The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-24
TURF AND TRACK.
Comments on the Judging at San
Jose and Napa.
A Professional Paid Judge Necessary to Pro
teot the Public-Narvaez' Riding
at Saratoga.

One thlng mas been very fully demon
strated by the experience " the recent San
Jose and Napa meetings, assa that is that
professional, competent sai5ried judge must
be engaged to make the meetings success
for the future. Not the sliahtest imputation
is cast by this on the integrity and anxiety
to satisfy the public of tis, popular local
gentlemen of the two aboyss named towns
who so freely perform the arduous and I'M
thankful offices Of judges The trouble
with them is that they hav6 not the neces-
sary experience. and that they dislike to an
tagonize in the least any df the horsemen
who make entries to their faces. 1t requires
a thorough knowledge of thu many dubious
practices Of the track, fetal disregard of
friendly or unfriendly feeling toward any
one, full comprehension of track rules
and an iron will to protect both the public
and each and every horse liz the race, to fill
the pOsiti on properly.
WHERE HE SHOULD BE.
Had such man presided, both at San Jose
and Napa, much benefit wolld have accrued
to both associations. Let the public fully
understand that their Interests will be
fairly attended to. and that as Jar as pos
sible they will be given O. square race for
their money every time stait is made, and
aiwonderfui improvement will Immediately
be noticeable. Under the present rather
lax system OF caring more for the horsemen
than Tor the public, it is no wonder that
the gate receipts are light aud that purses
have to be scaled down. 1t seems hard to
force the fact on many country associations
that the public's admission fees form their
real support. Give the public good square
races and they will patroniZe the meetings,
but not otherwise, and The experience of the
two last meetings should be a lesson to the
managers OF those yet to come.
There can be hardly any doubt but that
the noticeable falling off in the attendance
Of late is greatly due to the fact that the
publc-and by the public those who regu-
larly follow the meetings throughout the
circuit are not meant, but rather those who
leave their business to see good race be-
tween noted horses, and who bet their
money on the Supposition that they will be
given square deal-foreibly demons trated
that they regarded the past racing with sus-
picion.. And in several of the past two
weeks contests the public showed that they
had sized up the situation pretty accurately.
This Is detrimental all round; it Injuries the
breeders all over the State; it cripples
financially the associations, aud loses much
money to the owners, trainers and drivers.
ENFORCING ORDER.
Besides this, much laxity is shown in en-
forcing order at the tracks. Any person
who does not behave himself or herself aud
violates the common laws of decency,
should be Immediately expelled from the
track and not allowed 10 return.
A STRIKING EXAMPLE.
As one instance in point Of the advan-
tages of having a fully posted judge on the
stand, the fact may be cited that at Napa
last Saturday, DIR. Ably of the Guenoc
ranch, who judged the opening event, a
running race between local horses, at once
discovered the job in it and declared it off,
and. by further declaring all bets off. prop
erly protected the public from being robbed.
With local judges on the stand Judging
local races, so many questions of policy
have to be considered that such action as
DR.. Aby's is hardly ever resorted TO.
WATCH THE BETTING.
Regularly every year 1t is suggested In
the turf columns Of THE CALL that for the
protection OF the public the judges should
be fully posted on the betting Tor each heat
or race. The betting is an infalible index of
which way the Cit Will jump. Had the
Napa judges known the condition OF the
odds on many races they would undoubtedly
have exercised much greater vigilance.
SHOWN UP IN THE EAST.
Speaking of the running of the Undine
stable and of NarvaeZ, its head Jockey, at
the Saratoga races recently, the New York
Sportsman OF August 18th says through its
chief racing reporter: st Charles was a
red-hot favorite for the fifth race on August
9th, six and half furlong selling event.
Narvaez rode him. There were seven
starters. Only furlong from home ST.
Charles seemed to be winning easily, when
in plain sight of stand and ring Narva ez
took double wrap on the horse, throwing
him off his stride and letting the others pass
him. st. Charles finished last pulled up.
Complaints were unavailing. and that Mar
vaez was not ruled off at once is but another
evidence OF the lack of principle evidenced
by the management"
Again, ON August 9TH, the same paper
says of the race between Racine, Uncle Bob
and Belwood: 1t wasn't any race, Racine
wood made the running for the first seven
furlOngs, Uncle Bob and Racine lying second
and third the latter had NarvaeZ most out
of the saddle fighting for his head all the
way. During the three last furlongs Uncle
Bob was let out and took FIRST place, three
lengths before Racine, who in his struggle
got the better of his jock and beat BelwOod
out for place by a short neck.
GONE TO GUTENBERG.
Rinfax, Palo Alto bred colt that won the
match against Geraldine in record time at
the blo0d-horse meeting this spring. has
been sold for $4,000 by the Undine stable to
George Walbaum, a Gutenberg book
maker. To have TO descend to race among
the leather flappers at the Gut E" is indeed
cume-down for a California supposed
crack.
Years ago old Ethan Allen 43, hooked
double with running mate, trotted quar-
ter of a mile in 2SH seconds. No trotting
horse, no matter how rugged, has ever
since equaed this feat.
THE STATE FAIR.
The coming State Fair promises to be the
best ever held. That most efficient Secre-
tary, Edwin +. Smith, states that $50. 600
will be offered in prizes and that the racing
will be of unusual interest.