Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-07
WIN, LOSE OR
OKAW By FRANCIS srAAN
The Dog Has His Niche

TAMPA FLA, APRIL 6-The thoroughbred horse is king
of beasts in Florida but the dog has niche in the States
sporting economy too The dog is lean mean and even
measured by not long for this Greyhound
usually start racing before they years old At the age
OF years when their pari-mutuel ends
they usually meet with who stick needles into their
hides. The mercifu way, it's called.
1t not considered polite to stress the disposal
sleek quverng animals who chase stuffed white rabbits on
rails, nor is much stress placed how greyhounds
encouraged to acquire thirst for blood in the first place
humane societies don't they are at least outnanned
Dog racing in the Miami region is big business 1t is
no small business on this westcoaS of Florida The track
at Tampa has 92night meeting and something like Ss5
million is wagered Derby Lane outside Of ST. Petersburg
is even bigger and pusner Here another 92nght
ing with matinees and the daily betting average
something like Sl2O000
Millions of dollars have been bet on dogs in Florida
since 1881 and natives apt console themselves by
thinking it's for good Each track-whether Miami
Tampa Jacksonville Pensacola ST. Pete Sarasota, Key West
Fort Lauderdale West Palm Beachdonates scholar
ship" days The receipts over to University
OF Florida, University of Miami and Florida State for
in acquiring football players
Al MAN WHO DOESN'T CARE if he is identified as Jack
Beakley telling of his fetish for betting the dogs
His father it develops Of the biggest stables in
the country dad bank president Pennsylvania
quoth Jack He always liked dogs One night he watched
and bet greyhound If the dog wins he said
III buy him. The dog won"
Greyhounds be bought for little $40 and for
much $5,000 depending on the breeding This is
just important is in racing" Beakley said
I'm horse racing Bull Lea SIRE His get speed
and stamina Well it's the same in dog racing We have
sires like Gun, Rural Speedster, Dust Mixed Harmony
The Line, Holy Brother and Lucky Pilot.
Dogs reproduce like the good horses. If sire
fast starter chances his offspring will be quick out of
the box If the sire or dam slow starter odds that
the youngsters will behave the way"
RACING GREYHoUNDS HARDLY are family pets At
an early they introduced to diet of live rabbit
running hopeessy for his life This inspires the dog to
chase the ersaz bunny at the tracks the bunny usually
known Rusty Speedy always little faster and duckne
Some of the smarter dogs catch on" Jack Bleakley
said, and they don't run well after awhile There is
cure for that too although not supposed speak
OF 1t. They call 1t shaking up dog
Shaking up taking him to private track and
turning loose live rabbit he catch Sometimes the
rabbit is tied rail- sometimes just let loose The
dog kills him and his appetite for running after mechan
ical rabbit is restored"
When greyhound is approximately year. and "a half
old he begins to BY the time he's he's had It, A
few are allowed to live but the majority are destroyed
THEY GET PRETTY MEAN like fighters who have
been training hard for long time Beakley said Actually
they won't bother adults, except occasions but it's
dangerous for children to be unmuzzled greyhounds
Especially If they anything white" he added
white rabbits are always used in racing. Maybe it's
because the dogs white better than brown Anyway
there have been than couple of where dogs
have attacked small children wearing something white"
Meanwhile, dog racing goes apace In Florida In New
England there is $4,000 stakes for the hounds But
most Of the for Fordans native
and otherwise, stick their into form charts the
breakfast table and try to get out from under
There is form in dog racing Jack Bleakley insisted an
horse racing good deal of stress is laid the weights
the horses carry In dog racing lot Of people think the
bigger the dog the better.
Its not so Greyhounds range from SIS pounds to go
Personally, If the distance, prefer small
bitch TO big male any time"