Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-20
somethinE Of the History of the Great
RneinE Game in This Country
aud Its Present De-
cline.

every other country In the world Il is
thriving better than ever and is promoted
ana governed by Parliament the govern
mert and its interest is furthered by rulers
individually.
In 1880 there WAS the Fashion course on
Long Island, where the great race occurred
between Planet and Conuueror. In 1862
there was occasional sport on the old
Union course OF Long Island, which today
Is crowded with residences. Then there
was secaucus. The other side OF Hoboken
N. j.. where match races and stakes were
run very frequently
In 1854 the late John Morrissey left the
Saratoga track az a monument. Ever
since the day OF its opening Saratoga has
been a racing village" that is, town
which. for years, has derived it's annual
income from horse racing. True. the waters
we're an attraction 20 a few. but the great
harvest for saratogans was when the rae
ing began There have been seasons when
racing was omitted and the result war
bankruptcy right and left.
old Saddle Bag Track.
IL was In 1866 that the late Mr.. Leonard
Jerome engineered the building Of Jerome
park, the old saddle bag track where some
of the greatest horses ever foaled raced in
the presence Of thousands OF interested
spectators In those times there were three
and four days racing each week. Not only
would the grandstands be filled but the
hills and fences were crowded with sight
seers anxious to look at the great Long
fellow or Harry Bassett or to take a whirl-
Wind glance at The Bard. which carried
the colors of the late Mr.. A j. Cassatt
Jerome park will never be forgotten ow-
Ing to it's unusual shape 1t resembled a
dumb-bell squash, and for it's peculiar
construction was called the saddle bag
track. Horses had TO make ali sorts OF I'M
usual turns while racing, and were out of
sight more than once owing to the trees
and shrubbery. 1t was the most aristo-
cratic race course in the country for years
The only three tracks of Importance be-
tween 1864 and 1873 were Jerome park
Monmouth Park. N. j.. and Saratoga On
these three courses all the best horses met
except once in while when some northern,
horse would try conclusions with one of
southern blood at Pimllco, Nd, in the late
seventies
In 1878 the late William Engeman decided
to build race course at Brighton Beach.
In those days there were few horses for a
prolonged meeting. but Mr.. Engeman was
determined in his ideas, and when the
track was opened he went so far rs to
purchase the requisite material for racing
Long meetings were run, lasting from
spring to fall. Sometimes the sport would
be daily and at other times the racing
would alternate between Brighton and
monmouth Park, each taking three days.
Coney Islands Part.
Then the Coney Island Jockey club was
formed In 1880, the foundation of which
ai1
Leonard Jerome to purchase the Brighton
track. Continuous racing was harmful to
the sport was Mr. Jerome's standard arRu-
ment, and later results have proved thor
oughly the sound Judgment Of one of the
greatest turfmen of this country.
About him Mr.. Jerome gathered such
men as W. X. Vanderbilt, ]. @. X. Iau-
renee, Newbold Lawrence Colonel Law
renee Kip, John q. Hecksher. Pierre Loril-
lard and Wright Sanford. With men OF
their standing the Coney Island club be-
came tho most fashionable racing institu-
ton in the country. and for twenty-six
years led all associations in expenditures.
Futurities and realization stakes have been
worth fortunes to the owners Of the win
nerB.
Yet there was competition and one year
Brighton and sheepshead Bay confiicted
Notwithstanding they were practically next
door to one another Many times horse
would run at one track and be shipped
over to the other. One case Of this kind
In particular was when Exile. a horse be-
longing TO Billy" Lakeland. ran at
Brighton and failed to win. He was sent
over to shsepshead Bay and within an
hour won stake on the artstocratic track
There was much rivalry in those days and
the seeds OF trouble had been planted.
While the larger associations were try
ing to prevent Brighton from killing rae
ing, up bobbed Mike" and "Phir' Dwyer.
They had become prominent in racing cir
cies by owning some OF the best horses In
the country, but they wanted a race track,
ana the result was the Brooklyn Jockey
club. with q track at Gravesend. They
were put on the ostracised list, but It ala
not last long, and soon Il was seen that q
governing body must be formed, and the
board OF control sprang into existence and
Morris Park also came to life In 1889.
DOwnfau Due to Greed.
The Board OF Control outlawed all horses
running on tracks other than under its
jurisdiction, and this caused trouble with
Mr.. Gottfried walbaum. who was much
concerned in Gutenberg and Saratoga 1t
was bitter fight, out OF which came the
downfall Of racing In New Jersey and the
end OF eupidity and stupidity for the time
! being
Then came an attack on racing from
the reform quarter. and In 1894 the Ives
pool law was passed, Since then Morris
park has gone out Of existence, but in it's
place has come Aqueduct. Belmont park,
Jamaica and Empire City.
For thirty and more years there has been
trouble In racing circles. II the different
associations were not fighting among them
selves they were At odds with the govern
ing bodies. The retormer has always been
awaiting the opportunity to give racing a
kick when no one was around. The con
tinuAl warfare. prompted both by reform
ers and pool room gamblers who work
with them. has AT last succeeded, combined
with green ana foolish management on the
part Of some OF the promoters.
Racing which should be one OF the grand
est sports In the United States, is In a
sorry mess. partly because IL has been
overdone, partly because there are those
who deny personal liberty to others while
eiamoFing for II for themselves, partly
because the gamblers and riffraff who
have lived upon II have turned against
hs governing body when the governing
body sought TO discipline them. ana partly
because Americans are stin foolish enough
and hypoeriticAl enough to believe thai