The Washington times., 1933-08-11

WC1C NdJS WA4SA4 q NuAGSA
was concealed under the saddle
or a point in the Jockeys boot
where it might be applied "at the
proper time" But stricter eXami'
nations of jockeys and equipment
made the carrying Of a buzzer too
dangerous. Finding of such bit
Of apparatus was too much an
open and shut conviction.
Judges Spotted Practice
Then the system shifted a bit
the buzzer was carried in the
Jockeys hand and tossed over the
infield fence, into the grass, after
application. Two or three times
patrol judges spotted this practice,
however, and it came to be aban-
doned. But trainers know their
horses have intelligence. So a new
trick developed.
Horse Worked for "SpOt"
Horses spotted" for a race a
week or longer ahead can be taken
out for workouts in the early
morning. At the head Of the
stretch, just at the point where o
horse must put on power" If he
is to sweep on to victory, the
jockey or stable boy riding on
the workouts, applied the buzzer.
The horse fairly leaps ahead.
The process is repeated over
several workouts. The horse gets
to expect the stinging application
at a given point along the track.
Then, one day, instead of the buzz
zer, the rider applies sharp ring,
or even a pin, at the point where
the buzzer had been applied. If
the horse responds the rider, and
the trainer, know the lesson has
been taught.
Even Horse Is Fooled
The horse is entered in a race.
The ring or pin point is applied
and the horse leaps ahead. Even
suspicious track officials cannot
find any illegal buzzer. It's "legiti-
mate" to fool the horse into be.
lieving that there had been one
and the effect is the same.
The sucker" the public bettor,
however, cannot know Of this
teaching Of a secret trick. He bets
on the horse that should win, but
which is probably beaten down by
that unexpected dazzling flash of
speed from the horse that has
been buzzer trained.
Legitimate information is some-
times gathered by big betters that
gives them a winner the public
could not possibly obtain.
ROthstein Knew Inside
Arnold Rothstein, one time
king of Broadway" was one of
the biggest ,bettorS that ever
played a horse. He maintained a
staff of private clockers that
furnished information to him
alone. Because he sometimes
made and won tremendous bets
he was accused of fixing races.
Maybe he did and maybe he
didn't. RothStein is dead and no
one can ever know. But there
are two instances in which Roth
STEMS information service gave
him a clew to winners, and made
it possible for him to win trem-
endous bets.
He was later accused of having
"fixed" the two races in question,
when his information" unavail-
able Of course to the betting
public, which put over the coups.
Naturalist" First Choice
October 4, 1919, the Pierrepont
Handicap was run at Jamaica.
Four horses were entered, but
rain made the track muddy and
only two horses accepted the
issue. One was Hannibal" with
108 pounds up and Hummer
riding. The other was Natural
iSt," Fairbrother up, carrying 1913
pounds.
Rothstein went to the track
fully intending to bet Naturalist.
His clockerS told him that Natur-
aliSt, in morning workouts. four
successive days, bolted. or SHE'D,
or popped" at the quarter pole.
He seemed afraid of something
at that point, RothsteiH's clock.
erS told him. Quietly RothStein's
betting commissioners began lay
ing money, at the track and away
from it, on Hannibal.
AS the race was run, Hannibal,
lightly weighted, broke in front.
Naturalist raced well for a
quarter of a mile Then at the
fateful quarter pole he popped,
all but threw Fairbrother over
his head and was so far behind
when put back into his pace
again that he was pulled up.
ROthstein Heavy Winner
Hannibal, 4 to in the open
ing odds, when RothStein's money
began to show, closed at 13 to 20.
Rothstein won practically all the
money the public, backing Natur-
alist, had put up. But informa-
ton. not q fixed race, did that.
Within a week Naturalist was