The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29
KENTUCKY LAWS
GOVERNING RACING
Interesting Stery of the Present
Situation
THE OLD STATUTES
Wonderful Work of Renowned Meelick.
Wins Two California Derbies.
Rides 5000 Miles and De-
feats chapuItepec.
BY BERT &. COLLYER.

New Orleans, March 2S.-Racing men
here, as we'll as at other points in the
west, are watching with no little inter-
est pending and prospective legislation in
Kentucky. If the recently-introduced bill
prohibiting poolroom gambling, but per-
hitting race track speculation under
proper restrictions, passes, receives the
governors signature and becomes law
the situation in the home of the thor
oughbreds will be considerably relieved.
Among Kentucky men who have been
racing horses here this winter, and who
are in position to know something about
the politics of the Blue Grass State, there
is an impression that either this or some
other similar measure will become law.
If not, the Churchill Downs spring meet
ing will, without doubt, go ON anyhow.
1t would require an extreme prohibtory
BILL which would then have to be sus-
tanned by the superior courts to prevent
racing in Kentucky.
Some dozen years ago when the con-
stitution of the state was revised, CHAR
ters in perpetuity were granted to Lex
ington, Churchill Downs. and Latonia.
These charters prescribed that either
poolselling, bookmaking or speculation
through the medium of pari-hutuels could
be carried on on all of the three race
tracks named during periods that racing
was in progress. Thus if it should come to
a time when an anti-racing law happened
to be passed in Kentucky, which is the re-
hottest of possibilities--for thoroughbred
breeding and racing are institutions of
the state involving millions of dollars
the courts would then have to decide upon
the validity of the charters already in ex-
istence The announcement that under
any circumstances the Churchill Downs
people will adopt the pari-mutuel system
H. al p. Ton
tic al over the country. This mode of
spe. citation is the one that has been i'll
vogue in France for a great many years,
where the state derives a small percent
ago in revenue, devoted 10 various char
tiles and other useful purposes. The sys-
tenn was found to be a success there.
In the early seventies the mutuel ma
chimes were in use on the eastern tracks.
The attempt was made to supplant the
books with them, but this met with so
much opposition from the big betting
men of those days. many OF whom were
powerful factors on the turf, that the
plan was abandoned and compromise eI-
fected whereby the books operated as
usual and a speciaed number of machines
were also allowed TO be in operation. Tine
machines were finally abandoned at
Brighton Beach along about 1851 Sub
sequently they were tried at Butte, Mont,
and with a considerable measure OF sue
cess. 1t has long been a well known fact
that the authorities of eastern racing
would like to introduce this form OF
speculation if conditions and circum-
stances in that section SO warranted. OF
course the pari-mutuels do net prevent
fraud. They do not prevent the puiiinS
of horses. But they have the advantage
that in q great amount OF prontiscuous
speculation the public VIII ottent'ines
get a better place price against fayorite
than they would to win. The machines
have some things in their favor, and the
attempt to introduce them at Churchll
Downs will keenly occupy the attention
of turfmen. The objection TO them Is that
their introduction will throw out OF EN-
ployment a great many men, bookmakers
and their clerks, who have long been
identified with racing affairs, and this is
a serious objection, too. 1T is Ole that
will probably determine whether or not
the machines car become an established
institution at Louisville or not.
II will he a long time before local horss-
men. as well as those of other sections.
cease talking about the remarkable show
ing 8. C. Hildreht's Meelickl made in the
Crescent derby, when. after having won
the two California derbies. both of them
IN fast time, he stood a 5000 mile journey,
rested up not more than three or four
DAYS and then defeated so fast colt as
Meelicks racing career last year and this
as we'll as his breeding and conformation,
entitled him to win the Crescent City
derby, and but for the fact of his long
journey just prior to the running OF the
race, he would have been hot favorite.
The success of the colt was great tribute
to the training genius of Hildreth, who IS
generally regarded as one of the very best
horsemen In the country. Meelick is
big, strappng colt we'll built throughout
powerfully muscled. and one that looks as
though he would campaign on and DO
hard to beat in any three-year-old COM
pany when he gets back east again. He
is by Planudes, a son of st. Simon, and
cut of the Oaks winner Lonely. st. ST.
mon himself was a great race horse and
a horse that as sire has probably lett
a greater impress upon the English thor
cughbred than any other of the last 90
years. Planudes is ah orse of small size.
years Planudes is a horse. Besides Nee
lex he has to his credit half dozen or