The New York herald., 1922-01-15
SOME USE sTABLE NAMES
Make Sentimental Wagers and
Show More Interest in Sport
Than Most Men.
by HENRY v. KING.

-
bred a string of thoroughbreds, there
always have been members of the
gentler sex actively interested in the
affairs OF the turf in this country.
Only one. Mrs. Minnie Dawson Of Cali
fornia. was ever known to actually
train horses for the races, and few.
besides Miss Elizabeth Daingerfield,
mistress of Haylands Farm in Ken
lucky. ever actually bred them. but
scores and scores of women, most of
them prominent socially, have owned
runners, and many of them have had
a great deal to do with their training
and development.
But seldom. il ever, were there as
many women on the turf as last sea-
son, and their number will be in
creased materially this year. Some
race their horses under a nom de
course, using stable name or the
name of husband or friend, but close
followers of the sport, whether they
be members of the clubhouse set or
habitants Of the lawns at the various
tracks, know the real owners, and no
woman has been known to complain
because her ownership was discovered.
All seem proud Of it, and they en-
thuse over their horses in a race as
only an owner can.
Some of those whose silks will be seen
in competition on metropolitan tracks
this season are Mrs. Payne Whitney.
Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark. Mrs. Robert l..
Gerry, Mrs. Charles c. Rumsey. Mrs.
Joseph r. Davis. Mrs. Walter M. JEFF
fords. Mrs. Samuel d. Riddle. Mrs.
George w. Loft, Mrs. e. b. Cassatt.
Mrs. r. Penn Smith, Jr.: Mrs. S. H.
Cross of Philadelphia. Mrs. Archibald
Barklie of Philadelphia. Mrs. Walter L.
Goodwin of Hartford. Mrs. Wilfrid viau
of Montreal. Canada, and Mrs. Edward
Arlington.
Frequently Visit Stables.
D.. Widener. Mrs. August Belmont, Mrs.
Walter j.. salmon. Mrs Richard r. Will
son. Mrs. r. A. Clark and Mrs. Fred
erick Johnson do not race horses, but
they are keenly interested IN them and
are frequent visitors at their husbands
stables and are at the trac.S on almost
all big handicap days.
And these women are In the sport for
the love of il. Not single che Of them
expects to carry her charges through a
season without a big loss. 1t IS extreme
ly costly to own a thoroughbred. 1t
costs at least five dollars Cay to feed
n ov,a tv-o ofvn~ lar Do
sides this, there are heavy expenses for
tack, for veterinaries and for nomi-
nation fees.
But to thorough sportswomen such
as those mentioned above the sight of
their silks in stirring struggle is well
worth the expense. To see her horse
beat field of opponents brings Joy
and thrill no amount OF money spent
otherwise could possibly bring.
To win cheap overnight event is ex-
hilarating to a sportswoman. but to cap
ture a coveted stake in which the con-
testants are renowned for speed and
stamina is unconfined gladness. But
success in winning rich stakes doesn't
necessarily mean profit to the sports
woman. On most occasions such VIC
tories bring more financial profit to her
employees than to herself. for Invariably
she disposes of her winnings before she
7 eceives them.
"Give the Jockey so much, keep a
like amount TO- Yourself and don't for
get all the boys In the stable" Is heard
more often than not when sports
woman's thoroughbred finishes in front,
and the size Of her $50 much is usually
extremely large. Sometimes her gifts
exceed the amount of the purse.
Refuse TO Cut Down Gifts.
Sometimes trainer will yes his
woman employer about her gifts while
she Is excited and enthusiastic over a
victory and then deal out what he con-
siders a fair present to himself and other
employees. Frequently his cool judg-
ment about such things meets with the
fair owners approval. but occasionally
the woman Is obdurate, and days later
when informed that her donations had
been cut down insists that her instruc-
tions in the matter be carried out and
that the gifts be bestowed as she out
lined.
There is other fun for the sports
woman besides seeing her horse run In
a race or win. She gets joy out OF
naming him, OF selecting and making
his colors. OF studying his breeding
lines, of seeing him in his trials, Of
him develop strength and SUBJ
stance and speed. and proving better
than her friende' pets.
For several years Mrs. Joseph z.
Davis and Mrs. +. Ambrose Clark got
more enjoyment cut Of a small senti-
mental wager than a sportsman could
get out of winning Futurity
or Suburban. They each selected and
bought without expert help yearling
at sale. and then wagered the other
that her filly or colt, as the case might
ba- would race better than the other.
Victories were not necessary to decide
this sentimental wager. They devised
a point system whereby a victory
meant five points. a second three, third
two and a fourth one. and at the erd OF
the next racing season the horse which
scored the more points. according to
this system. won the wager for the
owner The last Of these wagers be-
tween these two noted sportswomer
was made three years ago.
Ophelia Beat Antoinette.
AIRS. Davis had Ophelia and Mrs.
Clark had Antoinette. Ophelis. which
was trained by Jim Fitzsimmons. de-
veloped into high class stake Ally and
rolled up far more points than An
toinette
The same friendly rivalry and wagcrs
are likely to come between other fair |
owners this year. At the Saratoga sales
last August Mrs. Clark. Mrs. X. Penn
Smith, Jr., Mrs. Robert l.. Gerry and |
Mrs. Charles g. Rufnsey were regular