, 1891-01-10
-PHoroeRApH Al RACES.
j. Il Mccormick Writes of "A Needed
Reform In Racing.

The vAlae OF the camera in determining
the correctness OF finishes in races has Just
received a striking disqualification in the
case OF Downs, the runner, who claimed to
have beaten the record for 40 yards at
Beacon park last summer. Accompanied
by a number Of gentlemen and a photogra
pher, and with copies Of a photograph
taken at the time OF the run, Mr.. Downs
revisited the track recently, selected the
spot where he should stand, superintendent
the measurement OF the track, stretched
the tape across the proper finish line and
agreed TO the position 70 be occupied by
the camera. The result of the picture
taken under these circumstances proved
To him eonclusively thst he had not run
the full distance on the day in question.
The lesson thus taught should not be lost
on race track managers. As equine con
tests are now judged it is a matter OF i'm
possibility almost 10 say that in nose and
nose finishes the winning horse really gets
the verdict six times In ten. Ordinarily
there arc two judges in the stand. The
presiding Judge Is supposed to stand in
such n position that his right eye covers an
imaginary line running between the finish
post on the stand and a black mark direct
ly opposite. From this coign Of vantage
he places the winner Rn& second horse.
The other judge places the third horse.
In many cases even the spectators in the
stand behind the judges are not on the
same line OF vision with them. and conse-
quently they do not see the end Of the race
ns the judges do. When, too, as is often
the case. the presiding judge is a man adj
vanoed in years, who cannot read a news
paper without the aid Of glasses. it would
be saying too much to declare that he al
ways judges a finish accurately. Sucl a
conclusion is beyond the range OF posi-.
bility.
The race track OF the future should in
clude among Its officials n thoroughly com
peteut staff Of photographers, who should
be supplied with every facility for photo
graphing the finishes, starts and important
intermediate points OF each race. Given
roper facilities, a negative Of any portion
Of n race can be developed so as 10 be intel
ugible In three minutes That is but a
short time TO wait, and with such hn aid
judges would always be able TO give a per
fectly accurate decision in every race.
Starts should be photographed for the
reason that at present the starter il usually
the sole Judge Of the matter. II all tho
starts were photographed. including the
breaknways, the plates would show not
only whether the starts were good ones,
but would aid wonderfully in telling
whether or not jockeys were trying to take
rudue advantage, or whether they were
"monkeying" with their mounts for stra-
tegical or less lAudable urposes. Pho
t~ographing the intermediate critical points
Of a race would aid greatly In telling
whether or not jockeys rode true or
crooked. A Jockey who knew that the iu-
c~orruptlble eye OF a camera was on him
five times ia n mile race would feel very
much disinclined TO purposely mismauage
his mount.
The starter. too, would know that his
unsupported statements would no longer
be taken as gospel truths. The Coney Isl
and Jockey club last season employed a
photographer to a its finishes. Which
track will be the first 70 employ a full staff
OF photographers for the purposes above
described The one Tint does will enjoy
public confidence such as has never before
been accorded a racing ass9ciatiou and "a
tremendously increased patronage.
Thu cost OF the Photographic staff n
equipment will be but a mere bagatelle in
comparison TO the increased revenue the
association will derive from It's use. 1t
can even he made a source of revenue to
the association, for prints of the points Of
the great races can be taken from the
negatives in large numbers, and horsemen
will buy them with avidity ms souvenirs Of
the great turf events ia which they were
interested. j. d. MCCORMICK.