Year: 1871




Money.


Scattered over the United States there
are number of racing and trotting tracks,
the most OF them controlled by an associ-
alton composed OF gentlemen who are
owners OF racing stock, and who take q
very decided interest in the Improvements
not only of the speed, but the endurance
OF that noble animal, which is described
by Job as ''snuffing the battle afar off and
saying to the noise of the trumpets 'Ha
ha y"


Connected with all well-regulated tracks,
which vary in length from a scant mile to
about mile and three quarters, there is a
small booth, which is usually placed to
the right of the grand stand, and on the
first half OF the quarter stretch, which is
the distance between the judges stand and
the quarter-mie pole or first turn. Around
this little booth, especially during very
exciting racing meeting, Gas different a
sport from trotting match as day is from
night, ) the sporting fraternity-the own
ers of incipient Flying Childers and Capt.
McGowans-as well as those who are
anxious to lose money because they do
not know what else to do with it, congre-
gate for the purpose of going into a
racing pool" A pool is supposed to be
place to drown people, but on q racing
track it has different meaning, though
many poor fellow has gone in over head
and ears, led on by that insidious gentle
man,


| Every park association, at least all large
ones, such as the jerome of New York,
Saratoga, and the Monmouth, at Long
Branch, have connected with them, in
connection with the National Jockey
Club" gentlemen who are known as Off
cial auctioneers, and these are the ones
who manipulate and handle that little
Joker the tracing pool"


The track is not the only place where
these pools" are sold Prior to each
days meeting the horses are usually an
nounced as 'entered," and pools are sold
on them even before it is really known
whether those named will "start, "but the
stipulation is always made, ''if the horse
does not start you will get your money
back"


In a crowded room, or on the course,
this might at first be supposed to be a
difficult achievement, but there is as much
system about this sale of horses in pool
rs there is in '.stocks in corner"


Cards are issued by the official sellers,
signed with their names, and dated, but
with blank for the name of the buyer,
the name of the horse, and the amount
bid upon him. The clerks are usually
employed, in order to secure promptitude,
and where lightning seller, like DR.. I'm
derwood, of New York, has charge of the
operations, they have about as much as
they can conveniently attend to.


The rule of course is based upon that
rather vulgar axiom put up or shut up"
and no one bets upon an animal unless he
is prepared to put his money into the pool
at once-that is, hand it to the auction
GERS banker, to be accounted tor when the
race is over, he receiving the card refer
red to as his voucher.


All things in readiness, the banker in
his seat, the clerks in their positions, cards
ready in blank, an eager waiting crowd
around the table, all anxious to win or
lose money on a fayorite animal, whose
points they profess to know all about, the
Doctor as he is affectionately called,
rises from his seat like a full moon from
the bosom of the ocean, and with that pc
culiar nasal twang known among turfmen
from Maine to florida, and with "a face
ripping all over with smiles, announces: /:
well gentlemen, we have three races for
to-morrow-a hurdle, a mile dash, and a
selling race. For the hurdle we have
seven entries, we believe four will start !;
Wen sell you four and leave the rest in
the field. How much am bid for First
choice?' A very few words will now ex-
plain the formation Of 1.-The pool"


The ''frst choice" is right to make the
first selection from the four that are to be
sold, or rather 'bet" upon, and the bid
ding is usually very spirited. as it deveL
ops the opinion of the sporting men as to
! - -, -.


The bids for the firsS choice are some
times very heavy, going up into thousands
, of dollars-a thousand at a time-especial-
ly where two horses are named that are
about evenly matched. The ''choice" is
at last knocked down to bidder. and he
being asked which horse he will have,
gives the name, or, as it often happens
where one owner has two or three animals
mentioned for one purse. the name of the
owner. Supposing the price bid to be $500,
as during the Monmouth races. it was on
"a Longfellow, Preakness, and Gerald pool.
The auctiOneer says 1880 in the pool
How much for the second choice P" and
the bidding again goes on until one bids
highest and the announcement is made, ad-
ding the price to the $500 already in
''Longfellow and Preakness sold. How
much for Gerald ?" and he is sold in the
same way. All others not mentioned are
sold as 1.-THE field" generally at q small
price and the pool is complete. Each bid
der pays in his bid takes his ticket, and
the work begins again for a second pool.
After the races OF the day the money thus
bet is paid over to the winner. Those
that bet on any but the winning lose all
the money they have put in the pool.
while the winner gets back not only his
own but the deposit OF all the others.
To show the other side, it is only neces-
sary to say that if any of the horses IN
D ''the tieldn Gas stated often, sold at small
q price had started in the race and beaten
those sold, the bidder would nave taken
the whole pool, as there is no half way in
the matter. You either win all or lose all.
One memorable instance occurred at the
meeting at Long Branch. whore S2s5 in
pool of over $1,000 carried it all away,
The field having sold at that price, and the
favorite being badly beaten.


Of course no description can be given,