New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-08
WH1T RACLNG COSTS.

The legal limit of racing in this State. that Is TO
say. racing with betting-and it is admitted that
without betting there can be no facing-is from
MAY . to October D. In these five months there
are about % racing days, distributed among i've
associatiOns-the American, Coney Island BROOK
lyn and New-Yorll Jockey Clubs. which are IN
the State. and Monmouth Park. which. though
beyond our jurisdiction, nevertheless CLAIMS
large share Of our dates. II is estimated that
the average daily attendance At the races IN the
metropolitan circuit is 5000. For transportation
alone 10 and flOm the tracks these people pay
tie several railroad companies s323,OOo IN the
season. OF The total average attendance, !OOo may
be cassed as deadheads SO far as admission 10 the
tracks is concerned The other 1000 pay their way,
and I've sum expended for field. grand stand ana
oaddocll badges is in round numbers sooo'oVo'
az course no sane race-goer ever spends an aItef-
noon AT the track without helping the caterer
81 for beers cigars. sandwiches. clam cho"uers,
etc let MS set down an expenditure OF 20 cents
apiece which rounds mp nicely at the emu OF inc
the season - $4,000. Thus we see thht inc
LEGITIMATE expenses Of our little community OF
racegoers amount TO more than sl'ooV'ooo III
single season.
No one will question the statement that these
, ooo roccgoers 90 TO the races TO bet. They pay
q -
mont At least 5000 bet every day on every
- and ne al is the least that will be taken
:, the ring each Spectator must be prepared TO
ian s3o on the six races This is the smallest
o.,;mata that can be made Still, il is no inslG-
,iGcopt sum in the end. as il amounts to nearly
e q 400 600 before the close OF the season. But
tbare are hundreds of men who never bet less than
s5o on a roce scores who bet $500. ana rev
,ho cannot become interested in contest unless
tbev have from ST. 900 10 $4,000 on. Therefore
il seems entirely safe 10 say that the tohl amount
., money distributed in the betting ring during
the five months of legal racing is al least s3O'OOo
oOO If this $50, 900. 600 were collected on Oc'
tober - and carefully counted 1t rs doubtful II
Tho sum total would be more than slO,OOO,oOo
4 man wins to-day and loses tomorrow. Inc
,,l,,noar MAYS at see-saw: up on Monday down
IN tuesday. up on Wednesday down on Thursday,
and at last down for good. When he loses his
r.iohbor wins: when he wins his neighbor loses.
Uorav Uoes from hand TO hand and pocket 10
,ocl,et durjng the season until ii is nearly worn
nut with changing before the leaves begin to fall
l., is common remark that race-track money Is the
nlthest in the world
DO not imagine for a moment that the book
makers get all this money. Possibly they 10
nocLet the lions share, but much oil II mas ltS
way into the treasures OF the Jockey CLUBS ali
Of which nay handsome dividends, while the rest
is distributed among owners Of successful horses
and a small handful OF successful bettOrs. The
average number of bookmakers doing business in
ia. ring il eighty. Their expenses are about
al 600 a day, or sl,l44,000 season, represent
ing simply what they pay for clerk hire and the
privilege of milking the public. Their aggregate
ircones amount to not less than $500. 900 yeOr,
which together with the 200 expenses
making Total OF sl,044.000. is actually lost by
the public.
So. IN order 10 enjoy the pastime OF racing from
wear 20 year, the betting community is required 10
make on annual outlay of s2,990.oOO. This sum
is absolutely necessary TO keep alive the Jockey
ombs and encourage the boollmakers to do BUSH
ness The amount of the stakes and purses dis
tributed among owners OF winning horses is about
1921. O00 but much OF this returns TO the betting
ring where it is redistributed among the book
makers the clubs and the speculative public.