The Washington times., 1906-12-09
LOOKING OUT FOR RINGER
AT WINTER RACETRACKS
Officials Fear Harding, Holder of Mile Record,
May Be Sprung on Them-History of Remark
able Disappearance Cases
By J. S. A. MACDONALD.


on the Coast. but since the early spring
another horse had been running bad
races under the name of The Fiddler.
Finally the good The Fiddler was start
ed at Morris Park. He won nicely after
having been thrown TO his knees in the
first furlong. OF course. when Paddock
Judge ]. L. Hall went to look over the
winning horse he found the real and
correct The Fiddler. with a number az
reputable turfmen ready 10 identify
him. Naturally nothing came OF the
affair. though it Is now known that Tho
Fiddler coup was the result or a '.rlng-
ing play"
At Aqueduct, in the fall of 1905, the
ChisoIm- Mcnamara Montana clique at
tempted to ring in the horse Freedman
as Cataract an unknown maiden.
Freedman would have won hands down
and 100 10 l would have been posted
against Cataract.
Bryan Saved Scandal.
Frank J. Bryan saved tile Jockey Club
a terrific scandal and the bookmakers a
world of money by detecting the fraud
Just as the horses were being saddled
for the race. Cataract was not allowed
TO start, and the Pinkertons took pos
session OF the horse, which months after
they Were able to establish as Freck-
man. Since then August Belmont.
chairman OF the State racing commits
sion, secured the enactment of Iegisla-
lion at Albany. n. Y, which makes the
attempted ringing OF a raceEorse a
penal Onense in the State OF New York.
Just now the Harding case is as much
discussed about the lobby OF the ST.
Charles Hotel as anything else in the
trend OF racing affairs.
New orleans Is seeing a money ear
nlVaI such as never before prevailed
mere. Despite the fact Of no fewer than
iorty-two bookmakers having done
business on one singl day last winter.
when the fair grounds and the City
Park plants ran in opposition, there
seems 10 be more money in circulation
now with but one course operating at
time. and about an average OF tvgen-
ty-fve bookmakers in line. The aver
age wager Is larger than last year
Undoubtedly sam" Hudreth is missed.
but Bob Tucker and the Berlew-
O'Nein confederacy is infusing lot Of
New York money into the game
Bob Tucker Good Gambler.
For a downright. slapdash gambler
on this winter race horse proposition
there IS no one like Tucker. He bets
on every race, and he plays them 70 the
skies Only that he has enjoyed one
or two good breaks during the middle
part of the year he would be broke
now. He IS destined 10 be a power
here this winter. He has on two books
and controls the running of a we'll
balanced and powerful stable OF
horses. Tucker bet as much as SO. 900
in onefafternoon at Saratoga last Au-
gust. while he won SIS. .00G IN a days
racing at the September meeting at
COney Island.
He bet $4,000 on a 6 to choice early
this week and lost. All the ring prOfes-
siouais are talking about the split-up be-
tween BILLY Porter, the Canadian SOL
dier os turf fortune. and Tucker. Last
winter on the coast they were pals.
Porter bet 'Tuck's'' money there and
continued 10 90 so all through the New
York circuit this past summer. Then
something happened and the two cronies
parted. Porter IS at Los Angeles, Cal,
racing and operating on his own ac-
count. Tucker SENS to be lost during
the long evenings without the quaint
Canadian at his elbow.
Celia Running One Book.
As usual, Charley Celia is making
big book. Contrary to the vaporings of
the Celia enemies, the firm has but one
book on. They are not dominating the
bourse by any manner Of means. and re-
quire all their immense wealth and cum
ming ability to stay with the hot pace set
by the market itself
From every Indication. New Orleans is
going TO enjoy the hottest money whirl
Of It's racing history during the next
three months After the holidays. when
Dave Gideon, Frank Farrell, Hum
ming Bird Tyler, George Boles. and
other New York operators come TO hand.
S1O0OO0 will be turned over in the local
ring in a single afternoon
The Fair Grounds closes down for two
weeks, when the game shifts 10 City
Park on December 10.