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RACING ON A FIRMER BASIS THAN EVER Successfully Conducted Meetings Possible on Gate Receipts Without Revenue from Betting New York January 7 In an interesting talk with Itichard C Doggett who has been a familiar figure in the club houses of the local tracks for the past eighteen years he said I am a sort of bug on systematic principles in conducting business so much so that 1 can turn to my books and tell ex ¬ actly every transaction I have had since I first started keeping records That is one of the secrets of success in any line of trade to know just where you are and how you stand at all times timesDoggett Doggett is one of the most successful operators on the turf turfIn In his early turf career he was in the employ of the Oneck Stable when his brother Sam was one of the leading Jockeys in this country He soon became to heavy to ride in fact Dick is not ashamed to tell that he was never cut out for a firstclass rider and when his weight began to rise he quit the saddle and became a commissioner This was about eighteen years ago From agoFrom a small beginning he stepped Into the fore ¬ most ranks by leaps and bounds As soon as he began to amass a fortune he entered into the real estate business and is today a large property holder on Long Island But the call of the turf is always echoing in his ears and every year finds him an occupant of the club house houseRegarding Regarding the present system of wagering on the tracks in New York continued Doggett it is all right with the one exception it encourages men to sometimes overbet themselves It is natural for them to do so when their credit is practically un ¬ limited and they get in a streak of bad luck If the speculation could be checked with stop orders there could be few complaints but it cannot be as a bettor with credit has several commissioners with whom he can do business and if he is checked by one he immediately seeks another ENOUGH TO PAY SUFFICIENT DIVIDENDS DIVIDENDSThere There is one thing however that has been de ¬ monstrated In the east in late years that is racing can be conducted successfully on the gate receipts This seemed almost unbelievable years ago when the question was asked but it has been proven and I believe the sport today is on a much firmer basis than it ever has been in this country there being no just reason for attack from any source The associations do not make nearly as much money as they did but they make sufficient to pay a reas ¬ onable propertyThis dividend upon their property This makes the sport much more healthy than when the owners of racing plants were dependent upon the gambling privileges for revenues which at times were stupenileous It was these exceptional profits that caused all the disturbance and discon ¬ tent Everybody wanted to build a race track in those days now there are plenty for sale Every year the sport is increasing in popularity aud the war has done much to enrich this country in thor ¬ oughbreds oughbredsThere There is no question in my mind that the United States will breed as many if not more good horses than any other country as soon as affairs are settled The material is here and it is only a question of intelligent and welljudged mating to produce horses the equal of either England or Franco
