The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14
BIG SULKY CAMPAIGNS
ALWAYS COME VERY HIGH
Cost More to Maintain a Stable of
Harness Horses than 1t
Does Runners.
EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT
Average Expenses of Conducting
a Big Stable of Trotters
and PAGERS.
EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT

NEW YORK, Feb. ls-Tners 10
general belief with the public that
it takes more money TO start and
maintain a stable OF runners than Il does
to own and campaign a stable OF harness
race horses. but the superstition is per-
haps erroneous. Take. for example. the
single item of equipment. Two hundred
dollars would be an extravagant sum TO
spend on a thoroughbred for cooling
sheets, stable blankets, bandages and ev-
erything connected with the racing out
fit. This sum would scarcely pay for the
harness and outfit of boots for a har-
ness racehorse, TO say nothing OF the
sulky and cart and outfit OF clothing.
Then in the expenses OF the campaign a
thoroughbred stable has practically no
shipping expenses, as compared with
those of a harness stable. Many OF the
prominent harness stables are wintered
in the South or in California, and the
campaign shipping begins and ends there;
but in the interval the route includes
weekly shipment that covers thousands OF
miles.
The matter of entrace fees is a heavy
tax on the earnings of a harness stable.
as compared with what IL costs to start
thoroughbred In race. The harness
horse owner is taxed per cent on the
gross amount OF the purse or stake of
fered before he can start, and all the
money winners are taxed an additional 8
per cent-not on what they win, but on
the original purse or stake. This In real
ity is 20 per cent on the actual winnings.
The figures that follow are taken from
the books OF an owner whose stable has
been one or the most prominent IN the
Grand Circuit for several years. Ten
this is about the minimum an owner
can carry and have a starter in the diff
ferent classes. Some Of these will train
off or fail TO train into the form neces-
Sary to warrant starting at all. so that
an owner is fortunate IL he is able TO
have one starter that looks like a probable
winner for each day OF weekly meet
ing.
A good trainer commands a salary of
about 5000 year, and many owners also
allow a certain percentage of the earnings
as an extra inducement. When the time
arrives to begin active training for the
early campaign shipment is made 10 some
point where the weather conditions are
more favorable, and this may cost from $3.50
TO $1,000. A car TO Memphis costs $500. to
Louisville $3.50 and TO some other Southern
points trifie less. To ship TO California
doubles the expense.
Before the car can be loaded two dray-
loads of equipment must be transported
from the stable TO the car and this will
cost from SIS to $50. At least six grooms
or caretakers must be taken along. and
these cost in wages and board $50 a month
each. This number is allowed in the car
with the equipment without extra charge.
Later in the season. when groom is re-
quired for each horse, additional trans
portation must be paid for the extra men.
The actual cost of the feed for each
horse will not be far from $50 month,
for the best Of everything must be pur-
chased, and there is much unavoidable
waste where the horses are moved TO new
quarters each week. A stable OF this size
will need TO carry blacksmith, and that
will cost 800 month. Repairs to har-
ness, sulkies and boots will average $50
month. If a car is rented for the season
fN xr-sI n-e n xr~la Tcfr- Of
transportation charges, which Will average
for long and short hauls about S125 q week.
With the stable now ready 70 begin the
active campaign the expense account will
total about as follows: Salary OF the train
er, $3.50 month; ten grooms, $500: cost OF
feed and bedding for horses. 800; shoeing,
500; repairs TO equipment, harness, sui
kes, boots, etc., $50; car rent. SEQ; trans
portation drayage twice each week at SO
to SIS a load. at least 500 for the month:
car hauls at 1925 each week. 500 This,
without including the expenses of the own
er. provided he accompanies the stable, or
entrance fees, or veterinary attendance.
81, 100 1ncidentals, which no one can COM
pute in advance, will easily bring the
amount up TO 5000 a month, or 800 for
each racing day il favorable weather al
lows each meeting TO be carried out on pro-
gramme order.
The expense account Is practically a
known factor before the start. The earn
ing capacity of the stable must be largely
problematical until demonstrated. Some
stables IN some cdInpdiBnS, pay nanuSOmo
profit and in other campaigns develC much
less earning apacity. In the campaign OF
1902 the stable OF F. Z. Smathers. that con-
tanned about an average OF ten horses and
was practically under the expense rate
quoted above, won in purses and stakes n
total of $4,000. After all entrance fees and
stake payments had been deducted there
would still remain a handsome profit.
In 1903 Mr.. Smathers had his campaign
ing stable in different hands. L. F. Geers
training and driving Billy Buck. 2O754. tho
largest money winner of the stable and for
that matter Of the entire country In this
campaign the different horses of the owner
earned an aggregate sum OF trifie more
than $4,000. hut the expense account was
so diversified scarcely 10 come under the
head OF actual calculation Many owners,
however. have not been as fortunate in Sc
curing horses OF equal earning capacity as
Lord Derby (2e052D. Billy Buck (2:07ls) and
| the other stars OF the Smathers stable.