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RACING IN NEW YORK FLOURISHING. Recent Court Decisions Havo Clarified Betting Situation and Put Oral System on Sounder Basis. New York, July 21. New York racing, thanks to recent court decisions, which have clarified the betting situation, is at present on a better basis than at any time since the enactment of the Hughes anti-hookmaking legislation a decade ago. One of the latest decisions, that of Justice Manning of the Supreme court, in which it was held that tho possession of a considerable number of betting slips did not necessarily prove that a layer of odds had violated the law prohibiting bookmaking, has proved especially helpful in that it lias put individual wagering upon a sounder footing than at any time since the oral system of betting was instituted. When the present racing season opened at Jamaica, the betting situation was a bit befuddled and the action of the local authorities in making numerous arrests for alleged infractions of the law turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the court decisions emanating from these cases have resulted in a much greater freedom of action among the individual bettors than seemed possible before the season opened. It is now possible for a person of any standing to obtain all the action he may desire in this direction. But with it all, the racing managers are "insisting upon the strictest observance of the letter of the law and the minutest deviation from the rules, which have been laid, is not for an instant tolerated. In common with the meetings which immediately preceded it, the Empire City Racing Associations season at Yonkers is enjoying a measure of prosperity that could hardly have been hoped for in advance of the recent favorable court decisions. It is asserted by those who have followed the fortunes of racing at this course ever since its conversion from a trotting track into a thoroughbred racing center, that the attendance even In the palmy days of New York racing, was never better than it is right now. M. J. Winn, who came from the west to manage this track when it was first thrown open to the runners, certainly has every reason for regarding with complacency the steady growth of the Empire City track in popularity. He has had the hearty support of many westerners in establishing the sport at James Butlers track and the participation in the racing of these western stables has compensated in no mean degree for the absence of those eastern stables which annually make a practice of shipping to Saratoga a few weeks in advance of the opening of the season at the Spa. The inter-sectional flavor thereby imparted to the racing, at EitipJieCUyadds- o its attractiveness and is an important factor In the success which Manager Winn and his associates ate scoring. Western Stable Not Showing Up Well. So far this season, the western stables have not made as good a showing at Empire City as usual. The big establishment of John W. Schorr and Jefferson Livingston, tho most pretentious of the visiting stables, have not yet cut into the racing in earnest. In fact, the Schorr colors have hardly been seen at all, as an aftermath of the unsatisfactory way in which the horses of this establishment made the trip from Kentucky. Cudgel, the pride of the Schorr stable, reached tho east in such a condition that his owner fears he will not bo able to race him before the Saratoga meeting is well advanced. Other western stables on the ground include those of W. II. Baker, II. Perkins, U. R. Bradley, E. T. Colton, W. II. Pearcc, J. T. Looney, J. Hogan and A. L. Denny. E. G. Soule, Claude Kyle. Colonel James, Al Koenigsberg and James MacManus are among the prominent operators on the lawn and in the clubhouse. The first named began the season with his customary success, hut has met with some reverses of late, although still a handsome winner. There probably is no more discriminating student of form in America than Mr. Soule. He takes the minutest details into consideration in reaching his conclusions and has the reputation of carrying the handicapping of the horse to a finer point than anybody else engaged in that fascinating pastime. Victor E. Schaumlerg is attending to the details of his position as racing secretary in spite of the handicaps imposed by his recent attack of eye trouble, which for a time threatened to put him out of commission, at least temporarily. Mr. Schaum-berg in an exceedingly conscientious official and the horsemen, generally, like him, both on account of his ability and his impartiality. He served the Coney Island Jockey Club as racing secretary for a considerable number of years prior to the suspension of racing at Sheepshead Bay. "Come Back" of Jockey Knapp a Feature. A notable feature of eastern racing is the "come hack" of jockey W. Knapp, who was this season granted a license to ride, titter having been out of the saddle for many years. As a lad Knapp was a rider of no mean ability and, that he still retains that ability has been frequently demonstrated of late. Knapps retirement from the saddle for such a lengthy period was due to the loss of his license for unsatisfactory riding and for many years the stewards of the Jockey Club turned down his annual plea for reinstatement. In the interim, ho kept himself in condition hy exercising horses, and when the stewards of the Jockey Club decided this spring that the purposes of their ruling against the lad had been accomplished, he lost no time in returning to the saddle. Knapp made his reputation at a time when there were many good riders in the saddle and it is not to be wondered at that he is still able to hold his own, since the general opinion prevails that tho race riders of the present day are a mediocre lot in comparison with a decade or so ago. At any rate Knapp Is riding well and his services are in much demand. Harry F. Brievogel is among the busiest of the officials at Empire City. He fills the position of assistant manager of the track and relieves General Manager Winn of much of the detail that constantly requires attention. Trainer D. R. McDaniel reports that Grant Hugh Brownes good three-year-old King Herod has recovered from the effects of the accident in which he figured at Pimlico last spring and that ho is again in active training, with every prospect that he will race at Saratoga. Willie Applegate is among the westerners active on the lawn each afternoon at Empire City. The Buxton stable will go from Empire City to Saratoga. Snsin, winner of tho ,000 CoITroth Handicap at Tijuana last spring, has raced disappointingly since his return east. His owner thought well of his chances in his race at Empire City Tuesday, but the horse was not even placed.
