The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-27
PREPARING TRACKS
FOR RACE SEASON
Rehabilitating the Sport of
Kings in the State of
New York.

NEW YORK, March 27.-Quietly
and unostentatiously preparations
have been made toward rehabilitating
the Sport of Kings in the state of
New York.
In the quiet little village of Sarato-
ga. once known throughout the world
as the mecca of western racing men,
the first warm days of Spring found
small army Of laborers ready, assem-
bled to repair the weed grown race
course.
At Bennings, Gravesend, Sleeps
head Bay and Belmont Park, which
once harbored the kings and queens
of the equine world and the elite of
society, 700 thoroughbreds are in &C
tive preparation for the opening of the
METROPOLITAN season about June l.
Here also repair and restitution has
been in progress for some time.
At the Acqueduct and Empire City
tracks black hostlers, Tar Heelers,
West Virginians and Kentuckians, sub,
are likewise engaged in putting their
blanketted charges through their daily
PAGES, while handlers Toll about the
paddock and swop yarns anent past
successes and failures.
Yet back of all these prima facie
evidences of the resumption of the
sport is silence-silence and a vacant
stare when definite news is sought
from racing magnates regarding the
program for the coming summer. On
the other hand, from among the ranks
of the anti-race track men rises clam
orous denial that the sport will again
ruin the young and breed bankruptcy
among the old"
1t is the old story of the hawk and
the squeaking parrot you pass your
penny and take your choice"-between
the noisy denials of the clergy and the
quiet effectiveness of the owners
whose good money is not to be jeopar-
died by an untimely word, but whose
millions are responsible for the I'M
mistakable evidences of racing activi-
ties to be seen today.
August Belmont, who is regarded as
the head of horse racing in this coun-
try; Phil Dwyer, owner of Gravesend
and Acqueduct; James Butler, who
controls the Empire City Course, and
William A. Engeman, who holds a
heavy interest in the Brighton Beach
circuit are the men said to be the
leaders, active in the movement to re-
habilitate the sport in New York.
Their provocation lies in the decision
of the Appellate Division of the State
hat hot Two ie,1 10
gal.
Before this momentous decision was
made in the case of the state VS.. Paul
Shane, the old Hart Agnew, Anti-race-
track laws which passed the state
legislature and was signed by the
Governor in 1908, made it possible to
direct prosecution against the owners
of the racetracks for any infringement
of the anti-betting law. 1t was this
phase of the legislation which operat-
ed against the continuance of the
sport. Under the Paul Shane ruling a
form of betting will be possible with
out attendant prosecution.
AS yet the utmost secrecy surrounds
the plans of the racing magnates.
They have made public no definite
avowal of their intention to resume
the sport, preferring to await legisla-
tive developments and proceed with
caution till public sentiment has been
sounded
Following this course it is improb-
able that racing will at once reach the
magnitude enjoyed by 1t during the
fullsome years proceeding 1907, when
over million and half dollars an
nually accrued to the various state
racing associations in fees, and over
five millions changed hands in the bet
ting ring. Rather a steady growth is
looked for
Tie monetary loss to the state
through four year lapse of interest
in equine gambols has never been esti,
mated, and can never be. accurately
In Saratoga alone it is said that mil
lions have been dissipated by the
Hart-Agnew anti-racing laws.
The famous little watering place
reaped harvest from the animal
meets held within its environs. Vast
hotels were reared at enormous ex-
pense along it's elm shaded avenues
the municipality expended vast sums
in improving its natural beauties and
the inhabitants erected great shops to
care for the trade that once a year
flocked to its streets.
With the stoppage of racing, realty
values fell to a panic figure, shopkeep.
ers were bankrupt. the hotels fell into
decline and the busy town became a
sleepy little village
In the vicinity of other great tracks
similar devastation was wrought on
smaller scale. while the farmers
who had been the recipients of over
100000 annually from the tax on rae
ing, to say nothing of the blooded
stock put at their disposal by the
breeders, found themselves pressed fol
funds with which 10 carry on their
state fairs and robbed of their sales
to the owners and handlers of horses
Fishing de Luxe.
Captain George Walker, an amateur
yachtsman of Savannah, says he use6