view raw text
i Here and There on the Turf , ,-4 It is well that the dates for the running of the big turf prizes of 1930 have been so arranged that conflict in similar races is almost entirely eliminated. There have been years when two such sim- ilar prizes as the Preakness of the Maryland Jockey Club was run at Pimlico the same day that the famous old Kentucky Derby was decided at Churchill Downs in Louisville. No longer ago than 1928 Mrs. John D. Hertz Reigh Count was winning the Kentucky Derby in Louisville while "Victorian, then racing for Harry Payne Whitney, his breeder, was winning the historic Withers Stakes at Belmont Park. There have been any number of like conflicts, but now that these races have a greater importance and a greater value it is fitting that dates be arranged, as far as is possible, so that the good horse may be able to keep each engagement. . While the Chesapeake Stakes at Havre de Grace has a real importance, it is the Preak- ness that is the first real objective for the best three-year-olds. That is to be run May 9 and next in order comes the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, run May 17. The Fair- ; mount Derby is to follow May 24 and this year the Withers is not to be decided at Belmont Park until May 31 and the Belmont, over the same course, is down for decision ; June 7. Thus it will be seen that the schedule is so "ingeniously arranged that it would be possible for an eligible to make every one of these engagements with comfortable shipping time between each running. It is not expected that any one candidate would keep all the engagements, but some are eligible for all of them and when there is no conflict in racing time there comes a greater chance for better contests. Not so long ago, in this column, criticism was made of the recent rule of the Maryland Racing Commission, which required the tedious parading of a field of horses before they were taken to the starting point. It was a rule that had to do with the time for the closing of the mutuel machines. Now there is being considered another method for the regulation of the speculation that will do away with this parading of horses before they go to the post It is expected that it may be put into operation during the Havre de Grace meeting and it promises to be popular with both the racing public and the horsemen. The plan is to have a signal given for the closing of the machines when the horses have reached a certain point in the parade to the post and it is proposed to do away with the walking up arid down in front of the stands as was done at Bowie. Any plan to do away with such parading will be welcome, but there will never be complete satisfaction until it becomes possible to display actual rather, than approximate odds before the running of each race. With Diavolo definitely out of the Dixie Handicap, another previous winning of the t big opening day offering of the Maryland Jockey Club at Pimlico looms up prominently for the running. This fellow is R. M. Eastmans . old gelding Mike Hall, which won the s 1928 renewal of the prize. The son of Hourless and Clonakilty is j training at Lexington and his progress would indicate that he will be right on edge for the mile and three-sixteenths to be run April 28. A recent move of a mile in 1:40 was decidedly impressive enough to convincingly demonstrate that the old fellow has recovered 1 from any set back he may have suffered by r his unsuccessful invasion of the British turf. Warning has been sent out that there have 2 been some "sweeps" announced for the Kentucky Derby in which the Louisville Jockey Club is in no remote way interested and which the club would prosecute should the promoters be discovered. It is not admitted that there is any harm i in such pools when they are honestly conducted, - but the laws of the country prohibit t them under the lottery laws and naturally f racing must not be blamed for the law viola-lion. - In this connection there is all the e difference in the world between a "sweep" " in which merely a ticket is bought, its value to be determined after a drawing and a pari-mutuel - pool, in which the definite purchase e is made of a chance on the winning of some e particular horse. . That is where the pari-muluel pool is not t a lottery. It is not blind chance as is the e case with-the "sweep" or lottery. And this, ; of course, applies to future books on any y event. A price is accepted on the chance of f some particular horse. In this it becomes s rather a game of skill than a game of chance. :. i " . " ; ; t . s j 1 r 2 i - t f - e " - e e t e ; y f s :. The player is matching his knowledge of the horse against that of the layer of the price. It surely is no more gambling than the buying of stocks in the market, the success in which comes with either the rise or fall of the stock either purchased or sold. The intelligent trader in Wall Street makes a study of affairs in the financial world and of all the happenings