The Washington times., 1902-08-11
Society Has Made 1t an
Affair of Much
Splendor.
GAY SCENES OF HIGH LIFE
Plunges No Longer Attract
Unusual Attention in
the Ring.
AYERS REhplNG A HARVEST
LAYERS REAPlNG A HARVEST
Fine Racing Has Marked the Sport
John A. Drake a Notable Figure
Amcng the Bettors-Some Excellent
Sport Promised for Coming Week.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Aug. 1o.-Rac-
ing at this famous resort under the
new regime, is firmly established. Never
in its history has Saratoga had SO many
wealthy patrons of the race course,
and the scene here resembles more the
race course of Newmarket, England, than
any other race track in this country.
Society has contributed its emphatic
support to the races. Indeed, every
race day is society day. The races
are paramount, and men. women, and
even children go to the races every day
ard exhibit more interest in them than
in any other amusement.
The clubhouse and grand stand on q
race day present pictures fit for the
brush of any artist It would be i'm
possible TO estimate the wealth repre-
sented there. The clubhouse is a popu-
lar rendezvous for wealthy young mar
ried couples. and all the women vie
with each other in the matter of at
tractive GOWNS.
Many Gay Scenes.
ALI the great modistes Of Paris and
the Old World together with famous
milliners, are represented in the club
house.
Evenings the large hotels are thronged
with gay crowds. the women clad in
the most beautiful and gorgeous of
The &c Of cnIa
which cannot be described, and must
be seen to be appreciated
AT the race track, plunges no longer
attract unusual attention. They are the
rule rather than the exception. As
John A. Drake said yesterday, this so
called plunging." when simmered down,
is merely the placing of few thousand
dollars in one bet by men to whom the
amount is about equivalent to the 81
note of the stable boy. 1t ought not to
be called plunging. Mr. Drake further
said he did not think there was any
harm in game OF chance. bu. that
man should be able 10 lose before he
plays. When man has amassed COM
potency for all time, then only can he
safely indulge in high-limit sport.
Drake Bets Thousands.
This man Drake, by the way. is not
such a devil-may-care fellow as many
seem to think. He will spend pyra-
mid of sl,000 blues" on the turn of a
card and put up $4,000 to support his
opinion on a horse race, but the other
day he demonstrated strongly with a
newspaper man because OF the wide pub
licity given his exploits at Canfield's
and other club rooms. Drake does not
like it. He prefers to enjoy his Sara
toga holiday in his own way without
being held Up in the calcium light.
So far as the racing is concerned to
casual observer it is an assured sue
cess and the officials of the associa-
tion are confident that the future meet
ings will be just as successful The
attendance is increasing every day, and
on Thursday last 1t was 43 per cent
greater than 1t was on the correspond
ing day of last year. This shows that
the So admission rate has had no ma
terial effect on the attendance.
Bettors Are Losing.
If things keep going as they have for
the last few days. however. there will
not be enough money left to the ordi-
nary players to buy an admission ticket.
while the bookmakers will have SO much
that they will have to employ moving
vans 10 cart it away. Every day there
have been favorable books" for the
layers; in fact, fate seems to be play
ing into their hands with great regu-
larity. There is hardly a member OF
the Metropolitan Turf Association that
does not report from s.. 900 to $50, 900
winner during the six days. Joe Ullman
is perhaps the heaviest winner. The
plungers cannot make him rub with or
dinary bets, and be will take as much |
money and more than any man in the |
ring W. Cowdin and Dan DonneIly are |
also big winners.
The racing itself has been of the first |
quality Finishes in number of cases
have been sufficiently close TO arouse the |
blood OF the most phlegmatic, and So |
ctety has been more excited In the past |
few days perhaps than in many a long |
day.
As the meeting progresses the track |
will naturally become faster and safer. |
II is, however, a remarkably fast and |
safe course In its present condition. con-
sidering that it is an entirely new
track.
Event of the Week.
The event of the week was the run
ming of the Saratoga Special yesterday.
Irish Lads victory was popular one
with the clubhouse contingent. and the
Whitney md Duryea colt was greeted
With thunderous round OF applause when
be came past the post in front. Many
we're of the opinion that the Candlemas
,olt won easily, but close observers be-
ieve that he was all out at the finish.
Nizzen's performance. while a disap-
Dointment TO his owner and supporters,
vas not such bad one as the first
glance indicates, and II is more than
probable that the Hastings colt viii
rim the Irish horse before the season Is
,ver. II he does not do IL al their next
Meeting. Mr.. Belnonts horse was off
zone too we'll, and was knocked COM
,ietely cut of his stride before the field
lad gone great distance. He did not
,et settled in his stride until the lead
RS we're far in front of him, but when