The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-26
RACE HORSE GOSSIP
FROM EASTERN TRACKS

stables on big scale. They will receive
free ground rent and will erect training
quarters such have never been built
before on any racetrack-
There will be at least 1.500 stalls on the
grounds. At the present time l,OOO are
vided with slate roofs. which will mini
mize the chances of fire by lightning
There will be five tracks comprising tne
list of courses which directly and lndi-
reetly will play an important part in the
spring md fall meetings. The main track
is ~ miles in circumference. Inside OF
this, similar to the one at Sheepsneao
Bay. is turf course of a mile and three
furfcngs. The steeplechase course viii be
2 u miles. In the ordinary daily steeple-
chase il will not be necessary to take
jump more than once during the running
of a race. For the Grand Champion in the
fall. which is at 31s miles. part OF TINS
course will have to be raced over TWICE
1t will be the best steeplechase grounds
in Amer;ta.
1t will be minus many of the dangerous
twists and turns of the smaller courses,
and all the jumps will be taken long before
a turn is reached. This will obviate to
small degree the chances OF accidents
There is a straight course OF seven fur-
longs without bend and mile track for
training, which may be utilized for racing
if needed.
This is the time of year when racetracx
I followers carefully consider ways and
means of beating the bookmazers at their
own game. Many and varied are the Sys-
leuS illtl dtc DS4liS SluulGd Will a Wow
to finishing the season with balance on
the right side of the ledger. Some OF
these will prove successful very small
percentage of courSe-but the develop
ments of every racing season show that
some system or systems, if adhered TO.
would have won money. The percentage
provide for play on every race. And
where they do, human nature impels
wager any way.
All Kinds of Systems
Playing favorites can hardly be desig-
mated as a system since form determines
the odds and the horse that seems most
likely on public performances TO win Is
the one that is generally installed as the
favorite. Apart from playing favorites.
any manner of wagering. if continued
along a certain line, or lines, may be called
system playing Betting on second or
third choices to win on the mounts OF any
one jockey, the horses of one stable. on
horses occupying certain positions at the
post and on beaten favorites to win the
methods. Each one of these will win at
times. some going through successfully for
a season. but in general a run OF hard
luck disSipateS the winnings, or If IL come
early in the season. the system is aban-
doned, often just before it begins to win
The late Pittsburg Phil, who left
fortune estimated at from two to three
million dollars. played no system, but ad
hered to public form. For years he wa
gered according 10 his own handicapping
on what the horses did in actual races.
and in recent years he watched the work
out or paid men to do the work. Joe
Yaeger the Cincinnati plunger, who holds
same plan, ard is one of the few success
full men who play the horses. His man
ner of playing, however, is more reckless
than that of Pittsburg Phil The latter's
conservatism tided him over many rough
places. while Yaeger, now a wealthy man.
might under the stress of a run of hard
luck, lose his ''rolr' in short order.
Yaoger's Fast Career
Yaeger accumulated great deal of
money in short while after he got start
ed. For years he dabbled with the horses.
While he was a student at Notre Dame.
he spent many hours in figuring out the
winners of the big eastern handic3pS He
grew up in a gambling atmosphere. His
father was a trusted employe of a book
maker for a long time. and as a school
boy would call on him and watch the pro-
ceedings in the poolroom. He studied
telegraphy with view OF getting a job in
poolroom, but he got his first situation
In that game as q sheet writer. He came
east with Bill Shannon when the latter
opened big room in New York, and later
went to California with him. Yaeger was
at that time good Handicapped, but he
went broke on many occasions. Yeager
always tried to parley his money, and
though he picked many winners he could
not get them in succession. Finally he
acquired a small bank roll, cut loose from
Shannon and went at the game single
handed. The first big money that he
landed was on Plum Tart, a long shot at
Washington Park.
This winning he ran into SS5. 600 at the
Worth fall meeting, and the same winter
he doubled that amount in the pooroomS
at Hot Springs before the bookmakers
called a halt. Yaeger is very modest and
makes light of his ability to pick the
winning horses. He does not care to
hear any tips. In discussing his success
recently he said:
There are lots of handicappers that
have nothing on. All that made my for
tune was that l set ii in | was not con-
tent to bet so much on each race, but I
bet my winnings and kept on. / was
booking at the time, and fast as I took
the money on horses / did not fancy
sent it out and bet on the one that
| thought would win. l got some lucky
breaks, and soon had a good sized bank
! roll. l tried to do this on many occa-
SionS before l was successful, and there
are lots of men that are betting on the
races who could have done the same
thing had they taken advantage of their
opportunities"
OF the plungers who played information
Walton was the best example. He intro
duced the system of Offering jockeys big
sums OF money to win. He went along
for years, and was successful both on this
side and abroad, but the turn came and
his accumuiationS Were swept away. The
players who follow owners and trainers
generally lose in the long rum because
such men are prejudiced in favor of their
own horses. 1t is a generally accepted
belief that handicapping on public forIn
coupled with conservative betting and the
elimination OF betting altogether under
uncertain conditions such as muddy
tracks and unwieldy fields of horses. will
yield the best results. This means how
ever, that a great many races must be
passed without a bet. and the average
pick six winners In the same number of
races.