The Sunday herald., 1886-10-24
TURF TALK.

Weatner Will ne favorable, so that the beautiful Ivy
City Course so beautiful when the surrounding hills
have their most brilliant coloring, may, usual, be
the rendezvous Of society," The autumn meeting OF
the Jockey Club affords about the first opportunity
for general assemblage OF the people who have
been spending the summer months In travel, at the
seaside, or among the mountains. IT Is much more
the thing to go to the here than II is even in
Baltimore. and the grand stand always contains
numerous representatives OF all our best old fam-
lies, as well as OF the Diplomatic Corps and Army,
Navy and onicial circles.
Fortunately there no restriction here on betting
and 1t Is to be hoped that Us long there are 30
many opportunities for speculation In stocks, grain,
etc., those who prefer to the horses for their
money may be allowed to do 30. Whatever may be
thought OF the influence OF the poolroOms, insti-
tuition as long established as the turf ought not to
be struck down by fanatcisnl. We trust 1t may be
long before the freedom Of the individual will be
stricted here as 1t has been In New York.
Undoubtedly tho chances are much against the
man who bets on races, and in favor OF the book
maker. 1t may be set down as rule, to which It Ia
doubtful II there are any exceptions, that the backer
of the horses VINO tries to pick the winner In every
race, or nearly every one, will surely quit loser in
the end. The average Of odds will beat him In the
long run, no matter how good his Information may
be nor how sound a judge he may be Of "publc
| FORM" And public form is after ALL the best and
| safest guide for the backer The only chance which
| the average race gOer has OF coming out ahead of
| the game s to watch his opportunity and only bet
now and then when he sees what looks like good
thing The man who keeps track OF the true form of
the horses and only bets on one or two races day
has at least chance to go on winning.
| An Illustration OF the openings which the "book-
les" now and then give afforded In the heat race
| at Baltimore on Wednesday. There were four
horses contending. Favor, properly the favorite,
won the first heat under pull In AS, Silver Cloud,
rIdd Oy,f forn ain
not ridden out, well up third while McBowllng, who
| was Aogged around the backstretch, and unable to
run bit, last. 1t looked to those watching the
finish as II the virginiabred nlly Souvenir, who had
In recent races shown speed and was In with very
light weight, would be sure to get the place IN the
second heat, vet three to one for the place Of
fered against her. As II turned out, she made the
running, and Favor had to he ridden out to beat her
and to run faster Q44%) than he did In the frs
heat.
The Importance OF having competent judges II
the stand was illustrated at PimlicO Wednesday
where the third place IN the OrioIe handicap was
given to Telie Doe. who nnished several lengthi
back In the bunch, Maggie d., WHO led most of tn,
way, having really been tapping the leaders out. Th
WAS an awkward mistake, US hackers OF Maggie J
might have lost money by It, since bets are some
times made that horse won't be zone, two, three,
and since Maggie j. may have been backedl ln variou
poorooms before Volante, who finished second, wa
, announced as a starter In this race.
The judges also made the mistake Of hanging on
voante's number as the winner, although Capt
Billy Connor, who waste place the first horse said
!, was M0lie's Last. The mistake was not rectnet
until Murphy, who rode VOlane asked about II
and said, ~ think got second" This Is one o
frequent Illustrations which almost every meetini
furnishes that the English system Of having pai
and trained ofhcIal 10 act az Judge is the best.
There appears to be general desire among horse
ued for another week. There are very great mum
Der ofhorses In training something lk, $50 In thi
neighborhood- to furnish good sport 10
another week. Many OF the owners need litt
more chance to earn their winter oats than the fou
!. days racing which our CLUB announces will afford
II s TO be regretted that Jockey Club In not In
better position to act upon such questions this
| Our solid citizens ought to take hold Of the club
. buy the Ivy City Course and take position anon
the leading jockey clubs Of the country. The man
agement already IL excellent, but there is too muc
! indifference among the owners Of property and tn
i classes who derive the most benent and eDjoymen
! from these race meetings.
! The Maryland and National Jockey Clubs Will d
well to consider whether they had not better follow
the example of the other great Eastern associations
and abolish Jumping races altogether. II Is nOtorl
GUS that the action OF the New York clubs onlI
taken reluctantly after long experience had show
that the steepechases and hurdle were invarl
J; ably crooked. Hopeless OF compelling these para
sites OF the turf 70 run straight the clubs stOppe,
4 Offering purses for contests which were only use
b to neece the betting public. This was bu
i proper recognition OF the fact that It
the public betting which supports the turf. and tina
the outsider who specuales on form ought, as far a
| possible, to be guaranteed a run for his money
The steeplechases at Baltimore last week did no
i | tend TO remove suspicion from the tactics of th
l. Jumpers. on the nrst day Tennessee was made tn,
fayOrite as he deserved 10 be on the hlgh form h
had shown In his last races As the public plunged o
him the only way for the Insiders get the contents
the pool-box was TO have the horse siened pulled
so the Jockey acted all the time II he were rlt
:. ing for fall. and the way his horse stumbled, Q
d was made TO stumble, looked as II he was III
/. poorest kind OF jumper. Getting chance In IN
r far Held, the Jockey rolled OFT. Some said he wa
drunk. which others denied But that the per foru
ance was qaeer one was clearly shown on Thur
day, for, although the starters were more formidi
BILE lot, the best odds that could he had againi
er Tennessee were ~ tol. In the race Tenness(
g seemed different horse from what he had been tw
,ee days before, for no cleared his jumps beautifully
One OF the public form fayortes, Burr Oak, Know
20 to be when right q fast aud staunch horse, cou
not run bit. and kept way behind the field. whi
the rst fayorte Buckra, did not appear to be riddle
90 20 win, although II Ii said he broke dow
I'd The true friends OF the turf would he gls
H. ~ TO see the managers OF the National Jockey Cll
- give Of these fellows a lesson, and, II nothiI
better can be done, follow the good example OF n
Northern clubs and have no more Jumping swindie
Though with such q beautifu. CROSS country cour
n al ours, and with the ladies' 30 enthusiastic abO
lc steeplechases, such an extreme measure Is perha
or hardly TO be expected.
he | -. .,.o, ,,. ,a,,., ~. -, .
q plains itself. While not believing that the lessecs
al the betting privileges would countenanee any frar
IN have personally known OF at least case whe
Ia holders OF mutual tickets have been defrauded
en- some Kind OF false count. The Jockey Club ougl
b to be able 10 assure us patrons that knows u
% ,n,,nats 40. falrtv conducted or aa..aa.naaa
ae says;
y In View OF the great lnierost manifested by n
citizens Of Washington 10 the coming meeting