The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-20
The Business Of Racing.

There is something new or at least no.
ticeable about the turf. or late years horse
racing. once the sport OF kings. for the
reason that only the king could afford 1t.
has in the horse racing countries. particu-
| larry In ours, become SO immensely popular
that Instead OF being mainly carried along
in the spirit Of sport. It's field has been
overrun by ordinary capitalists fired with
tho common desire OF making money. Once
turfmen looked on the year In which their
stable had not drawn heavily on their lib
eral purses as q lucky season to be pleased
with. and not reckoned upon again. or late
days the rewards OF the track have induced
many men OF comparatively very little
means to deliberately invest what they had
In horses. and to establish racing stable
as purely commercial investment
Besides the recognized owners Of horses
there is another class Of men enjoying
| profits from the turf through their own
ing shares in race tracks which have
become extremely profitable. Enthusiasm
for the entertainment they provide is 80
popular. and the disposition to indulge in a
little gambling at the same time Is SO gen.
eral. that there is public support sufficient
for half q dozen great tracks within strlk-
ing distance OF New York. Some tracks.
such as Gutenberg and others like it.
began without the falntest connection with
any one who might be properly called
turfman. or without the faintest trace Of
the love Of horsehesh and its Glories.
1t is this general Generalization OF the
ancient spirit Of the game that has led to
the purchase Of Lamplghter. tho first of his
race In this country at the present time. by
the proprietor OF the most successful field
Of this debased sport. Gutenberg. Gutten-
burg buys Lamplighter just as theatrical
manager would acquire the control OF q
great dramatic star. This racing company
expects to draw the public to its track and to
give 1t reputation through the exploitation
there OF Lamplighter. as the director OF
some low theatre might hope to give it
standing through the engagement of a
high-class actor. The clever impresario
of Gutenberg: and be 1t understood we
have no blame for him. has heightened the
effect OF his new purchase by arranging o
match for him with the most conspicuous
Of his few other rivals. Excepting tho
match between Domino and Dobbins, the
match Of all years since Salvador met Tenny
will be that Of Lamplighter and Tammany.
Tammany belongs to rich man from Mon
tana. who people naturally supposed had
taken to racing with certain appreciation
Of Its traditional and necessary dignity.
That however. seems not to be the case,
and Mr. DAILY has joined Mr.. WALBAUM in
dragging the proudest OF our American race
horses in the mud of Guttenburg Evil
dently. If this policy can meet with SUI
ficient encouragement. before long the high
est bidders for thoroughbreds will be the
proprietors OF the open air gambling houses
known as winter tracks. They will buv
the best. as part Of the necessary plant OF
an intelllgently managed track. and into |
their hands must pass al the great cracks Of
the turf as they come forward year by year. |
The regular racing associations have been |
endeavoring for long time to mako the |
winter tracks impossible. By the con-
nivance OF an owner like MARCUS DAILY and |
various others who have chosen other and |
less pronounced ways Of weakening the
cause OF legitimate racing. the winter
tracks are now on the very top.
Such o situation cannot last. and we warn
all turfmen. and likewise those who are
now merely making money out of race
horses. that horse racing under the present
auspices is on the road to degradation
that must bring 1t to disastrous stop.