New-York tribune., 1909-03-22
COMMENT ON SPORTS
NO STRIFE IN RACING.

Neors and Yiezrs on Current Topics,
Amateur and Professional.
rs. csy,. for some satisfaction that tho Mary
land Jockey CLUB was not Influenced by the
IDEAS and ambitions OF a few 20 conduc' Tsce
meeting st Pirlico without the SANCTION OF 'he
Jockey Club Such action would have been SO
rhortsghted that = IS worthy Of no comment par
,,,,,ar5 50 tbs club realized in time that mistake
would bs made If the proper application loT oates
had not been fled with the controlling iurf pooy'
lust how far the plans OF the Mary land Jockey
.l7,b had progressed 10 break away from tie JOCKEY
rl,,h may never he known. and now the least SAID
a bout Il the better The Jockey Club has Always
stood for what is best racing, and while mistakes
have been made IN the past, II deserves the nearly
SUPPORT Of all those Interested in the sport at this
time when every effort is being made to gather up
the loose ends and put racing back where IL was
before tire body blow received by the passage
OF the Asnep- Hart law last June With care anu
tine and patience st is more than likely that the
Jockey Club will succeed in building up the sport
once more but It cannot be accomplished II internal
strife crops out With the allotment OF dates for
two meetings at Pt-nCo horsenlen have now some
thing look forward 10, and can AFFORD 10 wait
with q better chow oS patience for the time when
the stewards Of the Jockey Club see fit TO an
nounce the dates for the meetings IN the metro
politan district. I Informed en- good authority
that this announcement can be expected at almost
any time, and that there is a strong probability
that ths season viii not open here until Saturday
May 10. three days after the close OF the spring
meeting at Baltimore.
The report Of the State Racing Commission on
Wednesday showed IN cold figures the loss suS-
tanned by the racing associations and the hoTsemen
through tho passage OF the anti-gambhng law last
gear. Bad * looks. however, 10 those most
interested in the racing Of thoroughbreos theFe is
lust one crIrnb OF comfort in the fact that the
storm has been weathered UP TO this time, even at
q great expense, and that some hope remains. Just
how far those vino have most TO lose will go TO
keep the sport alive remains 10 be seen Much. OF
course depends upon the final and complete inter
probation Of the law by the courts, but know
Of z dozen men at least who willing 10 fight
slonE for some tine before striking their colors II
those zlfo are interested IN the sport as a sport
WIN lend their support It costs lot Of money TO
maintain the vario1s racing plants, and Il Is un-
reasonable 10 believe the associations will con-
tinue 70 pocket after than two years at
most Retrenchments viii be made, but the sport
must be made TO pay. and that right quickly, If it
Is survive in this state.
Under the conditions that obtained last year after
the passage Of the fair test not possible.
f.asruCh hundreds remained away from the
tracks rather than submit police censorship.
- Tbs sport nIust be conducted without the need of
constantly prytag eyes. else the end viii come in
short order. When the racing associations and
ffose who go 20 the track know exactly what can
or can not be done IN the way Of making q bet
The fair and reasonable test of whether racing
live will come. and not until then The
sooner this happy condition arrives the better it
VIII be for the sport and for those who trying
20 build Il Up once more
The loss 10 the stste agricultural societies IN the
PEI cent tax upon the gross receipts OF the
racing associations last year s169.0sO in round
numbers The loss TO the racing associations
through the falling OF IN the attendance amounted
los an
Ehrinkage Of values and the loss the horsemen
from the same cause cannot be estimated, although
to whom I talking last week, who
4 student ef statistics. boldly put the figures
at S5O.OeO 0o0. This seems like a pile OF money.
The news that comes from England that the Eng
lish Jockey Club has refused to grant license 70
Z. DuEan, Harry PANE Whitneys Jockey, is rather
surprising inasnl1ch as the hoy has never offended
IN any way on English tracks. His disposition 10
rough riding, which he was severely punished
several times last year this country is given
the II the precedent established the Tod
Sloan case obtains z. Dugan will be unable 10 get
license u ride in this country which means that
his daSs Jockey are over
a week has gone ny since Dorando Pietri defeated
HAYES Of Olympic Marathon fame. over the full
distance il Madison Square Garden. While it is
getting into ancient history perhaps, 1 feel Ike
writing few words Of the race, as ii IS the
first opportunity have had. To begin with, 1
subscribe the idea. generally accepted among
those interested in track and field athletics, that
81 was the most remarkable performance Of the
indoor season and Of all time, perhaps. Dorando
has twice fallen victim TO the CHARACTERISTIC Opc
of I,onghoat- Indian. but in my opinion the
living who could have defeated him last
Monday night the Marathon distance, he
in perfect physical condition. A week ago I
declared myself rather forcibly in this column IN
favor Of victory fer Hayes, stating reasons which
10 me appeared good but which it turned out
were decidedly bad. so far as results 60 Dorando
is TO all appearances man who thrives work.
Instead OF feeling strain OF the long campaign
he was better ande stronger than when he landed
in this country last November, and far better and
stronger, doubt. than when ne that
famous Olympic Marathon and disqualified
after being helped across the line. To be absolutely
frank. had some doubt 10 the courage of Do
rando, but that doubt is dispelIed. for the
time. at least After carrying Hayes along fast
for seventeen miles that he able TO hang up
q new American record for the distance and for
several miles TO follow, he logged along under
restraint Of his handlers until close 10 the end,
when he finished like a quarter miller. on the
Thoroughbred turf the horse that force the
pace and quarter some half fast a
kin of all opposition and then romp home is
credited with class. II Is rather indefinite term.
but il means a lot. and so far I Dorando
has class. which makes him a runner to be feared
under any and all conditions.
= week ego in this column expressed surprise
that in a item from New Haven st was stated
that Bernard E Reilly. who turned professional
last after being captain Of the Yale fresh
baseball team. had been elected captain Of the
Yale second nine this year The following letter
from Mr. Reilly. which 1 glad publish ex-
plains that he has been named coach. and not
captain. which puts entirely different light
the question. Il is unfortunate that the original
report. inasrnuch as it wrong should have