Racing is Legal, But Betting is Not

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 740, 13 August 1929, Page 12

Racing is Legal, But Betting is Not

CONDITIONS 1N U.S.A. ODDS OPENLY LAID The visit to England of Reigh Count ——with his court and oourtiers—has raised much interest in the subject of racing in Anterica. The subject is more interesting from the fact that nothing on the other side. of the Atlantic has had more ups and downs than “The Sport of Rings“ in that democratic republic, says a writer in London "Sporting Life." \Vith terry-eight States each having power of legislating on gambling. the fun has oft been fast and furious. 'i‘uke New York, the “Empire State." and you will find that one legislature—of {our years’ duration—licensed racing. The next legislature decides that horses and horseraeing are of no value to the country, and then racing stops. At present, and for rather a long; present, racing is legal, but betting is not. let betting takes place on every racecourse in the State as openly as it does here. The Correct Thing to Do The real home. of racing in America is the State ot’ )laryland. The tracks at Bowie, Pimlico, and Laurel each have thirty (lays racing every year, drawing their crowds chiefly from Bal—timore, Philadelphia, and ‘.Vashington Down in Louisiana we have New 01‘leans with two modern tracks, and in the horsebrceding State of Kentucky we have Lexington, the Newmarket of the Eastern Hemisphere. In these three States, that complete the present total of seven where racing takes place, we have the representative racing of America, where everyone and his wife consider a day at the racecourse just the correct and proper thing for all the family. All these dirt tracks are circular. about one and a—quarter miles, and many of the starts take place before the stands, as this is :L favourite racing distance. During the afternoon ot‘ seven or more races you will see all kinds of people flocking to the totalisator win—(lows, where tickets for t“'u, live, ten. and ' fifty dollars are available. Licensed by the State, the racecourse owners take a small percentage averaging 8; per cent. 01‘ the total investments. and with this they new have beautifully arranged concrete stands" covered paddocks, well landscaped courses and altogether well run and pleasant surroundings. Tips by the Handicapper On an average day £40,000 will pass through the machines ~—- roughly, £6,000 is batted on each race. You may bet that the horse wins, is in the first two, or in the first three. The second horse is "place," the third is “show." ,

No more than sixteen runners are allowed in any one race on these tracks ——only ten totalisator tickets are available for these‘ so that the horses numbered over ten on the card automatically become the “Field," and all run for one ticket.

Draiv for position is made the night before racing is published in the morning papers, and on the race cards. Scratches must be made known before 9.30 a.m., and only actual runners, excepting in exceptional cases approved by the stewards, are named on the card. This is made possible by printing the cards on presses installed on a travelling truck on the railway siding The handicapper‘s opinion is also automatically given-his choice is al. ways zero, and the numbers are given on the cards in the order in which they are expected to finish according to his handicapping. This greatly helps the casual racegoer, and points to the favourite in many races. Swear by the "Clock” Only the first sixteen entries are ac—cepted for selling and maiden races, but subsequent entries are on the "eligible list," and automatically become entries when scratches of the original sixteen are made. The programmes give such information as the previous winners of the race, and, most important or all to American racegoers, the time records on the track. The professional backer is a firm believer in the clock'and keeps a record of the time made by every horse on different courses and the various states of the ground. Before every race there is a parade, led by an assistant in hunting scarlet, and the horses are compelled -to come out in« the order of their card numbers.

The starting today is remarkably good—«strangely enough, much better on tracks where the “tote” is the only means of wagering. Last October the modern Bowie track introduced the stall. Each horse Wallis front the back into a separate compartment, sixteen of which are placed at the starting posts for the various dis—tances. \Vith twenty-four days’ trial, the venture was a great success. Next season the stalls are to be so arranged that they disappear into the ground when the horses are away. At present they must be removed after each start. it is hoped that the new contrivance will do away with the much-disliked sturter’s assistants, who appear to pull the push the animals around just to prove that their services are necessary.

The finishing post is placed at the junction of the club enclosure with the biggest ring, so no l'avouritism is shown to club members. The judges’ box is an elaborate affair, for it has to house three judges—one to place each one of the first three horses. This judges’ stand is considerably higher than the heads of the horses and an actual wire passes across the track. so that the winners’ heads are just seen "under the wire." A Public Weigh-in 1 ln 1). room under the judges are the scales for weighing-in. As the race finishes all the jockeys must dismount before the judges. the horses are led away by stable boys, and the jockeys} are then “weighed-in" in t'ull View 01' the public. If an objection is to be made the person objecting can be seen approaching the stewards. and as the "weigh-ing-in” takes but a few' seconds for each rider. the “all right" or ”official” signal is soon displayed. The “tote” closes as soon as the horses are under the starter‘s orders, so that the exact calculation of odds is made while the race is in progress. Here is where the racecourse owners have a. little speculation-they are allowed the "breakage." that is. the odd money paid by the winner. as they pay only to the lower 10 cents. A ticket that should pay five dollars and 46 cents to the holder of a. two-dollar ticket will pay six cents short—this is going to help the racecourse pro—tits. These profits are. however. highly taxed by the State. and the actual fig—ures are published in the Press regu'larly. No bolimakers are allowed on tlflse tracks, and there is not even an attempt to evade the ruling. Finances An Open Book Racing in America. run on these lines as a great public spectacle and with its finances an open book. is prov~ in; prosperous. This year there will he more stock more breeders. more owners and more prizes than ever before. There are more than 15.000 horses in training. although perhaps a fourth of these are now running at small meetings or country fairs. Four thousand are but two-year-olds. .so lthat there are 7.000 horses in train-

