Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-18
HORSE RACING AND BETTING.
The ex-King of the Dudes Tells Of His
Personal Experiences.

E. Berry Wall in Boston Globe.
What a marvellous increase has the last quar-
ter of a century seen in the number of race
tracks, in the number Of running horses, in the
number of stud FARMS in the number of turf
patrons and betters and in the number of dol
lars plunged upon the events. began going
to races when small boy. Then the Coney
Island club, Monmouth Park and the Brooklyn
jockey club had not been heard of. The now
famous Dwyer Brothers had one horse as
mere pleasure-giving incident of large bust
ness That racer was Rhandamanthus, who
was afterward burned to death. Now they
have track of their own, great stud farm,
big bank account, and the Brooklyn butcher
shop is almost forgotten. Then bookmakers
were unknown. We had French tickets and
auction pools but IN the latter 81, 900 was gen.
orally bid for first choice, instead of the paltry
S75 or 800 of nowadays.
have had experience a horse-breeder and
as bettor, and the result of it may interest if
1T does not prove valuable to those OF my fell
low-men who may be contemplating similar
robustness. When quite young man /. in
partnership with Wickley Preston (son of Gen
Preston, one time United States minister to
SPAIN, had thirty brood mares on a stock farm
at Lexington, Nv. L produced some famous
horses, notably Wallfower, who won the to-
bacco stakes at Covington, and who frequently
the line. But
THE EXPERIMENT WAS AN EXPENSIVE ONE,
and learned the lesson that a man can't make
the breeding of horses successful unless he gives
his undivided attention to 1t. 1 found, too, that
stable should be continually weeded out. 1t
costs as much to keep a poor race horse as it
does to care for clinker. did not attend to
the stock farm myself, and the result was there
were no profits.
As to betting on races, the best thing to do is
not to do 1t. have been an attendant on rum
ming meetings since was twelve years of age
and profess to know something about horses
but although have made many large winnings
the final result leaves me a loser, though not
to any great extent l have often been asked
what my largest winning was. l won upon
Leonatus IN the Kentucky derby at Louisville
In o2 or S3 total of $4,000. He was a son
of Longfelow and was owned by Chinn X Nor
gan. saw him in February when visiting my
| stock farm, and offered $4,000 for him. This
being refused placed 81 900 on him at 8 to /
and when l came to New York l got more
money on him and finally won the sum have
named.
A large majority of young men who place
their money on horses do so, 1 find. in utter
ignorance OF what they are doing They
don't even see their favorite before he starts
Many OF them take tips from the rascally touts
who. out of field of six horses, give six differ
ent winners to six different men, and conse-
| quently are bound to receive one commission
man can't win at turf gambling unless he
| makes business of it and almost lives in
stable. Even then he is only familiar with the
strength of the particular stable he favors
and knows nothing about the condition of any
opposing horse. As to women who bet and
who form very recent, although very interest
ing, feature OF the race track, L can only say
that they are of great advantage to the mes
senger boy service ard Of great aid and COM
fort to the needy bookmakers.