The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-02
Stewards Provoke
ny n s. A. MACDONALD.

NEW YORK. June 1.-The New York
turf Just at this time Of the year Is "A
wonderful money mill. With the baluiy
days of early June and the running ot
the richest and most popular fixtures
OF the turf calendar at this period II
is hard to find IAN average man or
woman in town who is not concerned
in some degree with the sport OF kings
A Record Amount OF Bets.
The average daily attendance Has
been close to $4,000, too, with over
251 books in the main Enclosure and
the field. All this brings up ~ OFT
defeated question as to the earnings
of tho race-tracks under the JOCKEY
Climb. Their revenue from the sport
must be enormous. Three years ago
when racing in these parts really com
menced to thrive. the principal tracks
got together and agreed to give the
State a tax of per cent. on earnings.
Also they agreed to declare per cent.
dividends and to establish a reserve
fund. this latter to be distributed pro
rata after a deduction for improve
ments and running expenses every ten
we.ra over s10.O0O,o0O Is now locked
I'm In this reserve fund.-" while 1t is
next TO impossible to buy a share OF
track stock.
The average gate receipts from j
crowd of 1900 race-goers are es1
mated at $4,000; the rate of admission.
being SO to the main Enclosure and 81
TO the "feld.'' The programs bring
In $4,000 a day. while the bar aud cafe
privileges are good for $4,000. IN
purses. added money to stakes and nam
dicaps, track police, handlers and IN
terest on capitalization. and general
pays out about $4,000 daily. leaving
about $4,000 net earnings per day
Add to this revenue OF about Sc from
acfl bookmaker for supplies ETC.. say
$1,000 from this source; all told the
New York Racing Association is to-
day making not far short OF $4,000
day.
Observers OF the money grind at the
race tracks often wonder where all the
wealth comes from. The turf Is one
of the really big things In New YORK
life right to-day. the betting ring re-
hecting the prosperity or the depres
sion of the country at large very much
similar to Wall Street
"who owns Mountain? I'll find out
before I make another bet on anything
he rides" Such was the exclamation
Of one OF the biggest operators on the
turf at the present time right beneath
the noses of the stewards at Belmon1
Park a few days ago, serving to show
| the sort of faith the average race
player here in the East holds for rae
| ing as it is conducted under the pres
ent complimentary stewards.
The rawost sort OF form reversal:
go by unchallenged while certain jock.
eys have been guilty of rides which.
had they occurred under Frank j. Bry
an. at New Orleans. La, or Judge Price
in the West, instant turf-eXpulsioI
would have resulted. The gentlemen
of the Jockey Club to whom the duty
of keeping the sport clean of trickers
and manipulation is assigned, are mer
past the middle age and who scarcely
know racing from q strictly practica
standpoint. AS to being up on the
sharp practices of the professional pad
dock element and the betting ring con-
nections, they are as completely los
as would be bricklayer trying to re.
port the ins and outs of Wall Stree,
panic.
AS an actual fact not one of the
stewards at the recent Gravesend meet
ing had in his possession form book
None of them ever handle the dope