New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-09
RACING.
been made

II WAS not the fair weather nor the cool
temperature which carried such crowds by
road and rail to jerome Park last Saturday
Those inducements would have equally filled
Central and Prospect Parks and made the
boulevard AS lively with fine equipages, and
"a gay and lovely with the varied thrOng OF
beauty. as Harlem-lane was all the balmy
afternoon of the "0pening Day" AT
the same time, it was not the prom
ised brillancy of the racing which
offered the allurcment, for it happened
that the programme of the day indicated rather
dull sport; no famous horses were named III
the entries, and save one the cups to be run
for were not of the richest, or the contest the
most exciting and attractive in character. Inc
secret of the success which characterized the
first day at Jerome Park Is TO be found In
other reasons. which it would be well If the
proprietOrs of Long Branch and of Saratoga,
and of scores of other race courses more dis
tant from the metropolis, would take to heart.
Too long the racing in America has been for
the Jockeys, not for the people. Almost inva-
riably heretofore, the favorites have won as
if by agreement; it is equally uncommon and
satisfactory to find four favolites losing
in as many races, as was the case at jerome
Park on Saturday. To find that those who go
10 bet and win are sometimes beaten gives
confidence to the public, who care great deal
for racing and very little for betting. To see
the gamblers discomftted. and the stable-boys
thrown into a state of desperation, is a gratica-
ton which gentlemen i'll conceal. 1t gives them
the assurance of closely contested races on the
future DAYS of the meeting. 1t satisfies all
l.. .,1r Of In
strength, and endurance OF tho horses, and
not the sleight- f-hand tricks of jockeys or the
swindling manipulations Of gambling owners.
And this is what the people on whose patron
age the turf must finally depend desire.
Hence the crowds, and hence, too, the profit
which encourages the managers OF jerome
Park. Long Branch has a vile name, and all
who attend races there and bet their money
have no confidence that they are not
as regularly swindled as with the ma
chinery of the gambling house. Saratoga
il little, if indeed any better. The consequence
il that Long Branch and Saratoga wiz receive
at the grand stands during their whole season
less money than was paid by the audience at
Jerome Park on Saturday. The gamblers Mt
Long Branch and Saratoga will probably
profit, as usual, but managers will suffer for
lack of that general support which jerome
Park enjoys, because people have confidence
in its honest management.
We suppose it will not prove popular
thing for us to sag, but the truth is that there
is no other race-cOurse in the country which
enjoys this same reputation, and we cannot
assert that this confidence in Jerome Park is
as strong and general as it ought to be and
"a the managers lean make it. To this end
they ought to strive earnestly, for let one
course in which there is absolute faith be es-
tablished, and hundreds of imitators will
shortly follow. Race-course managers will see
in the immediate success of fairly conducted
tracks more profit than they can hope for
through any possible speculations with the
Jockeys or the owners of horses.