The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-10
LIKE A LITTLE CITY.
THE ANIMATED APPEARANCES OF
THE RACE TRACK,
Views OF President Clarke In Regard
TO Uniform Set of
Rules.

"The race track looks like a lite
city," said lover of the turf ytster-
day. "a number of stables no. here
at the fall meeting have arrived in the
last few dsys, ard it looks as if the
club would be put to its utmos, ga
pscity 10 furnish stable room. The
foundation has been laid for tie
biggest spring meeting ever held in
the South, and there will be more
crack two year Odds than ever saw
on a course anywhere in the country"
Speaking of the racing interest at
Louisville the other day, President
Clarke had something to tay about
a uniform code of rules. He said :
"Let it be understood by all parties
that one code of rules is the object of
the meeting, aud, surely, East and
Yves, North and South are equally
interested in this. II he Eas. does
not desire to charge their weights, aud
the South and West refuse to 90 no
on the scale, then much good will
have been accomplished, even il only
the one code of rules for America has
been adopted by all the clubs. A con
ference of the clubs might result ia
vorably in the mere endeavor to ar
range dates, but the congress would
and could have no right to dispose OF
this. IL America we have Baltimore,
Washington, Jerome Park, Coney
Island, Long Branch, Brooklyn aud
Saratoga as the Eastern circuit, and
New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville,
Lexington, Louisville, Lltonia, st.
Louis ard Chicago ss the Southern
and Western circuit. A conference
of all these clubs can he productive
only Of good and ought to be held
The above is the only means | can
perceive by which clashiDg of rules
can be avoided. In regard to pleven-
ton and punishment OF fruud, the
way is very simple, although the la. k
is a difficult one, for on its prevention
and gu ok punishment when detected
tho future OF the turf depends Here
is my plan already devised: Our ma
tional interests once combioed on tho
old Kentucky plaD-'United we
sand, divided we fable, us choose
from among the best informed racing
men in this country four judges. They
must not b3 owners, trainers, Jockeys,
or in any way interested in race,
except that it be run honestly. These
four judges mutt choo.e fifth,
like unto themselves, and the five
shall constitute what in England
is called Board of Stewards.
They must be paid good salaries, for
they will be busy throughout the rae.
ing season, with little time for other
duties. Two members of this board
shall act as judges at every racetrack
represented in the congress, the club
having the power TO elect third man
to sit with them by way of compli-
ment. He may not know anything
about racing, so they may let him
place the third horse These Judges,
honest men all, shall enforce the rae
ing rules most Iigidly, so that every
owner, trainer and jockey may know
the penalty for infringement. think
] could put men in the judges stand
who would soon find out why horse
goes nile to-day in 40, when yes
terday he ran il in i :46 With tuch
men as judges you let u jockey do any
of this funny business and see the re-
suit. Why, half the judges in this
country knows nothing OF racing rules,
and can tell you that the jockeys very
s2on find out the manner of men under
whose eyes they are riding. Once sure
that well informed, courageous men
are in the judges stand, they are out
for the mo ney.' 1t is astonishing how
many horses there are in Amerita to-
day which eau pack weight 20 much
better than they can money. With
big load of the public funds on their
backs they seem utterly unable to
run, My Board of Judges would put
an end to all this. A majority of
owners demand some such action, as
it ia usele's for the Turf Congress to
meet each November and revise rules,
unless tbs Sc laws shall be strictly en-
forced and but one construction
Of them given"