Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-05-28
MR., BONNER ON TRoTTEas.
His Opinion of Pool-Selling--The Limit Of
Trotting spesd--Maud s.

HIS Opinion OF Fool Limit OF
Trotting spssd--MsudS
From New York Tribune.
Robert Bonner, sitting In his office, in
The Ledger building, Is surrounded by
the pictures of score of horses that
have won ren0wn. Lying around pro-
miscu0usly are hOrsesOoes with histories
of fast miles to tell, and when Mr.. Bon
ner writes he dips his pen into an ink
stand made Of the upper jaw of q horse,
The trOtting horse 10 a favOrlte theme
with Mr.. Bonner, and when not oyer
whslmed by business cares, he is always
ready to talk upon it. In conversation
with Tribune reporter yesterday, he
said:
II think 1t would be benefit to the
horse interests of this country if pool
selling on races were stopped, and per-
sOnally should be pleased to see strict
laws in regard to it rigidly enforced.
Gambling dsgrades the sport. The great
objection to horse racing has always
been the gambling. A better class would
patrOnize the races If there were no pool
selling and the sport would be elevated.
1t is not necessary for tho success of
Iacing that there should DO any such
thing. 1t is comparatively modern in
noYatiOn, and it is fslly for an associa-
item to think that their financial success
depends upon their percentage from the
pool box. Take it way back in 1923,
when Eclipse and Henry ran their great
race oyer the Union Course. There was
no pool selling then, it had never been
heard of, yet $4,000 people went to see
the race, and among the number there
were such men as Martin Van Buren,
and John Randolph. At that time our
population was not one quarter what 1t
Is NOW. So if pool selling really fosters
and benefits racing there should be an
attendance of 100000 people at a first
class race under present circumstances.
TrO,s between we'll Known horses such
as Flora Temple and GeorgssM. Patchen
always drew a large crowd, out there
was no pool box then. Buffalo made its
reputation as a great trOttiHg center be-
fore the innovation.
I'm trOtting, pOOl-selling is particular
ly bad. 1t gives the drivers an oppOr-
tunity to make combinations and do
what they call working the pool box
This thing has gone 80 far that there is
hardly a race that has not faint of
fraud about, and 1t liz seldom that we
hear of the best horse winning. Even
if the race is hot actually thrown. a heat
or two Is dropped, so as to fix the bet
ting. Why, told one of our best known
drivers only the other day that they were
killing the goose that lays tho golden
ego. Pool box manipulation is killing
trOtting, there is no mistake about it.
The pool business is ran in the interest
OF few men, and they are the ones that
are making all this hue and cry about
racing being ruined if 1t Is stopped.
What surprises me is that so many gen
tlemen favor 1t. If it is so, and racing
cannot be successfully carried on with
out it, then it seems to me that the love
for true sport has died out and been sup
planted by love for gambling. The st.
ye-See race. at Fleetwood,
however, would indicate otherwise. The
day was bad, and everything was un-fa-
vOrable; vet look at the crowd that at
tended! No enc believes that the great
went there to gamble; no, they
went there TO see genuine contest be-
TIVE n two great no; 8 rs; such a race will
always draw. The outlook for the own
ers of trOtters for the coming season is
good, and they can put trOtting on
solid basis if they will only leave the
pool box alone.
There is a bright future for the
breeders of trOtting horses. The prices
at the sales in Kentucky were never
higher than they were this Year. In
However, because the great demand is for
Kentucky bred horses, and L will tell |
you why. There has always been de.
Al ra ha NJ ne 10
best there IL in the market, and dash |
If thoroughbred blood has been apprs-
dated. Thirty years ago Maine was in
The lead, as Maine Messengers progeny
Was widely sought after, and they were
considered the best. Then Vermont
,ame to the fore, and for number Of |
Tears had things her own way; there
we're some sons OF old Messenger taken to
Vermont. Then Orange County began
producing the best stock and we all
o0ked to it for our tr0tters and road
tiers. kentucky breeders came to
Orange County, purchased some Of the
,est sons of HambletOnian, and taking
hem west, crossed them on mares with
trOng infusions of thoroughbred blood,
md now they carry off the palm. They
rot all the action that we had and the
blood in the dams give
he colts the stamina to keep 1t up.
When Dexter was king, we all thought
10 was the acme of breeding, but we see
t can be improved. No one believes
hat Maud s. or Jay-Eys-Ses could tret
IS fast as they do were 1t net that their
,randdams were thoroughbrsds. Maud's
s by Boston and Jay-Eye-See's by Lex
ngtOn, the two greatest four milers Of
heir day. Jay-Eye See is BY brother
# Dexter, and Maud s. by another sOa
Il old HambletOnian, Harold. If want
ID to get performer would not breed
tr0tter to q thoroughbred marc, but If
wanted to got brood mare l would.
an speaking OF Dexter it recalls to
nv mind that when l bought him he
lad the best record, 2:174. paid $685.
100 for him. Then SEINE years after l
,urcha spd Rarus for S36 600. he headed