The Sentinel=record., 1918-02-24
Gossip By
Rambler

There goes the man that made
racing charts a science" said prom
inent racing official as he pointed to
an elderly man, sauntering along
bath0use row The pleasant-faced
person who has reached the seventy
mark life, referred to, was Ed Botay
According to the story of the pres
ent dope sheets, Botay back in the
early days OF racing around Chicago,
when Robey, lngleside and Whiting
tracks were in operation, this same
man evolved the idea OF keeping a
record of the horses, as they ran
around the oval No other person
had ever thought Of the idea In
those days of racing there were no
charts, callers or men who made it a
business to watch the various horses
as they passed each Through pole.
Botay introduced the form chart
which afterward grew into a publ
cation called the Chicago Racing
Form. Bub Botay's chart and the
present day forms differed materially
BOtay would have several of his
assistants stationed at various points
of the track These men would jot1
down the position OF the horses, make
various footnotes, which would be a
! guidee to Botay He was the only
man. it is said, that had the real
dope on the horses Why Botay dld
not become a millionaire, with the
| knowledge he had OF the thorough
1reds in the early days of racing
is another question. At any rate,
he created the dope sheet and the
bookmakers and large bettors began
to come to Ed Botay for their infor-
lmation about the horses. Then Bo-
ltay began to sell his information in
stead of being a good fellow and give
lit away gratis The chart man had
"a large clientele and sold his daily
dope sheets at $40 "a day Then the
idea OF creating a racing chart on
lmore scientific bases began to form
in the minds Of several persons who
were interested in the racing game
from the standpoint of newspaper
men. Among these was T. III. Bru-
lneu present owner Of the Chicago
lDaily Racing Form Mr.. Brunell is
also in Hot Springs Whether Botay
, land Bruner know each other is not
, known. but Brunell saw the wisdom
of the Botay invention Brlmen
formed an organization and his prin-
{ cipal backer was Barney Schneider,
, 1.-the St. Louis turfman who in those
D Edays had one of the most extensive
stables in the United States. Mr..
r Brunell discovered that a scientific
, | form chart of each race. could be
Itobtaine dfrom the grand stand by
having a man with a good clear eye,
to distinguish colors, through binocu-
liars and another man near him to
, act as timer. The man with the BIZ
, binoculars called the names OF the
horses at the various Through poles,
land a short hand man iotled down
the notes. This was done during
each race. The first caller around
1.-The Chicago tracks was Willie Cross.
AS the racing game became more
popular each succeeding year, so the
demand for form charts by the pub
lie increased Br Brunell has made
wonderful success OF the Chicako
Racing Form. \ few years ago, he
established a compile office in Buff
falo y. Y. where the Racing Form is
also published The Form represen-
tatives at all the leading tracks n
the country. Correspondents are also
in Havana and when Canada had ra-
= cling. the Form was also represented.
Followers Of the Form call the pub
lication the dope sheet because it
is the only publication in the United
t States. whose columns are devoted
entirely for the breeding OF thor
louehbred horses and give complete
charts of all the races Jack Demp-
sew ia the representative Of the Chi
cago Racing Form here. He also
acted in the same capacity in New
Orleans and does the Forms WORK
through Kentucky Ever since the
Chicago Racing Form was published
the price was always five cents, but
the war has increased the cost OF
" hite paper, and within the past ie"
months, the price has been raised
10 ten cents