The Washington times., 1905-06-04
|III|LDEBRAND'S RIDE
TALK Of TURF Dom
Crack Jockey Set Down for
Handling of Duenna.
TRACK OWNERS HARD HIT
Public Does Not Take kindly to the
Increase of Entrance
Fee.
TRACK OWNERS HARD HIT

NEW YORK, June 3.-One of the most
important happenings in the turf world
this week is the setting down OF Eugene
Hudebrand, the star jockey. for the re-
mainder Of the meet, because or a sus-
pieious looking ride on Harry Payne
Whitney's Duenna, when she was
beaten by Last Cherry
The race certainly had enough queer
features about 1t to warrant the search
ing investigation it will receive at the
hands of the Jockey Club before Hide
brand can ride again.
Hildebrand's ride was astonishing. He
sat like 8 craven image all through the
stretch with a tight hold on Duenna' S
head. The flly was running head and
head with Last Cherry. and the latter
was all out and whipping. To everyone
it was apparent that Duenna must win
If Hndebrand once lifted his hands. But
he never did.
Explanation Demanded.
An explanation was demanded inlrne-
diateIy of Hildebrand by the stewards.
The boy said his f1lly had been bumped
right at the start and that he had lost
q stirrup. The stewards considered the
matter for several days and concluded
that clever rider like Hildebrand could
have won bareback on any filly as good
as Duenna was, and set him down for
incompetency.
It is hard matter to crittcise the do
ings OF the stewards, but to racing men
it seems that the word incompetent is
a charitable way of diagnosing the case.
Just think OF a lad that is under a con-
tract of two years at a pHincely salary
OF s25.000 being found guilty OF incom-
potency.
With the lads case now before The
turf body the question racegoers viii
ask is how the smart men of the turf
seem to know when Incompetent rides
are TO come OF. Certainly the way the
money poured into the ring was evi-
dence that somebody knew what they
were about
Termed Incompetent.
Of course. it may be that in using sht
word incompetent" the stewards wish
ed 10 plainly convey to the public that
there was not least sign OF fraud In
the race of the TWO fIiiesZT That, while
they searched hard for some evidence
they could find none and that they sim
ply believed Hildebrand's s poor work II
be a case Of oVercenfdence.
1t was common talk, too, that Hide
brands employer. Joe Yeager. had &
heavy commission on Last Cherry, the
winner This could not be verified. how.
ever The stewards examined a mum
Ter OF witnesses about the race, but re,
fuse to make any of the evidence pub
lie.
If the Jockey Club, as result OF thi
case, should make rule putting an ent
Hy4ss Of
der the control OF plungers and book
makers it would be a blessing.
The owners of tracks have discovere,
that the average racegoer IS not so mucl
of a sucker as was supposed, and tn
plan TO recoup the losses occasional b.
the cutting loose from the gambling en-
Of the game in raising the price OF ad
mission to the track has not proven
success.
Receipts Fall Of.
It can be stated on exceilenr au
thorfty that the receipts at the Grave
send meeting so far have been yer
much less than they were during tn
opening days OF last years meeting. O
brooklyn Handicap day alone, accord
ing to the statement Of persons VIII
should know, the receipts were NOR
than $4,000 less than they were a yea
ago. while on Saturday they were sev
eral Thousand dollars shy Of last year
first Saturday receipts
Whtse II is perhaps too early to forT
a definite opinion regarding the perma
aent effect that the Increased adnlissio
prices will have upon the attendance
the fact that there has been consideT
able kicking among the crowds that al
tend the races daily cannot be doubted
The effect. so far has been TO driv
thousands OF persons who patronize
the grandstand at s2 per badge unde
the old scale into the 81 field. while tn
crowds in the So inelosure have falle
of greatly.
Public Dispieased.
Already the racing association has. be
ccne tired OF the S3 rate OF admIssio
u, the grandstand. and it is probab
that before many days the old. 81 raj
will be restored.
The stockholders of the local rac
courses now realize that they made
mistake in advancing the price Of az
mission. The reduction may take piac
before the sheepshead Bay meeting b'
gins. but in any event the old prices wi
again be IN force during the fall meet