The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-14
MANY ENTER FOR
COMST RACE
unseliish Offers of Rich
Stakes Are Big Help to
Racing. Says DOckerall.
BY JAMES DoCKEEALL.

NEW NOkk, May l3.-lrottlng
horsemen and followers of the grand
circuit viii be pleased to hear that
Secretary Kline of the Furniture City
Driving club. Grand Rapids, has not
only rcopcned the $4,000 Comstoch
purse for 2:l2 class pacing, which
failed to fiji originally, but has re-
ceived total Of twenty-seven entries
for the event.
After the stake failed TO fill and it
was announced that it would be re-
opened, horsemen wondered why no an
nouncement had been made to that ell
feet: vet the result wired shows that
Kline has been busy.
That the Grand Rapids feature pac-
ing event has received as many en-.
tries as have all similar purses down
the big line, once more demonstrates
the fact that grand circultcrs are with
the leading citizens of the Furniture
City. and it was merely matter OF
overlooking or negligence that the
purse failed to get the backing 1T now
has.
Among the entries for the purse arc
Akar, Albert r., Bill Williams, Bran
nam, Baughman, Buster Brown, Butcher
Boy, Capitola, Countess Marie, Drulen,
Dixie Lou, Ernest, Fannie Stanton, Hal
Akin, Joe Patchen H., Judge Ward,
Kirby Star. Lake Side Hal. Matte
March, Mile Wilcox. Nellie Temple,
On Time. Peter Preston, Peter the Sec
ond, Pickles. Sir r., Teddy G.. and Yer
non Mckinney.
Rich Purses Help Sport.
There is nothing better for the ad-
vancement and popularity Of trotting
sport than the offering of rich purses
to campaigning stables, provided they
are given under terms and conditions
which show real Eberality and will
serve to indicate that the donors hon
est motive is the benefit of the sport
and breeding industry rather than
merely pecuniary gain.
On the other hand. nothing has done
more harm to racing than the periodi.
cal appearance of sportsmen who, un-
der the guIse of sportsmanship. base
all considerations upon the ultimate
pecunlary income. for it has been re.
peatedly demonstrated that no sport
has ever become a success or served
its purpose when gain and money.
making have been the main effort and
chief end of the promoters.
The announcement that Plattsburg
will initiate Cbatedugay, and give
$4,000 handicap. surely will be as
welcome 10 the trotting horse world
as was the Chateaugay event if the
conditions offered by the donors i'm.
press the future patrons and the horse
public that it is really q race for the
benefit of the turf and harness horse
racing.
One Of the most peculiar conditions
of this new handicap is that the race
will 90 If there be ten starters, yet it
ha :
which six horses may be qualified for
the final
Under the Plattsburg plan. if the
association is lucky enough to secure
twenty-five starters, 1T can have a
handicap race, preliminary or final for
four days, while the owner Of any
entry cannot tell where his horse will
be If lucky enough to be qualified for
he final, for the conditions distinctly
stipulate that the qualified horses can
be rchandicapped at the option of the
Judges,
Plattsburg horsemen, or rather, fair
managers, have evidently been carried
away either by enthusiasm or rivalry,
and unless they make the sensible
changes required in their conditions
the same as Chauteaugay. they Will
make mess of what looked like a
most beneficial innovation for half
mile racing.
A bin legalizing parimutuel betting
next meeting of the Legislature. and 1T
will be specific in regard to the mutuel
system,
Mutuel Sports Salvation,
As specializing is permissible in
Maryland-that is, in most counties
there Will be an innovation this spring
in the shape of mutueIs. Three ma,
chimes have been established it is an
experiment that will be fostered here
after. as 1t is the intention Of the
MARYLAND Jockey club to have no book
making after this meeting. it is not
anticipated that the existing machines
will get much trade while in conjunc-
tiou with the boolmaklng. but the
management realizes that the mutuel
system of speculation will be the sal
walton Of the sport in this country.
In the first place, 1t sidetracks 9s
per cent of the crookedness supposed
10 exist in connection with the sport.
1t shuts out the plunging better, who
has been one of the causes that have
eaten into the welfare Of horse racing.
Probably the most drastic improve
ment it will make is the elimination
Of small percentage of undesirable
race track followers whose sole occu-
patton Is IN hotels, barroomS ana Oh
street corners, and who spoke in the
vilest terms Of the sport and its pro-
moters when the things had not gone to
suit their ideas and pockets, With
the bookmaker dethroned this element
will cease to follow the races as Il
means of employment.
According to the plans of the Mary.
land Jockey club the highest mutuel
10 be bought viii be $40. OF course
one man can buy many tickets, but
the DAY of the plunger who could
wager $4,000 without trouble Will be
over next fall al Baltimore.
To Fight to Finish.