The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-14

tomorrow the great suburban handi-
cap is run, on the same day the Coney
Island Jockey Club opens its June
meeting. and next week a running meet
ing is begun at Narragansett Park.
The public may well regard with in
terest the opening OF the turf season this
year. New York and Rhode Island,
with many other States, have abolished
the bookmaking privilege which had
come to be absolutely depended upon for
the support Of the turf. IL is likely that
this dependence was exaggerated.
We know, at all events, that the
racing itself had become subordinated
to the pastime of making bets at the
bookmakers. Fine horsehesh had ceased
to be at premium, because any kind of
horsefiesh was good enough to make the
sport at the bookmakers, and what had
at first seemed TO tend to develop
the sport Of racing had. in re-
cent years, threatened to reduce it,
not to say to degrade it, Without book
making we must have better horses to
maintain the public interest in the
sport. Whether the breeding and the bet
ter selection Of horseflesh can be sup
ported without the bookmaking is the
turf question of the hour.
Turf interests are today in the right
hands. The trial is to be made under
the best of auspices and by men whose
standing guarantees that no money or
shall be sacrificed to give the
public entertainment that shall COM
mand patronage. and so result in
supporting the track interests. In New
York the State Racing Commission and |
the Jockey Club include in their officers |
or members such men as BELMONT,
MORGAN, KEENE, THOMPSON and SAN
FORD gentlemen OF wealth and business
reputation, lovers and cultivators
of fine horses for the sake
of the horses, rich and en-
.erprising enough to try the expert
nent OF running the turf without re-
proach. The Coney Island Jockey Club
s also in good favor. And we shall
shortly know whether these gentlemen
Will have the support of the
public, whether there are enough
overs of good horses and
latent public interest in good racing,
hat has been repelled rather than at
racted by the pool business, 10 support
he turf under its new conditions. We
'uess there are. We hope so.
Here at Narragansett Park, our race
Meeting is to be conducted by gentlemen
( wealth and position who own good
orses, and who know what good horses
re. They have pride in their
took and they will, with their
onfreres in New York, see if they can
iake money from it just as the dry
oods merchant or the railroad company
r the circus people do from their stocks.
'unning races are Of great interest
many persons, and we believe
hey will support them and that it will
demonstrated that good show can )
run without any side shows
lat the public do not like,
owever big roint may be !
ade of them. We hope clean horse t
'cing will be a paying entertainment in t
hode Island, as it is always whole !.
me and exhilarating sport. I
All the breeders have vital interest 7
the results under the new turf con- d
tions. The tremendous breeding in Il
rests are staked on the success :
the meetings. We should n
y that folk interested, in either c
professional or an amateur way. in t.
inning races would turn out to sup =
'rt the coming events and see TO !,
that the enterprise enlisted II
ID the splendid purses that are n
lt up are not lost, but that first-class II !,
rise shows can be run in first-class =,
amer for the public entertainment and W
oft.