The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
BETTING SYSTEMS IN 1899.
THE RACING SEASON JUST ENDED
CURIOUS IN SEVERAL WAYS.

CURIOUS IN sEVERAL WAYS.
Better Odds and More Horses to Race Bu
Fewer First Fnvoritrs to win-The Chang
ing Ayerages-Betting systems Tsste,
by Uncertain RunninR-The jockeys
The racing season in the East for 1899 is closed
II has been curious season in more ways thar
ono It's most prominent feature Is that the aver
age price against the first favorite rose from 10
in 1893 to nearly 4 3 this year, This means tina
on every 500 bet $3.50 was booked instead OF the
Bill OF last year. The number Of horses TO race
also increased more than 10 per cent over the
record Of 1893. The proportion Of winning first
favorites suffered a serious setback, falling from
45 per cent for 1898 to 30 per cent this season.
The averages were as follows: 1893, Morris Park,
spring. 80 per cent Gravcscnd, spring, 81 per
cent; Sheepshead, spring, 30 per cent; Brighton
Beach, "A per cent; Shcepshead fall, so per cent
Gravesend fall a. pet cent; and Morris Park.
fall, 40 per cent 1899. Morris Park, spring, 40
p-r cent; Gravescnd. spring 80 per cent; Sleeps
had spring, 80 per cent; Brighton Beach, 43
pe1 cent; Shccpshcad, fail 81 per cent; Graves
crd fall. so per cent; Morris Park fall, 40 per
cent And yet correspondents ask why sue
ccssful system Of ten years ago will not win now
Notwithstanding all this the system players fol-
lowing methods described in THE SUN are
away ahead.
1t Is worthy Of note that once again every pre-
dcton one made in these columns was album
dainty verified. April 80. 1899, attention was
drawn 10 the wonderfully even swing Of the per-
Ccntnge pendulum in 1898. and the warning was
given 10 "lOok out for sensational happenings"
These came about the eighth day at Morris Park.
After Challenger won the last rncc on the previous
day at 2--5 on there came not favorite in front
the next day and in fifteen races only Gaze nt
3-5, and PrcstidiEitatricc at IL passed the wire
In front, and this aftcr the meeting opened with
100 per cent Of winning favottes OF Gravesend
II was said Look out for the sixth ninth day"
and from the last race of the eighth day until
the last Of the tenth day not favorlte finished
In front. eleven going down in succession and
only five winning in the next twelve races. The
meeting opened at 10 per cent, went up to 10 per
cent. and closed at 80 per cent, as against 81
per cent last year Again on June ID, as TO
Shccpshcad, il was snid Look out all along the
line the rccurrcnt bad days will appear rather
than the drop in percentage continue" and this
proved correct, ms the percentage opened high,
continued along a higher level and closed at 80
per cent instead of last years 80 per cent Only
two favorites scored in the first eighteen races
OF Brighton Beach the warning was given 10
expect small fields minimizing the
price Of the place horse, frequently rendering it
unplayablc minimizing possible wins and In
creasing capital required" Brighton Beach
called for the second largest amount Of capital
in the season. but straight prices on first fav
orte average l2--9 this pulled up the receipts and
made possible good winning. ON Aug 49, 1t
was said Of Shcepshcad fall, Look out
for long, grading, low levels TO try the purse
and tho sand Of the player" and
the meeting proved the worst on record. sixteen
favoritcs in succession going down after Aug. 81.
The proportion opened at 81 per cent sank To 81
marc ant Iflt INST
90 per cent. Of last year On Sept II the recent
poor records Of the Grnrcsrnd fall meeting were
reviewed and it was predicted that 1t would sur
had only one favorite in 'front.' three days only two;
ao fell and broke thcr legs and i the I pfcdic6n
that "two bad days would come about the third AMI
nth" was justified by two winning favortcs in
In the eighty four races at the Morris Park fall
meeting twcntyf favorttes won; or 40 per cent
10 the race and the odds were nearly 80 against
the first favorite Not favorte won on the third
y Of Mann hS mespS S going s 4osn
Is / won; Oct 3, Lady uncas, 5O-l.was second;
Muskadinc, Id, was second. and Herbert, 10 L.
won and Phiias 30 /, was second in the great
jumping race: oct ., Magic Light, 40, was
y, Manva; 2o-l, Won: oct II, Montanic.
so / was second: Oct l' Peep o Day, 12.ol,
Duke Middleburg, 80 in six horse race, ran
second, and on the closing day Musk adne, |
:; 20 beat Ben Hondny and Ethelhcrt. Mus
kndine's percentage was 80. against Ben |
Holiday 100, and Ethcbcr 50. and the ring laid |
that price
The Cobb system. detailed in TIE Sun Of |
April 80 1900, has proved successful 1t con
ssts OF playing the duplicate first favorie 10 win,
and the duplicate second favorite to get the place
only, on graded scale o! bets calculated by play
ing the first race for So and placing "5" at the |
left hand of the page, aS long the bets are won
they are kept at SO: when loss occurs the lost |
20 il carried into the numcral column. and the |
up and bottom figures being added give 10"
the amount OF the next bet when won the top |
and bottom figures indicating the bet are can |
ccllcd, and as soon the line is clear return |
is made to the nrst bet Of So. Thus losses are |
mainly in the small single figures and wins are |
in the larger double figures At the closing |
meeting OF this season II worked as follows: