New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-19
NOTES ABOUT TURF AFFAIRS.


IF my memory serves mo right we have never
hal such peasant weather ir March since 1870"
was the remark made by Captain Babcock, 90 LIN
den Park. 70 group Of ;urfmen on Saturday.
one thurman said: YES. it's TIRE best racing
weather we have had for years. and there IL not
a ghost Of a chance to race"
Another asked Bah why he didn't give cam
bake for the Ncw-Jerscy legislators ana Ill thcm
with sass and other things. and take vote On
the racing question Immediately afterward.
Cap;ain Dab" said: You don't know New
Jersey its legislators. sass don't count with
them. and y takes something more substantial
than CLAIMS to satisfy their cravings"
\ trainer who has his horses quarterei at Gut
tenbirg said that the managers exercising
the most rigid economy. and the trainers had 10
keep the track in condition ut their expense.
Track-owners from New-Jcrsey spend most Of
their time in bewalng the mistakes Of the past and
railing at the weather. the warm sunshine and
bamy air seem to irritate them beyond all reason
The Jockey cub is the Only hope left FOR many
horse-owners as the rank and file Of turfmen look
% It as the power that can lift racing out OF the
nnire into which It has fallen. In some quarters
there are covert objections 10 the measure pro-
posed by the Jockey Club. which practically infi-
Gates the course OF division OF the lower order
OF turfmen II may please the persons who MAKE
such objections to know that II Is nhey That "A
determined effort will he made 70 do away with
the abomnation OF foreign books on racetracks,
be tackled racing bill which is now pend
ing in the Legislature.
For their own benefit and that OF their owners
who race at their tracks there should he no hesa-
ton on the part Of the track-owners 10 join the
movement for turf reform begun by the Jockey
GLIB
There IS much apprehension to the men who
will he selected 10 be Judges by the stewards OF the
Jockey club. The fact that the duties OF the judges
will consist OF merely placing the horses as they
finish with n few other incidental matters. is not
Uke.v 10 require great knowledge of racing. \
Quick eye and the confidence OF the public In their
integrity are the qualities required for the judges
as the stewards are 10 decide on all questions o.
fouls suspicious riding and other matters Incidental
10 racing
one Of the most important questions that IS to re-
coive the immediate attention OF the Jockey 'lub
is the revenue to be received by the racctracks.
Should the stewards abolish l-2-3 betting-and II
IS almost certainty that 1t will be done before
the racing season bcgins-there are many persons
who say g. will cause n loss OF % p'r CEN "i
the revenue derived from the betting Leading
bookmakers and shrewd bcttors say that the reye-
nues vii! be increased II the "tn horn or Shoe
string" element is driven out Of the ring Horse
owners who are honest and are anxious 70 win
races say that even II the tracks lose as large a
percentage as some persons predict In the end they
viii be reimbursed by increased gate receipts as
turf is directly caused by the l-23 system Of bet
ting. For the sake Of honest racing ana 10 prevent
the debauchng Of jockeys by the dlsrcputabe fol.
lowers OF the tin horn" bookmakers there should
be no delay in eliminating from the turf the breeder
OF corruption. fraud. and destroyer Of public con-
fdence that foul blot on racing The i netcnH'
large number OF persons who love racing FOR the
enjoyment 10 be derived from the sport are firm in
their belief that there should be speedy return 20
the system Of auction and mutual pools One Of the
principal objections made 10 The suggestion Is mat
The pliingers who bet so On $4,000 race would
be unable to place their money II should be borne
in mind that there few plungers. while the
hunters are numbered hv the thousands Turf log
islatlon should be for the benefit OF the many and
no, ror the nlunger element. 20 whom may BE- d.
rectly traced much OF the dissatisfaction Of the
public at the manner In which racing has been con-
Quoted In the last FIVE years.
Another great mistake IS the large number of
races given for sprinters. speedy return 90 races
at distances Of a mile or upward would DO much
TO make racing more attractive.
II would be unw'ise 10 ask The Jockey club 70
make all the desired changes at once as time
must be taken and consideration given to even
proposed change. -,
a radical revision Of the free badge list should
b4 made M once Politicians do not count for as
mich as they I'D before last November's cyclone
struck them. /; IL rot likely that they VIII De-
mand free badges with the impudcnce OF last year.
some of the politicians at Sing Sing AMI black
wells Island know where they are at" Others
ask: Where am at?' while the bonosInen OF some
others cry, "Whcre are they at?' 1t looks Tx"