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Favor Steeplechasing In Belmont Park Poll Sixty-Six Percent Want More or At Least as Much as Now Carded AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y., June 11. — Harold E. Talbott, who has long been active as an owner of steeplechasers, and is a member of the National Steeplechase and Hunts Association, determined to find out just how much public demand there is for the field sport. Accordingly Talbott arranged to have George Gallups Opinion Research Corporation take a poll of spectators at Belmont Park to learn their opinion of the jumping sport, whether or not it should be abolished, expanded or remain at the status quo. The result of the poll which sampled the opinions of 529 spectators on May 11, 13, 14 and 16th of this year, reveals that 66 per cent questioned want either more or at least as many chasers as are now offered while 32 per cent would do away with that branch of the sport and two per cent had no opinion. Thirty-three per cent of the fans questioned said that they liked the jumping races because of the gracefulness of the horses, the displays of horsemanship and just because they like to watch horses jump, while another 18 per cent said they enjoyed the excitement and thrills, and 10 per cent more said they liked steeple-chasing because the races were longer and provided more of a spectacle. Others confessed a morbid interest in the possibility of accident, while a smaller group — 5 per cent — said that they felt that it is more of a gentlemens sport with gambling secondary. The fans were also asked for suggestions as to means of improving the field sport, but few could respond. Most of those who did, advocated easier jumps and more and better horses. Only 6 per cent of those questioned asked for more honesty and questioned the integrity of the jockeys now riding. One of every five persons questioned said voluntarily that they found the jumping races the most exciting. A total of 544 persons were questioned, but only 529 had ever seen a race over the obstacles. The first question they were asked was which race on the days program they thought would be the most exciting to watch. Their answers were: 41 per cent the feature flat race; 22 per cent the jumping race; 18 per cent some other race, and 19 per cent had no opinion on this point. Talbott explained that only 544 persons were questioned on the advice of Gallup who declared that by his method of sampling this number would give as accurate a picture of the general sentiment as a more extended poll. However Talbott is seriously considering having additional polls taken at Pimlico and at Jamaica.
