The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-27
Grand total

Grand total ..................A,19 1873, 200
This list. however, does not include
| all the tracks where running races will
be held nor the total sum that will be
won in stake handicaps and purses.
Many states prohibit racing or else
pool selling or the making of books"
on the race horses. This positively
kills the game as a racing institution
in these states, but it does not prevent
races being held, especially for small
sized purses, ranging from $50 to $500.
Even in Pennsylvania hundreds of
such races are held annually, especial
ly at county fairs. While the purses
are small the number of races of this
character is very large when all Sec
tions of the country are considered.
1t is not exorbitant, therefore, to fix
the sum won on these events at $1,OOO,-
900.
The grand total OF the amount to DE
won by the race horses this year on all
the tracks. big and little. from Maine
to California, is rather over than I'M
der the 100000.
Never More Interest in Racing.
The racing industry in this country
dition than it is to-day This is be-
cause there is a higher class OF sports
men at the head of affairs than ever
before. The reform wave which swept
over the turf some years ago has not
yet subsidized. Considerable work must
yet be done before all the tricksters
still in the jockey clubs are eliminated.
but the percentage of such undesirable
is now much smaller than ever before
stringent "a
slant vigilance have brought the turf
into its present condition, and the sport
Is now run more for the sake of the
sport itself than to enrich certain in
dividuals or to benefit the gambling
fraternity.
The very fact that the stewards ot
the jockey clubs in New York state
have frowned down upon the so-called
''plungers" Is in itself an indication
that the gambling element is being
closely watched, and that certain evils
which arise from this necessary but
unfortunate aid to horse racing is I'M
der strict surveillance.
The stewards. too. are far stricter
with the jockeys. Time was and not
so long ago. either when ii was no
uncommon sight to see the Jockeys
themselves. all arrayed for a race en-
ter the betting ring and put down
their bets. and tales OF big presents
made by horsemen to jockeys were com
mon. Now the jockeys are barred
from betting. and the practice OF re-
wardipg the riders by "plungers" got
severe check when the Jockey Clubs
stewards ruled off two or three famous
horsemen and suspended as many
prominent jockeys for giving and re-
ceiving presents.
Purifying of the Turf.
pt,rifviOo - tbo 4,,-R -. oo.,.ul
more rich men to engage in the sport,
more racers are being bred annually,
more races are being held and more
people are attending the meetings. The
result is that there IL steady in
crease from year to year in the value
of the purses and the stakes and
handicap events are growing in value |
annually,
The result of all this is that there Is
scarcely a week day from one end of
the year to another when running
horses are not competing In some sec
ton of the country. From about April
l to Dec. 1 tracks in New York state
and in Illinois. Kentucky and Tonnes
see and in the District of Columbia
have the call. During the winter
months the climate in the South and
in California is such that races are !
held during December. January Febru-
airy and March at New Orleans and
near San Francisco and Los Angeles
For instance, there are the Brook !
lyn handicap. the Suburban handicap.
the Futurity and the Brighton handi- |
cap, in New York state, each of which |
Is worth to the winners from $4,000 !
TO 60.000 besides the Grand Republic.
worth $4,000. which is competed for at
Saratoga.
The richest event of all is decided In
the Middle West. This Is the Ameri- |
can Derby. The value of this event
last year was $4,000. 1t will be worth |
more this year. and the aim of the
jockey club which has this race in
charge is to make II sas valuable as
the worldwide famous English Derby,
which is worth $4,000.
Then, too, there is the Worlds Fair
handicap. a $50, 900 event which will be
decided at st. Louis this year