Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-20

statement that not a meeting in Ken
lucky, held since the state racing COM
| mission began to rule against DOCK
making and insist upon the substitu-
| ton of the pari-mutuel machines, mas
| been conducted at "a loss. All nave
| paid profits. The machines are unpop-
| ular, 1t is true, because the betting
public that support racing there, as
| elsewhere, has been educated to play
| ing the odds, instead of the horses, ami
| without the figures on the board TO
guide them they are at loss, IN q
measure, to get Zine" on the form OF
the race. The racing commission is
wise and farseeing In it's stubborn OPP
position to bookmaking and Will per-
petuate the sport by standing pat on
the proposition. Removing the book
makers from the ring was an act that
| should be approved by everybody IN
| terested in the perpetuation OF the
sport, as the machines have every argu-
| ment in their favor that bookmaking
cannot have One of the principal
arguments in favor of the mutuels is
that the machines return 95 per cent OF
| the money bet with them, retaining
only per cent for acting as stake
| holder while the bookmakerS ordinarily
retain the 95 per cent and tote 1t back
east with them, taking the money out
| of circulation. Another argument is
|
bookmakers mixed UP in deals" rae
ing will be conducted more honestly
| and the horses will run with greater
| regard for form. These two arguments
! should settle forever the fate of book
making and should make 1t imperative
that all race tracks adopt the mutuel
! system. Opposition to the sport is
based solely upon the bookmaking
feature of the game, and those who in
sist upon retaining the bookmalcing sys-
| TEN of turf speculation are the greatest
enemies of the sport. In time opposi-
! ton to bookmaking will kill racing In
every state in the Union, while the
adoption of the mutuel system will sc
minimize this opposition that the sport
will survive many years longer, al
| least.
Harry Brolaski was out yesterday
after brief siege of rheumatism. He
| is a voter in Monrovia now, having
moved to the foothill city to be as neal
the ponies at all hours as possible
Harry is a strong rival of Steve PHom-
medieu for the world record in con-
sistency when 1t comes to maintaining
an unbroken chain of losing days, but
he is entitled to some credit for his
persistency. Any time he thinks he Is
right he will sink the last simoleon or
| his judgment.
| Herman Brandt, who is the trainer
in-chief of the Barney Schreiber string
lost his great sprinter, Tom McGrath
several months ago by the claiming
routt, and a few days ago he tried to
get him back, but he was disappointed
| by the scratching of the horse. He
loves Tom McGrath like a baby loves
it's Teddy bear, and he would not leave
New York without him. A few days
later Tom was in a selling race fol-
$500, and after he won Brandt boosted
the price to $2100, at which figure M
Kraus. his owner, let Brandt have him,
and the great sprinter will be added to
the Brandt-Schrieber string at Santa
Anita next winer. The same day. how
ever, Kraus got even in measure for
the loss of Tom McGrath by boosting
the selling price of Harrigan from $21OC
to $500. Brandt retained the horse for
| Schrieber at the latter figure, which
was $505 in excess of the value to
winner" sum in the race won by Har-
rigan.
Johnny Coulon has become such a ter
ror to the 105-pounders down east that
he is forced to exhibit himself in the
championship stunt of fighting two
boys in one night. He tried the scheme