The New York herald., 1922-03-26
World Has Never Seen Such
Turf Prosperity as Present
Season Ushers In.
NEW YORK TRACKS LEAD
Despite Legalized Betting in
Other States Metropolitan
Circuit Holds It's Place.
ny Quincy c. CUE.

Old fogies Of the horse world often
speak of the period between 1920 and
1850 as the golden age OF racing in
America. Those great days OF the four
nilers and their distinguished owners
may have constituted the Augustan Age
OF the American turf. but the golden
age is right now. if the mighty dollar
can make it so. More races were run
and more money was distributed among
owners of the winning horses in Amer
lea last year than in any other land
at any period, and a new high-water
mark is going to be made in 1922, un-
less all indications are misleading.
From a total of $40 days Of racing
in the last year OF the war with 3.96s
races worth s3.425,347, the pendulum OF
turf prosperity swung TO 1914 racing
days in 1921, with purses and stakes
aggregating SS,435.0s3 distributed in
1850 races, according to the count of
the American Racing Manual recently
published by Daily Racing Form. This
count, it should be explained, includes
Cuba, Mexico and Canada. With
stakes everywhere increased. new
tracks coming into operation in terri
tory heretofore monopolized by the
trotters, and more race horses than
ever before in the United States and
Canada, it is not unlikely that the So
100000 mark may be passed this season
and that s10.Oo0.000 will be attained in
another year or two.
Already the figures dwarf anything
heretofore known. The five tracks in
this State alone distributed s1,S93976
and still hold the leadership in spite OF
legalized betting in Kentucky and
Maryland The old Latonia track at
Covington. Ky, far exceeded the
record Of any other single race course
in the country however, its purses and
stakes for the season having aggre-
gated ss32.602. But this was for 50
days of racing, as compared with
s444,S12 for 81 days at Belmont Park,
which stands at the head of the New
York tracks.
II Will surprise a good many horsemen
not in close touch with the turf to learn
that the Aqueduct track, which was
classed as a merry -go-round when built
by Cab" Riley and his associates about
thirty years ago. is now a close second
TO Belmont Park. with S404.09s as its
record of distribution among owners last
year. Saratoga came next in order
among New York tracks with $3S6, ego.
then the converted Empire City trotting
track at Yonkers. with a total of s331,-
lf2, and then the Metropolitan Jockey
Clubs course at Jamaica with 1927 434
The old Pilnlico track in Baltimore
which was given over to harness racing
for many years before the legalized
pori-mutuels made 1t again a stronghold
of the runners. is first among Maryland
tracks and third among all in the United
States in the amount of purses and
stakes distributed last year. the tota
having been s442.502. With 1f3 days
of racing in Havana the Cuban-Ameri-
can Jockey Clubs distribution reached
the surprising total OF s64l,915, while
the Mexican track at Tijuana in Lower
California paid out S511. .2l5 for 124 days
OF racing.
Canada's numerous short meetings al
Toronto, Montreal. Windsor, Ottawa
Hamilton, Fort Erie and other tracxs
rolled UP total distribution OF s1.s55.215
es compared with less than $4,000 ir
1918. The Ontario Jockey Club alon,
gave s239.5s0 in purses and stakes Al
Toronto. while the two tracks at Wind
sor, right across the river from Detroit
distributed s563.525 All told. there were
265 days of racing in the Dominion, with
1855 races run.