Year: 1875

WHY THE PACIFIC JOCKEY CLUB POSTPONED IT.


lFrom the San Francisco Chronicle Dec. 16


Tho attack Of the New York papers on tho Pacific
Jockey Club which has raised excitement in this
city not exactly fair, inasmuch as II only presents
one side OF the question. Characterizng tho
fraud aud sham not in accordance with the truth
and the postponement Of 1t not the work OF tho
Jockey Club but originally from tho conditions in
the advertisement not being complied with. This was
tho for the posponement of the entries from the
18th until the 2oth OF October and the final putting OF
was occasioned by adverse weather When the club
met to receive the entries the evening of the 18th
of October the hour for closing there only four
legitimate entries, being Sprngbok, Rutherford
wilddo and Revenue, Jr The advertisements required
FIVE. When this became fact tho 'blg
purse OF $50 600 in gold coin' was of, accord
ing to all racing law and custom. But anxious
that those gentlemen who had far with
their horses should have further opportunity 10 pay
their expenses and something over, the club decided
to postpone the time of making entries for woek,
which would enable the owner of Katy Pease to get
here, being then the journey from Chicago to San
Francisco The Esd OF October the prize plate run,
and 1t proved that of the horses which had been
entered either very much out OF condition or
inferior animal to those which no would have TO meet
1t was evident then, that tho race would not nll with
bona fde names The owners OF the horses were as
much chagrned as tho club, and overtures were made
10 have the race come oil with nearly possible
the original conditions Ono proposition was to deduct
So 600 from the purse and run tor Tint divided
the first amount TO have been, and should the re-
warrant that sum was also to be added There
is a discrepancy in the statements which make,
those parties claiming that the of the horses
only to have tho actual receipts after tho oxpenses
were taken out At all eyonts there did not appear
be any misunderstanding dissatisfaction the part
OF the up TO the time the race was TO have been
run, and the evening OF the 18th OF November the
town agog with tho prospects. The rain camo,
pouring all day, and the track flooded. The club
met thai evening and the question 'of postponement
debated. Under racing rules that post
day and. track" Tho continued wet weather
had rendered the Bay District unit to upon
until the 9th OF December, Thursday OF last week In
the meantime IL had been agreed upon between tho
club and the owners OF tho horses that If Thanksgiving
Day was fair, even II tho track was not really
good the should bo run. Again the rain came,
and the owners united in a written request that the
be further delayed until Christmas The horses
had been unfortunata The epzooty mad attacked some
OF them, whilo otbors were laid from sprancd ten
dons or other ailments So lar il had been ia lame
and impoteut" conclusion to event which had raised
such fsrors of excitement all over the country, and
the club which had the affair in charge have been
blamed without scruple for the failure.


To all ntcnts the above is true history, with the
exception OF the counter claims Of what the prize
to bo IL is contended that the awards TO be
erned by the receipts and II so that was certainly an
imposition tho public. who were led TO believe tho
full $50 900 TO be for and distributed according
to the advertisements. Now this is the case:-fhose
men who agreed TO run for this uncertain
much to blame as the party who mado this bargain with
thon, and should share in the castgation which the
papers are tnhicting


IL the other rumor is the true one viz that one en-
trance be deducted when il lacked that So 0U0 OF tho
amount which should have been received from this
source, thore has boon nothing to reprehcnd in the
managers those who accepted the change in tho pre-
MUM


The postponcmonts were certainly forced upon the
club and under the same conditions there Is not an
association in the United States which would have
acted otherwise. The trottng rulcs prescribe hvo
days as the limit race can be adjourned TO. Inc
largo racing stakes In England like the Derby and ST.
Legcr-in fact oil or them in that country-aro not
contingent upon weather, but have to be decided
the day designated. The American Jockey Club retain
the right to postpone should the weather DO unfavor
able the state OF tho course not being taken into
sdcraton. club which would run tho risk OF rainy
day when tho greater mocty OF $50 900 at stake
would not be worry wise and few owners who had
paid high as So 900 for an entrance teo would like
TO take the chances Of running their horses by running
heats OF four miles a muddy, slippery track


Those worry things which people and the papcrs rep
rebate arc the logical concuson OF these large scnsa~
tonal purses To accept three entries in a purse
which amounted TO $50 900 would be hazardous to those
who gave IL, and II is difficult TO dnd many owners
Of horses who care 10 put up ten per cent on such
The anxiety to get the best performers in the East
take part the induced tho placing the time
late in the that these horses might he through
all Of thor home engagements AS was proven there
was only mistake OF day In this calculation and on


the 18th cfHovcmber the track and weather were all that
could 30 desired Blaming The club for this downfall OF
rain is about the same logically AS Tor the other occur
rcnees No one has claimed as yet that any compro-
mise offered before the 18th OF October, the orig
nal day the closing of entries and not until there
was strong presumption that 'the would not
fllu was any change madc in the programme.
whether that change was ss3 900 or 'he galc money


Is yet known only to the parties to the compact.
Heretofore the integrity Of the Pacnc Jockey Club has
not been questioned and on the preceding years every
bill and demand has been Hqudatod presentation.


Ii to be hoped that there Is adequate ground now
TO build other charges upon both on account OF the
gentlemen themselves and for tho credit OF California
The people here will not uphold any person or club in
pcrpetratng fraud or sham and will hold to strict ac
count those who guilty OF reprehensibc conduct
As the stands Il Ia difficult to arrive at all tho
truths connected with this subject but the chances
shat a few days will bring the whole thing TO light
/
prominent citizens have been 0 party to fraudulent
proceedings and win insist proof being adduced
which cannot be controvorted. Mere hcarsay viii not
answer and the thousand a1oat will not do for
tho evidence which is 10 convict