AND OTHER SKETCHES 11 



FUTURE OF RACING IN AMERICA. 



Black is the cloud which at the present time over- 

 shadows the future of the thoroughbred horse in America. 



The question whether racing without the privilege of 

 betting being allowed will prosper, is not one which I 

 intend discussing in these pages. There can be no doubt, 

 however, that the passage of an anti-betting law by the 

 New York Legislature, which was due entirely to the 

 personal efforts of Governor Hughes, has had a demoral- 

 izing effect upon the fortunes of the sport in the Empire 

 State. It reduced the value of eastern racing properties 

 by many millions of dollars and reduced by still more 

 millions the value of thoroughbred horses in the United 

 States. It also took out of the treasury of the Agricul- 

 tural Societies of New York State about $250,000 a 

 year, which they received from a special tax imposed 

 upon the racing clubs for their benefit and which was 

 used by the Societies in increasing the value of their 

 prize lists. 



Whether the end sought to be accomplished will be 

 secured and thus justify the radical measures employed 

 is a problem which may only be solved by actual exper- 

 ience in the working of the law. So far there have been 

 many legal fights in the courts and many contradictory 

 decisions by judges. The result is a good deal of what 

 may be tersely described as "whipping the devil around 

 the post," and just what is legal and what is illegal 

 wagering is something that even men learned in the law 

 cannot agree upon. Hence a condition of affairs which 

 is neither satisfactory to one side or the other. 



In the past the horse has played a prominent part and 

 occupied a high place in the affections of the people. 

 Some of the most glorious struggles in the history of the 



