The New York herald., 1922-06-04
'FIXER' ISPASSING
BEFORE IRON MEN
Secretary of National Trotting
Association Says Pari-Mutuels
Prevents Crooked Racing.
BY w. H. GocHER.

BY w. H. GOCHER.
Everybody connected with harness
racing remembers John Splan's reply to
Fred Archer when, after referring to the
Derby, st. Leger and other English
races, the celebrated rider asked the ia
nous American reinsman what were the
principal fixed events on the trotting
turf. With smile the man who drove
Rarus and Johnston to their records
said: Between you and I. Fred. they
are almost all fixed"
At that time there was more truth
than poetry in the remark. In the old
days, it was an ordinary matter for few
owners and drivers to pool their money
and place it on what they thought was
the best horse. Frequently they selected
the wrong one. In such cases, instead
Of pulling, like modern manipulators,
they played off their money and were
satisfied If they broke even.
Then there were days when the judges
took the matter in hand, as they did at
Cleveland when Leicester stubbed toe
in what would have been the deciding
heat for him and Temple Bar was forced
to go on and win. Another sample was
seen at Utica in the Edwin Forrest race,
and another at Boston when the owners
of Nelson gave Frank Noble certified
check for first money before the race in
which Alcryon was beaten.
The trail of the tempter marrsd the
turf when w. H. Crawford and Pendle.
ton were in the heydey of their careers
as conndants/ of certain owners and
drivers. Those were the days when
number of the so-called turf stars drove
several races for themselves and an odd
one for the owner. There are still. few
of them in action. Then as now the
owner paid the bills. AS for the public,
Jack Feek remarked: 1T can taAe care
of itself. 1t does not buy the oats"
why Alexander Won.
Even at this period there were days
when friendship ceased at the tan Of the
bell. At such times the spectators saw
a battle on the track, an argument al
the stable and a scrap at the hote.
Rochester had a tense one forty years
ago in the $4,000 stallion raca when
Frances Alexander, after seven heats
staggered home in front of Robert Nc
Gregor Santa Claus, Hannis, Wedge
wood, Bonesetter and Monroe Chief.
Gus Wilson drove the winner. Before
the last heat w. c. France took him
said: II am going to the head Of the
stretch. If Alexander is not in front
when he passes that point he will finish
without driver" Alexander won.
In the old days few of the drivers
were above suspicion, whether they made
a miscue or not. No one. however. had
any doubt about Budd Doble. AT inter-
walls the willy ones took advantage OF
this fact and shooed him in. They knew
that Budd would try. When the odds
were right they let him go, while theic
horses had an easy passage for a por-
tion Of the "trip, followed by a whipping
finish to take the curse off and make
every one think they were trying for
their lives.
Finances with these men were nine
times out of ten a case Of come easy,
go easy. Nearly all of them faded from
the screen, broke or with barely suffi-
cient funds to keep them off the street.
With them, like all gamblers. there was
no tomorrow. To-day was the last
day of the world on their calendar.
Later they borrowed from any one who
would lend them dollar. Others were
pensioners on the bounty of those who
knew them in their better days. AS a
class they mirrored the fact that the
primrose path seldom leads to pros
perity.
Selling Field and Favorite.
So long as there was fleld-and-fa-
vorite pool selling, with only one horse
sold out, manipulating a race was a
very easy matter for those on the in
side. In order to cinch it. only one
owner or driver had to be seen. A dis
astrous break or a pocket in the stretch
frequently delivered the goods, although
there were days when a collision or even
wreck was required to make every
thing look regular or stop an obstinate
individual.
One day at Columbus an outsider
popped out of the second tier and
breezed home in front of the field for
the two heats. He made the talent
shudder and the field players jubilant
| On the third trip a couple OF sprinters
cut the outsider off on the turn. From
that point he had to go the overland
route. At the head of the stretch the
outsider hooked into a helper that was
waiting for him. The pair finished be-
hind the flag. The double heat winner
believed that he was at fault, so much
so that the driver apologized for inter
ference. In word, he was playing a
lone hand and was verdant enough tc
| take it for granted that all of the others
were. Some day the world will stor
for a few hours to take an inventory OF
such folk.
At present mutuel betting has in a
manner made 1t difficult for the fixer
To pull It off he must be down on the
winner instead Of stopping a favorite
with the field racing for him. The fxei
is fading before the march of the "iror
men," At few places the pool sellers
are still heard. They have learned the
lesson. 1t is only between heats that
they now sell fields with one horse out
It Is then that the tempter spreads
his net and puts the blight on those who
fall for his lure. One slip and the fixeI
has a drivers price. The whisperel
carries the poison to others. If the,
cannot reach him they know who car
for split. Eventually the owner hears
| of IN ia fbou rood pipht