, owing to an unprecedented siege of sickness among them, and scores of domestic juveniles likewise have not yet faced the starter. Consequently, there is much to see in the way of new racing material. For the past month the track has been virtually alive with horses in preparaton. Owners who had sickness in their stables decided to cut away from metropolian racing and wait for the mountain sport. Looking over the list of stake entries one sees the names of horses never heard of, indicating the vast number not yet introduced to the public. This is especially the case; in the two-vear-old stakes. There may be some among them that, will compare favorably with Harry Kelly, Ticket, Hourless. Ivory Black. Campfire, Mom Mc-Taggart and others that have made their mark. That the stars of the racing world will be ready for action is gathered from the work they have accomplished during the past month. Both the Horse Haven track and the main course have been alive with horses since the Aqueduct meeting closed. Not onlv have the eastern racers been doing preparatory work, but many from the west are being put through a daily course of training and are ready for what mav be asked of them. Cloekers speak well of the horses that have snent the last few weeks in Saratoga. The Johnson-Billings lot are rounding into good condition after having been incapacitated bv bucked shins and other ailments. This stable has a rarely good looking lot of imported and domestic colts and fillies and unless indications are wrong the best of the two-year-olds will have to look to their laurels to uphold their former reputations. Not onlv will there be many good two-year-olds introduced, but the stake and handicap horses that have been reserved for this meeting will make things interesting. For instance, James Rowe has Regret in such condition that she will be one of the choices for the Saratoga Handicap and any other event in which she may start. She is thoroughly fit and ready to go. any distance asked of her. Her trial of a few days ago, in which she covered a mile and an eighth in 1:54, the first mile in 1:40, is sufficient evidence that she is primed to the minute. Then there Is the string in charge of Walter B. Jennings, belonging to Mr. A. K. Ma-comber. Jennings has a goodlot of horses, though they have not been fortunate so far this year. In Star Hawk he has a three-year-old which is sure to make good. This colt is ready and so is The Cock, another of the Macomber horses. Star Hawks effort in the Kentucky Derby demonstrated he is in the same class as George Smith and that alone is a good recommendation. Jennings may also play a strong hand in the two-year-old division witli Hollister, a colt that gave evidence of his qualitv in a stake at Aqueduct. He also hits others. These are only a few of the good horses which will figure iu races at the Springs this month. There are scores more which their trainers ai are keeping pretty well hidden from the eyes of a close observers. Several of the more fashionable in stables of the east have not shown much good rac- 1 be ing material this year so far. Mr. K. T. Wilson P lias given us Campfire. Mr. Belmont has shown ei Hourless, Mr. John Sanford has only introduced his colors upon rare occasions. Then, there is the Wick- n no lifTe Stud, belonging to Corrigan and McKinney. Something more than has been shown is expected from all these establishments. .f All is in readiness for a big opening, likewise d a big season, both from a racing and patronage a standpoint. The European war has not only added tl stock to this country, but also many European visitors, who have raced in France and Germany a a. for some years past. All of these will be present at intervals, as well as many travelers who had been used to going to Europe for recreation until the war broke out. Saratoga is now the logical place for them to go, and there they will Ik?. The stalls at the track are filled with horses, the hotels and cottages are pretty well occupied and every train is bringing in fresh faces. It will not be at all surprising to see the greatest crowd of visitors that ever filled the stands when the bugle sounds for the .opening race Monday.
