The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-06-21
|SOME TRICKS OF THE TURF
LODGES BY WHICH RACES ARE Thrown"
No Longer Easy to Doctor Horse Without Detection
the Lou Dillon Case Example of the Strict
Scrutiny Accorded the Performances OF
Racers-An Incident of Racing
DAYS in Old Kentucky.


that he will fall off In speed are le-
| gion, and as old as the institution OF
horse-racing. In England the home Of
! the sport In Its modern forms. the dis
| honesty of the trainers and profession.
al owners became so notorious early In
| the last century that drastic measures
We're necessary TO rehahilitate the In.
! stitution with the puN'ic. "noHlng"
1 in those days was SO common that bets
were laid not on the past performances
of the horses, but on Information
cleaned from all sorts of sources as to
what entry was TO be allowed 70 take
the money" Even then cheating was
so rampant that no one could be sure
that they were III on the final arrange
ment 1t was this condition of affairs
that led to the present elaborate sys-
tenn under which the stewards of the
English Jockey Club watch the past
performances of racing horses In con
nection with their conduct in later
events. When horse shows a marked
falling off In form. which cannot be
explained. the owner, trainer, and
jockey are disciplined promptly and
with great severity. AS result, horse
racing in England is cleaner than any
, where In the world, and, while cheat
! ing is undoubtedly occasionally prac'
tlsed over there, 1t no longer exists as
: recognized part of turf life,
Fifty years or so ago, there were
: three methods of killing n horse, as
1t was then called. commonly prac-
tsed. These were "balling," "drench'
ing and pulling" The use OF many
of the subtler drugs such as beladon'
l. ma cocaine, and iodine, which accom-
G plish as much MS the others, but are
II less easy of detection, was not under
IS stood in those times. and preparations
IS of hemp, opium, and morphine were
d depended upon to stupefy horse. The
l. drugs were mixed in ball of bran
,e about the size of large wnlnlt and
s. which was placed way back In the
e. racers throat. so that he was com
c. PEELED to swallow it. English grooms,
Il. full of the tradition of the past. say
r. that so expert were some OF these old
ne time trainers in "balling' l'orse that,
~ during friendly visit Of inspection
re to the stable of a rival they would
)y dose mount against which one OF
w their own animals was to compete,
to without any ones having suspicion
he of what was going on.
he ''Drenching' consisted in giving a
as horse all the water he would drink, just
err. before the start of race. Besides
lal being very dangerous to the health OF
the racer, II was also an uncertain way
til of accomplishing the desired result
y" as some horses can take almost a bar
in rel of water and be none the worse
for it while the race is on. They are
II" usually taken later, though, with a
oil most violent collie. from the effects Of
which they never entirely recover.
nv THE ART OF "PULLING" A RACE
y" pulling race was and is to-day
ing the commonest way of betraylng tn,
his betting public. Its success depends
wholly upon the skill and Judgment o.
the the jockey, and when the simplicit.
MT Of the thing is considered, II is won
d. der that the stewards have so few In
mt stances of it TO contend with. Flo
an pulling horse means merely hold
ney ing him in, SO that while he give
lin- every appearance of running his best
the he will not pass under the wire ahea
ong of the entry 1t Is really desired to hav
ncy win. While simple in theory. in prat
oou tice the trick is really not as easy q
lily, 1t looks. No one who has not trie
DAT would believe how hard 1t ia to hOl
RI, in horse which to all intents an
leo' purposes Is running away, withot
u giving any evidence of 1t. A jockey
lay the final heat of a race is supposed
ace. let mount run for all there Is
SAX him. SO difficult Is this to simula
ioie that some jockeys have abandoned Il
practice of pulling" in favor of cru
me, ming horse OUT early In the rae
ing This is exactly the reverse OF ''pu
As ing" though it accomplishes the san
Incy thing in the end. The horse, hayir
k to been forced IN his utnost sneed. DIN
key, ing the first quarter or half, and tn,
uth. checked, never rises to final bur
men when called upon In going to the vii
the Steeplechasing is a branch of racil
nted where dishonesty has a clear fel
10 free from any chance OF detection.
over unreliable are these races over he
thar persons who know anything abo
ram the so-called sport never think of "
ger money on it. Jockeys AS a genei
iieu' thing, 1t is sad to relate, are hone
* only because IL does not pay them
}. he anything else. When there is
u TO opportunity afforded them to make {
the ira money dishonesty, without fe
give Of detection, they pretty generally W
that come the chance as dispensation
ancy providence In steeplechase there
cant absolutely no way of keeping tabs"
and the riders. Who is TO say that
field horse was checked and thrown in
that ing over hurdle or brought up sh'
ntrol in taking water jump? Then, 3
and there is always the opportunity as
oya- last resort for the jockey TO lose
n his seat This is quite a common subj
n on fuge, and the jockeys become so
pert at it that they will take fall W
yuh their horse going at top speed witht
lifted receiving the slightest injury.-N
d a. York Post
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