The San Francisco call., 1907-06-23
Season Just Ended Record Breaker in Matter of Public
Patronage, Sum Total Of Purses and High Class Sport

The local racing season, which came
to an suspicious close yesterday, will
go down into history as the most re-
markable in the annals of the sport
of kings" on the Pacific slope-remark-
able not only on account OF the length
OF the season, the brilliancy of the
racing, the volume of the speculation
and the record breaking patronage of
the public, but because the season
proved a tremendous success in spite
Of the gloomy outlook for racing in
the dark days following the calamity
which brought the preceding meeting
to a premature end in April of last
year. Few there were who at that
time ventured to hope for the resump-
ton of racing at the accustomed date
in the following autumn, and when
soon after the great fire President T.
II. Williams announced that the New
California Jockey club would hold its
long winter meeting of $50 days as
usual there were grave doubts as to
the financial advisability of such a
course. 1t was the general belief, not
only in the east but at home as well,
that the meeting would result in
failure. That it has been a record
breaking success from every stand
point amply vindicates President Will
liams judgment and, aside from the
financial aspect. must afford him keen
qualification. The unqualified success
of the longest season of racing that
the west has had in recent years has
told its own eloquent story of the re-
cuperative powers of San Francisco in
the face of the greatest calamity of
modern times and has been a wonder
fully effective agency in impressing e
San Francisco is rapidly rising from
its ashes.
ATTENDANCE Is LARGE
Measured by the gate receipts the
season is without a parallel. From the
very first day of the meeting the at
tendance has been greater than in any
previous season. Even under the ad-
verse conditions produced by the street
car strike the patronage decreased but
little
From the booking standpoint it has
been a banner season. All coast
records were shattered when during
the month of April 40 books, Sc of
which operated in the big ring, were
doing business. Throughout the sea-
son the average number of books
operating exceeded any previous sea-
sons showing. Speculation was heavy
and we'll sustained throughout the
meeting, except for the brief period
when a series of form reversals dis
turbed public confidence a few weeks
ago. All OF the leading layers who
have booked steadily are big winners
on the season. John Coleman probably
is the kingpin. He has made a big
book and is about s60,h00 to the good.
Other winning book Makers include:
Charles Baird, $50. .aes; English Bill
Jackman, $4,000: joe Harlan, $4,000;
W. r. Engstrom. $4,000; Charles
Bowman, $4,000: John Lewis. $50, 900;
Martin & Co., $4,000; Barney Schrei-
Der, $4,000; Hugh L. Jones, 100000;
Johnny Lyon, $4,000; George Lewis
sohn, $4,000; Ed Preston, $4,000; Joe
Rose, $4,000; Ed Soule, s12, 900: Frank
Eckert. 10000: Bohemian club, s10.-
600; FaIstaff club, $4,000.
MANY FORM REVERsALs
From form standpoint the season
has not been altogether satisfactory.
The horses ran true to form during the
early part of the meeting, but latterly
there have been numerous disconcert-
ing reversals. From the time of the
influx of horses from Ascot Park about
the 1st of April the talent has had its
troubles and winners have been hard
to pick. More jockeys were suspended
for incompetent and supposedly dis
honest riding than in any previous
season. the list of suspensions inciud-
lhS Jockeys 0IdildIH' II oiiIti JoHn-
son. L. Wilson, w. Davis, Lynch, E.
IIildebrand. Hunter, Fischer, Butwell
and c. Williams. All but the first five
have been reinstated.
The percentage of winning favorites
for the entire meeting is below the
normal. figuring only 81. During the
first three months of the season the
percentage ran very high, ranging from
- to As. The poor showing of public
choices during the last three months
Of the meeting had the effect of cut
ting the average down to a lew figure.
Horses quoted at liberal prices in the
betting carried off the lions share of
the spoils in the latter part of the
season The results for the entire
meeting are shown in the following
tabula ton:
Races Won. Pet.
Favorites ...................... 81 .37