view raw text
BREEDERS VIEW OF STAKES JOHN E. MADDEN DECLARES FEATURE EVENTS INCREASE VALUE OF HORSES. System Abandoned "Would Do Away -with High-Class Racing, and Turfmen Would Lose Interest in the Sport. New York, November 20. John E. Madden, who has been in New York, -where he judged the thoroughbred class at the horse show last week and attended the Old Glory sale of horses during the present week, left for Lexington Friday night to attend the last big sale of the season, to be held at Lexington next week. Mr. Madden, who is one of the foremost breeders in America or Europe, is one of those who believe that the best interests of the turf are to be conserved only through keeping up the interest in future stakes. That a man who lias horses entered in future events lias more interest in the sport than lie itherwise would "nave, with a hopefulness in a higher degree like that of the holder of a lottery ticket, is the contention of the Kentucky breeder. "The stake system undoubtedly increases the value of horses," said Mr. Madden. "What would the thoroughbred be worth with his earning capacity impaired Ly the omission of stake races and futurities? So long have stake races been in vogue that to dispense with them would be to reduce the standard of racing as a sport of kings and bury a good horse in obscurity. Every horses chances in the stake races are discussed weeks before the event. For the Kentucky Derby, the Futurity and other such big ;ents a dozen are picked as winners, weeks and months ahead of the race. "With stake races and future events done away with, high-class racing would scon become a thing of the past, for I believe it is true that there are few persons who go to the races these days for the sole piupose of gambling. "A horse entered in stakes keeps many a man from getting the blues. lie- winters on expectations. Who ever heard of a man with a lottery ticket in his pocket committing suicide? "In banishing stake races the horse is deprived of his laurels and turf history of its landmarks."
