Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-22
MADDEN WOULD
CURB PLUNGERS
CELEBRATED TRAINER GIVES
HIS VIEWS
Thinks That Betting Is Necessary to
Sport Of Kings, but Would ln-
troduee Several Reform
Moves

sands of men and women in New York
and other cities are interested solely
| because it is a medium of gambling.
Many substantial citizens have an in
terest in racing other than that of
! gambling.
A reporter asked John e. Madden
| of Lexington, KY, to shed little light
on the subject.
Madden is the most noted trainer and
one of the foremost breeders in Amer
| lea. In twelve years he has amassed
fortune by breeding, training and
racing horses.
He was asked the following ques-
tions:
What is the object Of racing?
Why is betting a feature?
1.-THE real object of racing the thor
oughbred," said Madden, "is for the
Improvement of the utility horse suit
able for the cavalry and the army gen.
orally. All kinds of horses can be i'm
proved by an infusion of thoroughbred
blood. Leland Stanford improved the
trotter at Palo Alto, Cal, by cross
of the thoroughbred. All dealers in
horses have a high opinion of the value
of the thoroughbred cross in the car
riage horse and other kinds of driving
horses.
Gen. Castleman Of Louisville, KY,
| the we'll known saddle horse breeder
is loud in his praise of the merits of
thoroughbred blood in his favorite
breed of saddle horses.
Thoroughbred Exces
1.-THE thoroughbred excels all horses
in endurance, soundness and early ma
turity, and has been found by expert
ence to be an invaluable cross in keep
ing up the standard of cold-blooded
horses. The winning post is an in
fallible test of merit. The race course
gives all strains of blood an equal
chance while the horse show winner
represents only the opinion of an in
dividual judge who may be in error as
to the merits of the winner.
'If racing were abolished the great
incentive to breed thoroughbreds would
disappear, the supply of thoroughbred
stations would diminish and the breed
of horses would deteriorate.
"Racing is the most practical method
of testing soundness, and soundness is
the most valuable quality in horse.
The great rewards won on the race
track are incentives to import the best
specimens of the thoroughbred from
Europe.
What about betting? 1 will not un-
dertake to justify betting, but 1 can
explain why it should be permitted un-
der proper restrictions
when a stranger goes t. a race
track in pursuit of recreation and
health he may not know one horse from
another. He visits the paddock and
picks out horse in the race for any
one of a variety of reasons-because
he likes his looks, his name or his
color Perhaps he has been given
tip. He then seeks out an accommo-
dating layer of odds and bets, say $5.
1r-ar anfin q
soon as the race is started, gives the
stranger personal interest in the race,
as much perhaps as the owner has.
He watches the race with eagerneSS,
following with his eyes the colors on
the horse he has bet on, and If the
horse is q contender at the finish or
should win he experiences great pleas
ure. If he loses he has something to
talk about and perhaps can explain
his bad judgment. 1t does him no
harm to lose a little, as the average
racegoer can afford it.
PIungers Hurt Sport
"The real harm in betting is In
plunging and spectacular betting, IN
dulged in by certain Objectionable per-
sons whom the Jockey club has been
doing it's best to discourage. .Ihls
feature leads weak people to believe
they can make fortune by backing
norses. while cool scientific study of
the odds laid against the horses by
those philanthropistS in the oettlng
ring will demonstrate the impossibil1ty
of making money in the long run by
betting. However, one must pay tor
ones pleasure in this world, and
don't see the harm in moderate betting
on the race track Americans work too
hard and racing is a relaxation for the
large majority of visitors to the race
track. The combination of business
and sport found in racing appeals TO
the practical Americans mind. BY
betting he seems to take part in the
afternoon sport, and If he wins his
Judgment and pocket are both gratlned;
if he loses he is philosophical ABOUT IT,
"The large crowds that attend the
races bring profit to the racing asso-
citation and enable it to hang up purses
which enhance the value of thorough
breds and encourage the industry or
breeding them.
.Tf betting were entirely abolished
the attendance on the races would
slowly diminish and the purses would
be eventually cut down. This would
IN time seriously hurt the breeding of
the thoroughbred and be misfortune
to the whole country.
Gambling Is Necessary
Exchanges for the dealing IN various
commodities, such as stocks, cotton.
wheat. etc, are justified and encour-
aged in this country for the reason
that they are necessary and do good.
Although it is notorious that the great
err mart of the business transacted in
these exchanges is gambling, so with
racing, betting should be excused for
the good it does indirectly to the horse
breeding business, which DEMENT'S so
."There is one aspect of racing little
considered-that is. it's power of dis
tributing wealth, while the various
state governments are striving to pre-
vent the undue accumulation Of wealth
by passing income and inheritance
taxes. The proper announcement or
racing would tend to make Lore of
our rich men own thoroughbreds and
race them simply as sport, which
would separate them from some OF their
wealth in a more popular manner than
by taxing them. The maintenance of
a large racing establishment is a most