New-York tribune., 1896-01-20
CHAT ABOUT TURF AFFAIRS.
EXAGGERATION OF WINNINGS OF OWN
ERS ON THE TURF.


say bitter things about the slipshod manner In
which racing has beer managed IN the past, and
ask IN uncertain terms that radical REFORMS be
made before the racing season Of 1896 begins AS
rule, statistics of winnings on the turf are rdi-
culous In the extreme especially so in regard to
the amounts placed 10 the credit OF winning sires
When the list Of winning owners Is taken into con-
sidcraton. 1t is untruthful, misleading and wholly
worthless so far as facts are concerned.
There is a tendency the part Of the racing asso-
Citations to make capital by extensively advertising
races of fictitious value of upward of $4,000 10 the
winner when In reality the actual receipts of the
winner of such a race is about GO per cent of the
amount advertised. In many instances owners VINO
have been fortunate enough to win some OF the So
called valuable races have actually booked loss
on the racing when their forfets and obliga-
tiOns paid.
Horsc-owno!s who have the best interests or the
turf at heart arc unanimously in favor of a cash
basis for all the stakes. long list OF nominators
70 stakes, Of whom 20 per cent fail TO pay theNr
obligations. Is really detrment to high-ciass
racing and savoIs too much OF the circus press
agents methods in attracting the public to the race
tracks Now that The Jockey Club has fairly started
on the road to turf reform ii IS essential that all
races should be worth :he ;cta amount advertised
on the racing programmes. The era of long distance
racing Is AZ hand. and in The near future 1t Is likely
that the great races. with large amounts OF money
added vii be for three -yoar-olds and the aged
division. AT distances ranging from one mile ana
quarter UP to three miles
The race going public clamor for such races, ana
It is we'll known that the numerous short dashcs
for two-year-ods, in which great advantages may
be secured at the start, and in which wholly
worthless colt. ridden by irresponsible stable
lad can easily upset the chances of public favor
tie, arc longer attractive features Of racing
high scale OF weights and races at long distances
is what the public desire The professional bettors
Of course prefer the short dashes in which the
l,<,s., cf,p pirolf1 1a6 Nts
presence Of large field of horses that are started
solely on the chance that the favorltes will be Gas
has too often occurrcd> incrfored With ana thciE
chances Of winning destroyed, thereby giving COM
paratvcly worthless horses chance TO masquerade
as stake winners.
There are TO accurate statistics OF winnings hep'
in this country. neither is there record oil yearhhsS
salcs with the averages of the different lots ac-
c,,rotely kept for the benefit of horsemen IL Is
likely that the Jockey Club will arrange for com
petc record Of sales. winnings forfeits ana all mat
tors pertaining TO the turf soon as 1t is possible
10 make arrangements to do so. 1t Is likely that all
entries to the Jockey Club tracks Will be mace 10
officials appointed by the Jockey Club. Canadians
and other aliens should remember this and prepare
TO send appl!catons)
UIGH-PEICED YEARLINGS.
The question Of high h-prlced yearlings is being ser-
ously discussed ~ the men who nvariaoiy purchase
cheap youngsters on credit. King Ihomas' '"e
frequently referred 10 as the keen foresight ana
scun,.o of the English turfmen who arc conccded
by the Newport standard as bci1S lar anu ava!
superior TO the average American purchase! oi
thorcuchbreds. Marcus DAILY, who purchased MAUI
Py,nes as yearng in England. paid $4,000 for MIN
chiefly OIL account of his superb breeding Ma''
Byrnes is by Hampton, dam Cherry Accurate cal
cula.iors which cannot be impuEncd show that IN
the thirteen years from 1852 TO lS9i both inclusive
3si yearngs sold cost their purchasers aoou.
1880 600 The value Of the races Won by the "of
Youngsters including their value after careers as
racers were ended. amounts TO about Sl,pWVD. Inc
FOREGOING does not appear 10 6ishearlen the Eng
lish turfmen. there were twenty-five !earl'nSs
sold last year that realized 5000 and upward loi
their breeders To be sure. there are wseacres VINO
boldly proclaim that the best mares in this country
arc all located on a certain farm and tha stations
,ho, bove never had a chance 20 be represented on
the turf by their progeny worthless as sires'
There is only true test TO estimate the qush'y
of the thoroughbred. Gilt-cGSed breeding ana inc
vorbositv of all auctlonecr cut no figure. as the
pampered progeny Of noted sire and dam may De
defective in many points that arc CLOSED over by
the eloouence Of an auctoncer and the comments
of theorists who can nothing but the record OF
both sire and dam when such youngster Is lea INTO
the sale ring
The ,nexoraole ties: Of the winning post in races
over a distance of ground where speed. stamina
and dlspos.ton are subjected 10 the crucial test OF
competition with other horses Is invariapy Ply ac,
the true process OF procuring great sres anu
matrons. .u ,
slider the accidents incident 10 racing and the breed
ing OF colts and flhes who fan TO pass through tne
daie dTa 'eTi Ths }neiisemt minority best
individual sons and ib oosernaon Of the
purchasers Of hgh-sprced yearnss, manage nD R 1e
Turfmen are relieved at the prospect OF racing ss
corps agents The gen9wned S s,spanSn1r
have kept the championship II ne had Hot laiHea
M isT oIoK as he to
do all the taking himself. ,.Corbett WIN fight any
s,neet Hae 'eS sShdese thinks seriously of him
the United States Senate. ..n, % -.
East 1t is probable that he will ride for Colonel
locke Fred Taral is mournfully medta.ing OYER
the ravenous appetite o. his fayorlie valet %ho de-
wSeh v9acso he @"Ss afaD ' was "a Compelled pay for
Jockey Griffin has almost fully recovered from the
effects of broken collar-bone the result OF an ac-
cilent In race at San Francisco
PREPARING FOR THE BENNINGs MEETING.
Arthur White Is we'll pleased with his stable Of
youngsters and is anxious for the racing season 10
begin large number of horses are in training at
the Long Island tracks and are being erpecialy
fitted for the Bennings meeting at washington. Ihe
allotment OF dates to the Saratoga Association gives
general sasfscon to m men osnosoo Of his ,r
terest in the Belle Meade farm and i Is declares
Croker horses reported to be in excellent con
diton There Is no occasion for his trainer 10 bor-
row trial horse 10 ties; the ability Of Montauk
Rev III Santa Anita. Sir Excess or Rey del Carercs
s CAPABLE Of giving any three -yearold first-cdss
trial The Americans In England flock all alone
b. themselves" Is the latest report from New
market. 80,
the turf number OF millionaire owners \ large
number OF representative citizens Of Colorado are
in the city. Extensive purchases OF mining ma
ch,ncrv have been made and the Colorado men
proudly assert the mining sections Of that great
State being developed by Colorado capital Sev-
eral wealthy mine owners made an arrangement on
Saturday nigh; to meet in this city next June to
attend tic races at Sheepshead Bay and TO witness
the suburban Handicap. The men from Colorado
are Justly proud OF their State ard point with pride
a. I}rcrn Viarcoirt ;hc actress from Denver who
ts one of The characters In "Chimm!e FaddeI." now