Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-14
HANDICAPPED IS
MAN OF HOUR
HORSE OWNERS DEPEND UPON
HIS SKILL
Entries Are Weighted According to
Age and Past Performances.
Features Of Turf Life
Described

Perhaps small portion of the great
race going public thoroughly UNDER
stands or even possesses a vague no.
tion of the manner in which horses
are classified for the various events
in which they are entered. A faint
idea also exists as regards many other
| important racing phases. and for
| this reason The Herald has compiled
! a list of facts that no publication COW
ers.
Probably the most important official
of every jockey club. with possible ex-
| ception of the presiding judge is a
! handicapper, whose duty it is to ar
range the daily program; the distances
and weights apportioned to each en-
! try. The horses are listed by their
owners or agents.
/ Turf sport embodies four kinds of
races, namely: Handicap. purse SELL
! ing, and selling handicap. A handi-
cap event is one in which owners en-
ter their horses in advance. The handi-
capper then makes a resume of past
| performances and allots the weights.
so that each horse, in his opinion. will
possess an equal chance of winning.
| These weights are then posted on a
| bulletin board and those owners who
are dissatisfied may declare their prop
erty out of the race q day previous,
while those that remain are carded to
! start.
A purse event is a race for which all
| horses carry weight according to age.
A scheduled scale exists that varies
each month and with different dis
tances. For instance:
| Two-year-olds carded to go a mile in
| December carry 100 pounds. Three
year -olds, lis pounds Four-year-ol olds,
! -year-olds, six-year- r-olds and aged
horses carry 122 pounds. Conditions
under which some of these races are
run may demand that five pounds or
more be taken off, and all horses en-
tered are docked correspondingly.
Not every horse is eligible for such
events, as a condition may be placed
! calling for non-winners of one race,
and so on. A provision may also be
| placed accepting only non-winners
| from a certain date Sex allowance
also enters. A mare is allowed five
pounds off for weight age, while a
is also observed in a selling race or a
selling handicap.
Bidding UP
Not a few track devotees are con-
fused by the bidding up" which oc-
ours after a selling race. In selling
race the owners are allowed to name
the weights. The limitations vary as
to winners and non-winners of one race
or more, and winners from certain
date, as in a purse affair.
Methods of ascertaining the selling
price and weight are far too numerous
to mention in the space allotted. An
! instance follows, however, in which the
conditions for the sixth race at Ascot
! LHri IN 1907 are
given:
For three-year-olds and upward.
Selling. Purse $40O, of which $50 to sec
ond and $25 to third. Three-year-olds
| to carry 100 lbs; fouryear- olds and
upward, 119 Ibis. The winner to be
sold for $1,000. If for less, lbs. allowed
for each S1OO down to $4O0. Winners at
the meeting not to be entered for less
than 500 Seven furlongs."
So soon as a horse wins a selling race
he is offered at auction to the highest
bidder. Should the associate judge call
three times without response, the own
er retains his horse.
If a horse be entered for S400 and is
bid up to 5000 after winning, the owner
must bid higher or receive only $4OO
plus the money for first place. The $500
bid money is divided equally between
the jockey club and owner of the horse
which ran second.
If the owner whose horse won had
bid s. above the $500 he would have
retained his property by paying the
$5O5. When a horse is retained such
money is divided equally between
Jockey club and owner of the horse
Z, running second.
Thus it will be seen that an owner
retaining his horse, as per instance
given. would lose $3.50 by the race, as
he received but 1925 for winning. These
} races are run for the benefit of poor
class of horses.
Naturally a good horse would wiz
easily, but an owner Of such property
would hardly be expected to enter hi!
horse for much less than his real value
Otherwise he would risk the chance o
: losing his entry or money necessar!
! to retain.
) Selling Handicap
A selling handicap is something o
, an innovation and is very seldom wit
. messed. 1t combines both handical
and selling conditions the single differ
g ence being that all horses are entered
: for a certain amount as set torth II
the program book.
: Ascot park management makes n
charge for an overnight entry in
volving n race Of any description. Il
stake races charge is made when tn
horse is nominated for the event. A
additional fee is added should the nom
- iuec start
r. The Ascot park stake condition
b.. make it imperative that no horse ca
a be entered after a certain date set b
r, the secretary. such date is general
70 limited TO one week before the meet
ing opens
:, A question sometimes arises concern
}. ing the scratching of horses, why an
how scratching is effected, Trainer
as a rule do not wish to start thei
}; horses when they believe that a yer
/; slight chance for winning exists an
" thus scratch them. In all oYer-nigh
q entries horsemen are, by special per
\ mission of the judges, allowed TO max
8 scratches so long as eight horses ar
a left for the field. In many instances
o horse meets with a mishap or is take
}; i'll over night. Upon investigation IN
Judges allow cancellation of entry
f. Certain owners whose horses will nc
e. stand training in the morning, ente