The sun., 1907-03-03
AMERICAN TURF IS DEFENDED.
MAJOR DAINGERFIELDS PLEA
FOR THOROUGHBRED BREEDING.
No Harm in Betting On the Horses Under
Restrictions. He Declares. and shows
why Adverse Legislation II Out Of Place
The cause OF Trouble IN the West.

The cause OF Trouble IN the west
The present crusade against racing il
different parts OF the United States hai
stirred UP many influential champions o.
the sport. In the State of New York the
Jockey Club, composed Of reputable mer
Who enjoy the confidence of the public, /,
apparently strongly entrenched for various
reasons. one being that two years ago al
business relation with the bookmakers was
severed in such manner that since then the
racetrack owners have not received a dollar
from the speculative end of the game
Another reason is the sincerity OF the Jockey
Club in fostering the breeding industry.
The policy Of the Jockey Club in estab-
fishing breeding bureau, which has placed
more than thirty thoroughbred stations in
various counties in New York State, has
caused breeders TO follow the example in
various States. Major FoxhaIl A. Danger
field, who for years has been the manager
~ James r. Keenes celebrated Castleton
Stud. says in the Thoroughbred Record, in
regard to this work and tho general crusade
against racing:
The work undertaken by the breeding
bureaus in the various States, II diligently
carried out, must result in adding untold
millions TO the value of the equine product
in America. All utility horses are largely
indebted to the English thoroughbred or
his progenitors, the Arab, Barb and Turk,
for their quality and most desirable proper
ties of courage, endurance or stamina; and
when our hunter. tTotter, saddle horse,
coach horse or even our heavy draught
horse becomes deficient in these essentials
We must revert TO their source and restore
II by an additional infusion OF fine blood
Just As We recur to the bulldog to restore
courage and tenaoity when our pointer
hound, greyhound or terrier becomes de-
Hcient in these needed qualities.
Every citizen OF every country where the
horse is bred for pleasure or profit is bene-
6ted by the breeding Of the thoroughbred In
bis highest development in their midst.
The test Of the excellence of the thorough
orOds' produce In the racecourse. The
racing OF horses necessarily involves betting.
Betting on races. under proper restrictions,
is not open % more unfavorable comment
than any OF Ter speculation. The element
OF chance az to results lie inseparable from
everything in the range OF human enter
prise or endeavor: it has been wholly elimi-
mated from nothing-except the result OF
elections in Kentucky.
-One Of the most trained and competent
English writer's on the subject Of breeding
and racing, a lifelong student Of the SUBJ
iect and a man OF conservative views. re-
Gently wrote Of two breeders and turfmen
ono In England and the other in America:
They have won more on the turf than any
other breeders or turrmen in either country,
yet the earnings OF their stables have not
paid the expense by thousands and tens Of
thousands OF pounds This being true,
IL must appear that the enthusiast who
breeds, trains and races the best thorough
breds supports at his own proper cost q
public utility for the pecuniary benefit Of
many. The owner gets his sport, but he
pays for il.
The purchase OF the best breeding stock
and the army OF retainers for the conduct
OF breeding and racing establishments,
with salaries and commissions to trainers
and jockeys, costs a kings ransom annu-
ally, and this is certain, while the winnings
are problematical. Destroy racing by in
imical legislation and with the passage
Of this cleanest and most healthful OF out
door sports the most essential equine goes
down and out, or is sparingly produced
by those made real gamblers by being
forced privately to wager against each
other. thus evading laws for the passage
Of which there is no justification.
Eliminate the public money to be run
for in stakes, which are chiefly made up OF
entrance fees and moneys added by the
racing Associations, and who could afford
TO keep up his stud and racing esta blish-
ment when, as We have seen, the largest
winning stables here and in England, where
the conditions are more favorable, do not
pay cxpenses2
sThe improv ement Of our thoroughbreds
or their deterioration can only be deter
mined by the test of the raceoourse. The
Improvement Of all utility breeds Of horses
pests largely on the keeping Of the thorough
bred up 70 the highest standard in family
o. blood and individual excellence.
Make tho breeding, rearing and training
II the thoroughbred impossible by means
Of inirnIcal legislation, and with him passes
the occupation Of the tens Of thousands
vho hnd employment in his production,
the healthful half holiday in the open air
OF the workingman and his family, the
harmless outing Of the men and women
OF society, the last pleasure remaining to
tho octogenArian, with the sleek hat and
perchance coat sleeves, who wants to tell
the boys how easily Lexington beat Sysonby
Gt four mile heats; and last, but not least,
With the thoroughbred would pass down
and out the only hope OF improving or
even Keeping to their present standard
~ excellence the general utility horses OF
our country. Are our legislators ready
to sacrifice the country's interest in the
most beautiful and useful animal Of Gods
creation TO the unconsidered clamor Of a
fsw?'
Major Daingerfeld's remarks we're
prompted by the adverse legislation against
racing in Tennessee and Arkansas, and
the bill which is under consideration now
at Albany. His defence of the turf Ia in
line with that which has been the policy
of the Jockey Club in this State since its
inception. The Jockey Club believes in
developing the thoroughbreds and at the
same time curtailinR betting and keeping
up a constant crusade against the pool
room evil. But racing conditions in the
West are vastly different from what they
are here, and are not covered wholly by
Major Daingerfields argument. With rae
ing in the West threatened on all sides,
therefore. IL may be we'll to quote some Of
the reasons for this state OF affairs as set
forth by a well informed man on the turf
and politics
The Western racing people said this
man the other day, have themselves to
Of racetracks to go along year after year
while kept laying the proverbial golden
OF the several tracks kept grinding out
making the turf a strong, permanent in
OF ready suggestion. For instance. a
ignoring OF the bookmakers would have
NNHV nenAF In