view raw text
The American Racing Manual I — By SALVATOR J Whenever the literary editor of any pub- lication finds interest beginning to flag in what he is offering his readers, one of his favorite shots in the arm for the purpose of awakening it is that time-tested device of sending out a questionnaire to a selected list of contributors in which he inquires what would be their choice if they were marooned upon a desert island and but a single book by chance had happened to turn up in their belongings? In the case of the present writer, were he so cross -questioned, his reply would be, without hesitation: The American Racing Manual. Preferably the current edition. But if that were out of the reckoning, any other would do. If it did happen to be that just off the press, in its tasteful blue-and-gold binding and bearing the inscription 1947, we would feel that our cup was indeed running over In former years we had a friend deeply interested in the turf, but whose chief interest — as, we regret to state, is so often the case among denizens of the Atlantic seaboard, where he chanced to reside — was in English rather than American affairs. He had spent a large sum of money in the collection of a turf library, but it consisted almost exclusively of English books about English horses, or American reprints of the same. In this line he was so copiously supplied that, as he had the contents of these books at his tongues or fingers end, his knowledge of British affairs was both intimate and comprehensive. Little Knowledge of American Racing When it came to American affairs, unless it was something that hooked up with the British, he had only the most sketchy ideas about them. It was much as a bargain that he could recall the name of the seasons Kentucky Derby winner, while so far as last ones was concerned it was, to him, a total loss. However, from time to time, as it happened, he required bits of information, data — names, records, pedigrees, breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys, sires, dams, winnings, etc., etc. — about some American horse, usually at the moment in the headlines. We then were sure to get a letter from him, asking us to be so kind as to supply it, he having nothing at hand which afforded it. As it was always a pleasure to do anything for so old and so good a friend we always did so as speedily as possible. This went on for a term of years. His thanks were always immediate and sincere. And finally he was moved to write us: "Where in the world do you get all this ♦information which you have on tap? Its perfectly marvelous. I dont see how you can fork it over the way you do. Whats the secret, anyhow? I know you have a good memory and a good library— but even allowing for that, I cant figure it out!" In reply we wrote him: "Just four words is the answer: The American Racing Manual." It is the source nine out of ten times, the tenth usually being the American Stud Book when the extension of a pedigree is required. But as [a rule the Manual does the trick If the I answer isnt in it, the odds are that it cant be found." And that was the fact. When, in reply, he wrote me that he had never seen a copy— which didnt at all surprise us, knowing his all-British proclivities ,and the lengths to which they ran— we sent him a copy of the current edition, with our compliments, and advised him to just give it the once -over. His reaction was quaint and wonderful. No smaU boy presented with a pair of red-topped, brass-toed boots was ever more delighted. In substance he wrote: Nothing Like It Anywhere "I had no idea that there was a book anything like this published anywhere in the world. Its a sort of bible and unabridged dictionary of the turf combined The more closely I am getting acquainted with its contents and their scope, the more my wonder grows. Why didnt you tell me about it long ago?" Our own reply to this effusion was just a bit wicked. We wrote: "In the first place it was an American publication. And we know that, as a rule they did not interest you. In the second place, it makes any British book of turf statistics look a childs primer in comparison. Or any other book of turf statistics published anywhere else in the world So we had just kept it to ourself and sat tight " To fully appreciate this story, the reader of Daily Racing Form should have the new edition for 1947 lying open before him. Because it excels all previous ones and posts a new record in its own field. There are over 1,000 printed pages in it and how beautifully printed and upon what fine paper. All the old features are there as full and complete as ever, and numerous new ones to boot. There are pictures of all the "Horses of the Year," as well as the leading men. There are diagrams of all the new tracks that were opened in 1946. The text has been rearranged to a certain extent to improve reference purposes and there is a new and much more comprehensive index compiled for the same purposes Many of the standing tables have been entirely reset and as a result are clearer and easier to scrutinize than ever before Much of this elaborate— and nowadays very expensive— work might have been dispensed with and no fault could have been found, but it was carried out nevertheless to satisfy the high standards which govern the entire volume And all this without any increase in price, when the cost of practically all "horse books," old and new has soared so far above normal that they are out of reach of the ordinary person interested in racing. To conclude, if we were cast away upon a desert isle and had it to fall back on, we would know no weary moments. And if at last we were sighted by a rescuing barque it is not impossible that we might keep it waiting for a few moments if we were deep in some especially fascinating section of the volume.
