The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

WRITTEN FOR THE sUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Although such matters as the race track
trouble between Kinloch and Delmar Parks
and between the bookmakers who have
been operating at Delmar Park and the
State authorities. are scarce proper matter
for sporting discussion. being of strictly
business and political nature, with not the
slightest tincture OF sport abcut them. they
may he used to point a moral on the utter
folly and impossibility OF attempting 10
make sport a business. The writer has
often been jihed at for what have been
called his Utopian ideas OF sporting affairs.
especially for denying any one the right to
make money out of sport save the employees
necessary to perform the labor connected
with sporting exhibitions and the prepara-
ton therefor. ms well as for insisting that
sport should not De made and eventually
would refuse to DE made a source of large
revenue to promoters and capitalists.
The writer has always insisted that all
the underlying correct principles OF sport
combined to make il impossible that it
should be a producer Of revenue. Although
capitalists have taken and made IL so and
may continue to make 1t so for some years,
IN the end 1t viii be seen that it cannot
safely be done.
Indeed. the present trouble between the
race-track owners of St. Louis and the
State authorities proves beyond all doubt
that II cannot be safely done. Three race
tracks worth over 81 .50o.o0 situated in ST.
Louis are completely at the mercy of a
State official who. however responsible he
may be. has power to render any one or all
OF them valueless save as improved real
estate. A business which a State Official
may be in a position to compel you to
cease operating at a moments notice Is a
precarious place in which to invest a huge
sum Of money. The peculiarities of sport
49,
business. safe from police interference. 1t
simply will not allow itself to be made a
safe business. Sport is sport. and business
is business. and though you may put the
harsh saddle of business upon the back of
sport and for. a time successfully ride IL.
there will come a time when the rider will
fall hard.
The original and underlying principles of
sport will prevail. 1t is sport. sport upon
out Of which they Shall make make Money Money" It's
object and principle may be switched or
changed for awhile, but they are basic,
Anal and will eventually prevail.
Sport wal not meant to make money for
capitalists. It was meant for the pleasure.
education and pastime, of people. Far away
from its original regulations. it will eventu-
ally return to them true as steel to the
profitable business when huge Investments
are always at the disposal Of an Official.
who. however reputable and upright he
may be. has no personal interest in these
private enterprises and who may in extreme
cases be interested in opposing ventures?
No. Sport cannot be made a business
with safety.
One Of the startling turf events Of the
week was the suspension OF Captain Rice's
great handicap horse. Wax Taper. whose
entry was refused by Saratoga Judges be-
cause OF his poor showing on last Thurs
day. Ever since Combs's bad races on
Wax Taper. followed by the poor work of
Nash Turner on him. when he was a Ito
10 shot, and was beaten a head on the post.
every one has been expecting that Wax
took some time about coming. From the
time that Captain Rice left the East 1T was
plain that his great horse missed him. He
Old not run the races he ran when in his
owners charge. Captain Rice Is probably
the best handler of a crippled or dickey-
legged horse In the country, and Wax Taper
IL q horse Of very bad underpinuing. in
deed. It was noticeable that. when Captain
Rice left 81. Louis recently to take an
Eastern trip. his other bad-leeged horse.
General McGruder. fell of in condition
seems to be a clear case of substitute train
ers being unable to handle the horses as
capably as the owner and regular trainer
1t IL too bad that a highly reputable gen.
tleman lfk Captain Rice should have the
best handicap horse of the year ordered
away from a track like Saratoga because
Of a trainers inefhciency or lack of sound
judgment.
wise, brings to memory the statement made