ing that have alrcndv run on the inn, portant tracks. - In a few years rating has becomot {in industry as popular as a. sport as! it is in any other country in tho \i'orldfi and whereas 30 years ago it \Vis‘v looked upon as just :1 gambler’sl amusement or protession. it is nowl supported by the people in the bosti or American society. the professions. 9 big business and high finance. 3 \\'hen Papyrus made his famous trip 1 to the States, the Englishman's nionty! was gladly taken, though the, some; Englishman who enriched the bani-H roll of the booknmliers could read in} his own language large typed noticssi in the rings and enclosures that any- i one discovered betting was liable to; exuulsion and arrest. I The system of betting in cash is‘ sirnnle. Before rut-ing starts you on—trust your money-——just whatever you! think you are willing to risk on the. (lay—with at commissioner. the cashiori ot' the bookmaker. You are given in: return some slips of paper with they name 01' the bookie printed on the: head. I Before any rue-c in which you have! a. fancy you write down the name off the horse. the amount wagered, and; the odds obtained. The bookmaker.‘ on receiving it from you. places it with 1 many others in his pocket. At‘terl each race he makes up his accounts—l he keeps clever assistants to do this ——and at the end of the (lay you r-e—----ceive :1. cash settlement. If you are trusting—and you are perfectly safe in being so—you can wait for a cheque, ‘ which will certainly reach you hex: morning. Where the State For-bids _ in California, the most \Vcstcrni‘ State from New York. betting is :ibso— l lutely illegal. Though at meeting oil 21 days is held. betting must be pri—‘ \‘atc—no odds are published or known by anyone not present on the course. Florida is n. topsyvturvy State as far as racing is concerned. Every winter season we are sure to have racing start there—often on three tracks. Then some reformer or agitator ap—plies for an injunction against gamb—ling. and one track closes down. Application for injunctions at the‘ other tracks follow, but as there are many technicalities on which appeals can be made and injunctions are only for a. limited period, there is generally one or two of the three tracks busy. The influential citizens of luiarni, a city that lives as a. winter resort, now give guarantees to owners, trainers and jockeys before the commencement of each season. Movable Feasts Chicago is in Illinois, and this second city of the New “'orld has ,many racecourses. Some live for a. year—seine for many years. But if the then Legislature of the State prohibits the use of. the totalisator it is necessary to move across the border into a. neighbouring poor State that is quite willingr to take a. little revenue from taxing the machine. Chicago always will have racing near the city limits?tho sporting element is powerful in that famous town. Liention must be made of Tie. Juana. a. Mexican city just across the Californian border. where American racing is carried on for 100 consecutive days each. year. Two thousand horses are stabled around the course. Racing takes place on Sunday, but not on Monday. Eight races are run daily, the minimum value being £3OO —the richest being the Coffroth Stake, of 20.000 guineas. Totalisator and bookmakers are both in evidence, and Americans from every State make up big attendances daily. There would be no City of Tia Juana. \Vithout its racecourse or if betting were legal in California.

BIG COMMISSION

GOT INTO A POCKET l l The most colossal plunge a. Sydney suburban course has witnessed for years was associated with the Gram- l ville Stakes, the last race at Rose-: hill a fortnight ago. Owner “Fairie” and trainer \V. Kelso believed Palamon unbeatable, though his capabilities had been well concealed, and when the books cried “5 to 1 the field" an unlimited cornrnission was sent into the ring. . There were several of Sydney‘s big bookmakers absent from Rosehill,butil apparently this didn't affect the strength of the ring, and in wagers of from £3O up to over £2,500 was invested on Palamon. Well Planned The commission was worked by three men, the owner, who is one of Sydney’s biggest punters, and two other well-known backers who in-‘ vest heavily. Beginning siinultane—ously, they snatched the better odds from‘the biggest operators. and the ring was so well exploited that the stable bets averaged nearly as much as the opening price. of course, other punters and the public put big money on, too, and one well-informed bookmaker, computing the figures afterwards, reckoned that if Palamon had won, over £30,000 would have been taken out of the ring. Palamon's failure, did not mean that the coup was planned on trail chance. Only ill luck, and a. little lack of experience. beat the three-year:old. He jumped off smartly. but ran wide, and that resulted in horses pass—ing him quickly. Half-way through the race. he became pocketed. and he remained in the ruck until the straight. ‘ Then he put in a remarkable effort when he gained a clear run. But it was too late to be effective. Form New Exposed At the end. it looked to some of the spectators as if he had gained aininor place. but the judge gave it to Cool Dan (ridden by AlcCarten). with Reno and Dainty Mick second and third. ‘ Palamon must have been beaten only a head out of a place. “‘ith form now exposed, it will be impossible to get the same opportunity of backing Palamon. But that he lis. a. good horse there is no doubt, ‘and he seems certain to win at dis- ‘ tances of from seven furlongs upward iwhen he has had more experience. [ Palamon hadn't run since the race Poitiers won at Randwiek in June. land in his work since he had merely ibeen companion to Bacchus. ; Nevertheless. in this capacity he had ilshaped well. and although the fact Ithat he was. so strongly favoured by lthe stable \x'as kept from the ring [generally until the moment of the :nlunge. he was among tips for the 1 race. [ Palamon is by Spearhead (Spearfelt‘s sire) from Blue Dome, and is a good—locker. .