that are calculated to affect the market. The man who speculates on the races makes a study of the sport and of the horses and in that fashion reaches his conclusions. In both cases it is a definite transaction either on the trend of the market or the quality and fitness of the horse. For this reason the lottery element is entirely eliminated and each is a game of skill and far from being a game of chance. This is entirely lost sight of by many who may be entirely honest in their crusades against race course speculation. It admits of no argument and again brings home forcibly the need for an educational campaign for the sport. The "sweep" is another thing again. It is purely a lottery, for the buyer of a ticket in such a pool is not naming a horse, but is gambling blindly that the ticket he buys will draw the name of the winner. One is reminded that the opening of the big Jockey Club circuit in New York is almost at hand with the recent announcement of the weights for the Paumonok Handicap. This is the feature race of the opening day in New York and the inaugural of the meeting of the Metropolitan Jockey Club at its Jamaica course. Each year this three-quarters dash attracts a notable field and its roster of winners contains the names of several high class sprinters. For the renewal on April 21 William Zieg-lers Polydor is at the top of the list, according to the Walter S. Vosburgh estimate, with 128 pounds as his burden. Two years ago Polydor was winner under the feather of 106 pounds, but since that running he has gone far along the road of sprinting fame and on various occasions has proven himself under weight. There was a hope that the Paumonok would bring about a meeting between Polydor and Osmand, Joseph E. Wideners big sprinter, but the Widener speed marvel was not named among the nominations and Pete Coyne seems to have the Toboggan at Belmont Park as the first real objective for his charge. He has been galloping at Belmont Park in a fashion to indicate that he will be ready when wanted. But there are others of known sprinting quality among the high weights for the Pau-r monok. High Strung, which is being brought back by George Odom, and Distraction, which is being fitted at Aqueduct by James Fitz-. simmons, share second place with 123 pounds. Then comes Nusakan, Mowlee and Judge Schilling, while Flying Heels is at the top of the three-year-olds under 114 pounds. Altogether there is bright prospect for both a large and notable field for the coming renewal of the old stake. Now there is a promise of return of racing to South Carolina. The previous racing at Charleston some sixteen or seventeen years back was far from being either a sporting or a financial success, but winter racing has changed marvelously, but winter racing has any winter sport, properly conducted, is cer-e tain of a patronage that was impossible even ten years ago. The present effort for the restoration of racing will come in the attempt to have a law enacted that will protect in the matter of speculation as a matter of course that is what is meant by any racing law,- for there is no prohibition against the racing of horses. The prohibition, of course is the. betting on races. i , I , e i While there has come some fwonuenui changes in the importance of winter racing, there has come a greater degree of tolerance in the matter of law making. As a matter of fact, racing does not desire tolerance. Racing only wants an intelligent consideration of its rights and of what it means as a sport. More would be accomplished in having racing given a proper consideration by an educational campaign than anything else. For that reason the greatest care must be exercised in the government of the existing associations, as well as the government of each new expansion. The reputation of the sport is of first importance and every where that the proper control, th racing has made the proper control, the racing has made friends. Doubtless this is understood in South Carolina and should efforts to have a law enacted be successful, there must be constant vigilance to have the racing understood and appreciated by the citizens of the state. It would be unfortunate if the American turf should lose a sportsman of the importance of Edward B. McLean, as has been intimated, but it must be admitted that in recent seasons Mr. McLean has not taken his earlier interest in the sport. Mr. McLeans horses have brought a full measure of fame to his racing silks and he has gone much further than racing by going into the breeding of thoroughbreds. His breeding operations have been of importance and if, as suggested, the entire racing and "breeding interests are taken over by another sportsman, it will mean the turning over of a ready-made establishment that otherwise would take years to gather together. Possibly Mr. McLean will not sell out and that would be better still for racing. The turf needs all the men of social and financial interest that can be attracted.
