The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-31

Sport Receives More Knocks Than
ANY Other the Country Over
in 1905.
LITTLE DOING LOCALLY
WHAT THE FAST ONES DID DUR
ING THE RAGING SEASON.

The sport OF kings-horse racing-has
probably received more hard knocks
the country over il the past year than
for many previous seasons. This was
due first TO the general war made on
bool5makers in the east and middle
west, and 10 the fight waged a greater
part OF the year between rival jockey
clubs for the control OF the running
game.
A determined effort was made in sew
eraI of the states TO prohibit bookmak-
ing 1t proved a notable success IN
Missouri. Illinois and Ohio. which, to-
gether with the frequent raids In New
York state, made the life Of the horse
man who handles runners a hard one.
This year, for the hrst time IN recent
years. the war against the bookmal1-
ers was carried into the ranks of the
harness horses. and several Of the
largest meetings Of the year on the
Grand circuit were called off. resulting
in a large financial loss TO the own
ers Of some OF the best stock in the
country Ia the west and on the coast,
with the exception OF Portland during
the fair. the sport was not molested.
and the horsemen who raced In these
localities exclusively Jared well.
Good Records Of the Year.
The most notable achievements Of the
year in the record liue were the two
new records hung UP by Dan Patch.
After making severg1 fast trials. this
great PAGER reached mark OF 1904
for the paced mile, on Dec 7, at Lex
ington. Four days later he went the
mile in 1853 flat, without wind shields,
both of which stand today as worlds
records Another notable performance
Of the year was a mile In 1:59k by
Audubon Boy at Readville.
Owing 20 the adverse legislation
against horse racing in many Of the
states. several prominent horse own
ers throughout the east have an
nounced it as their intention 70 retire
from the game.
Few Troubles at Home.
Salt Lake has also had its troubles
in horse racine their year. After one
of the most successful seasons in the
history OF the sport locally, the year
before, q number Of fast harness horses
were purchased last winter. It was
the intention Of these horse owners
to race them during the summer
months, but as the racing season drew
nigh it was found that the state fair
would not hang up purses large enough
| to warrant the training Of good horses,
| the owners became lukewarm toward
the game. Then w. R. Jones Of this
city secured lease OF the fair grounds
| track and attempted TO pull off a
weeks racing during the summer
months. A sort OF a facttonal spirit
arose against Jones and he failed to
get the BACKING of many Of the most
| influential horsemen Of the city IN his
proposed meeting and. without this.
sufficient interest in the sport to war
rant its success could not DO aroused.
/ In Justice 10 Mr. Jones, IL should ba
said that he worked hard and un-
/ ceasingIy for the success of the meet
! ing and, while several horsemen were
antagonized by him, he spent his time
and money in trying 10 put the sport
on a good basis In Salt Lake. Many
| good horses were brought TO the city
| by him and, If the cooperation OF all
| of Salt Lakes horsenen had been Sc
cured, there is no reason why the year
/ should not have been a successful one.
/ A number OF other meetings were
| tried after the circuit meeting closed,
but not one of these proved much OF
a success.
Races at the Fair.
Then came the state fair races,
which in the past three years had
proven a great success from the
horsemen's and public point Of view.
! This year, however, the directors OF
the D. A. & NJ. society made the mis-
take of trying to promote the sport on
a cheap basis, or perhaps II would be
better to say on the plan Of a country
fair such as were in vogue In the rural
districts a decade ago. The result was
/ al Oh oct fkua
| absence of good horses. Many OF those
owned in Salt Lake were shipped out
of the state 20 race where they had
competition and a chance to win
purses large enough to at least allow
the owners TO come out even.
Promise for the Future.
It is rather early to predict the flu
/ ture of the sport in this city. Horse
men here, however, believe that Salt
/ Lake can easily take its place among
the best horse racing towns in the
country with proper management Of
meetings. 1t has been advocated that
/ J. S. Bransford, who gave this city
its best racing as manager OF the
speed department Of the state fair, be
again pressed into service by the state
fair people and given money and SUI
fieient leeway for the coming fall TO
make up for the mistakes of the year.
/ A number of fast horses have been
purchased this winter and several local
horsemen are on the lookout for still
faster ones. With the good horses
now owned here and those that viii be
purchased before springtime rolls
around, Salt Lake wifi be better sup
piled with fast racing stock than any
city OF double its population in the
west. With the material on hand for
good racing, it is only up TO the horse
men themselves 10 get busy and make
the coming year a banner one for the
horse racing game.
: viii be kept as clean as 1t has the past