The record-union., 1895-06-22
Probable Effect of Anti-Betting
Laws.
Turfmen Agree That the Sport Must
be Placed on q Different Basis OF
Sunuort Than In the Past-Reasons
for Their Opinions.

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York,
Connecticut Rhode Island and Massa-
chusetts, the States in which practically
Ell OF the leading trotting tracks east OF
the Allegheny Mountains are located, the
followers of harness racing are awaiting
with much anxiety the outcome of the
present campaign. There is singular
difference of opinion among experienced
turfmen as to the probable effect OF the
new laws upon harness racing and horse
interests generally, some sportsmen
stoutly maintaining that the prohibition
of pool-selling and bOok-making is going
TO give every phase OF the sport new
lease of lie, while others insist that high
class trOttlng is doomed in the States
where public betting has been stopped.
One thing, however, Is agreed upon by
all who are familiar with the methods
which have made harness racing imam
cially successful at certain prominent
tracks which will be affected by the re-
form leglslation; If they manage to sur
ViYe under the new order of things IL
will have to be on basis entirely differ
ent from that which has supported them
in the past. They will have to rely more
largely upon gate receipts and less upon
privilege lees from booksellers, book
makers. restaurant and barkeepers and
men who run the simon pure game OF
chance known as the wheel OF fortune.
In other words, the sport must stand on
its merits as a popular spectacle, or fall,
as the better class OF sportsmen agree that
II deserves to fail where bad manage
ment has dragged 1t down to The level of
"a simple conspiracy 10 gamble and sell
beer"
Harness racing under the new order of
things has now been on trial in Philadel-
II tWO
financial success apparently, unless the
press reports have grossly underestimated
the daily attendance at the Belmont Park
and Point Breeze meetings. All accounts
agree that better trottlng was never before
seen on any Eastern track at this season
of the year, yet on no occasion except
Decoration Day. when something like
1,5O0 people witnessed the wind-up at
Belmont Park, has the number Of spec
tators reached 200 or more. The aver
age daily attendance has been consider
ably below these figures. Every body
experienced in the management OF trot-
ting meetings agrees that no association
can long survive under these conditions,
and the situation in Philadelphia is cited
as proof that harness racing cannot be
successfully carried on without the pool
box adjunct.
But there is another side to the ques-
ton, say the opponents of public betting.
that bad management alone is at the bot
tom OF the poor support which trotting
now receives from the people of Phila-
deiphia, and that the meetings given at
both tracks for several years have been
conducted on a false basis, the interests
OF the booksellers and other holders OF
privileges being looked to more closely
than tAs entertainment and protection Of
the spectators. In connection with this
the last annual report of the Treasurer of
the Philadelphia Driving Park Associa-
ton Is decidedly interesting. This report
shows that the five trOtting meetings
given at the Point Breeze track in 1894
resulted in net loss to the association of
Sl,634 The aggregate gate receipts for
these five meetings were only 81 1863, an
average Of less than SI0O day, while the
gross expenses footed up S47. .l34, leaving
S43, ,53I, or a little more than SO per cent.
of the actual receipts, to be made up from
other sources OF revenue.
Apart from entrance fees paid by start
ers ia the races, the largest income was
derived from the sale of privileges or
concessions of all sorts this item bring
ing in TO the club treasury ST., 422 Thus
it will be seen that the booksellers, book
makers, restaurant men and the like con-
tributed last season nearly seven times
as much as the spectators toward the
support of the Point Breeze meetings
and this analysis of finances will apply
pretty closely to the other PhiIadelphla
track, as well as great many trotting
courses throughout the country. With
the interests OF general race-goers thus
completely OvershadOwed by the inter-
ests Of the betting fraternity and the class
who patrOniZe the bar, it would not be
very surprising in this gilded age of rae
ing, when the commercial spirit is up
permOst with a majority of track man
ayers, II the degree of consideration given
to the supporters of the sport were pro-
portlonate TO their contrl buttons to the
Golfers of the club.
Not to mince matters this is exactly
what some people say is true of too many
trottlng tracks to-day. One man has paid
q big sum for the exclusive right TO
satisfy the public thirst. and the crowd
must be kept at the track long enough
tor him to get his money back even if
the judges have to let the races drag
along until O'Clock at night That this
is often done upon orders from the man
Rgement the wriser has been told re-
peatedIy by judges, who sought to excuse
themselves tor unnecessarily proIongiDg
the races. The poolseller and book
maker pay literally for their privileges,
and 1t Is taking money out of their pocS-
cts every time the judges declare bets of
on a race that looks suspicious or worse,
While anything approaching colIusion
between the booksellers apd the judges is
doubtless OF very rare occurrence. it is
just as bad for the man who makes a bet
or the spectator who pays to see a race
for blood, If the officials hesitate to act
owing to a too solicitous regard for the
financial welfare OF the chief holder OF
concessions.
How loose and low is the standard Of
ethics in vogue on some of the trotting
tracks where the revenue from betting
oyershadoWs the legitimate source of ln-
come from the gate is illustrated by the
pernicious system of permitting book
making on the result of each heat and at
the same time disclaiming authority to
prevent the widespread practice of laying
up heats. Experienced circuit followers,
VINO have studied the methods OF the
average book-maker, from the outside
and the inside OF the box, say it is no un-
common thing for the marker of the
odds and the man who drives the favor
ite 10 work together and "cut up the
Sheet" the one posting tempting odds
and making all the bets possible against
the favOrite for the heat, while the other
takes good care that the favorite doesn't
win. Such a thing as declaring OFT bets
on a heat is almost unheard of now that
there is no specific rule IN the book
which prohibits the practice. LET the
bettor look out for HIMSELF is the doc
trine OF too many short-sighted track
managers, who do not come 10 appreciate
the necessity of protecting the public un-
til their patrons have lost confidence in
the honesty of the sport and ceased TO at
tend the races.
Under the present condition of things
on the trotting turf there is another
character whose influence with the track
managers is altogether too great for the
good of clean sport. This is the inhuen-
tal horse owner or driver as the case
may be-the man who controls big
stable of trotters. The things which
4 NJ hTa