If the Horse Ran, Would You Follow?
One of the rationalizations which is sued to defend the great cost of a racing stable is that 'the government would take most of our money anyway.'
It is also suggested that those whose hearts are on the turf are motivated simply by a love of horses. This is not convincing; affection does not require competitive testing.
Those who love their families are not in the habit of racing their wives or betting on their children. We do, of course, 'groom' our wives and show glee over Johnny's report cards; but we have not yet invented institutions for pitting our loved ones against each other as a candid end in itself.
The movie people who own stables and wager substantial sums on selected animals have created new outlets for their competitive impulses.
When Mr. Crosby's mare noses out Mr. Roach's mare, for example, Mr. Crosby wins personal kudos - even though he neither ran the race nor rode the beast.
Mr. Roach, in turn, suffers a rebuff which pleases not only Mr. Crosby, but all the other horse owners, bettors, or general antagonists of Mr. Roach. The latter has demonstrated a symbolic superiority whose quadruped chattels sweated to win the contest.
The element of vicarious aggression involved here, as well as the competitive joys and the demonstration of superiority, should not go unnoticed. The verb 'beat' refers to physical blow as well as to victory in contest.
It is also suggested that Hollywood's mania for horses is an innocent one which harms nobody, and that racing is a commendable pastime which refreshes the soul and does not interfere with work.
The influence of the equine on the spiritual poses a problem beyond this fact's territory; but it is foolish, on the face of it, to assert that a daily preoccupation with horse does not interfere with the production of movies.
Grave economic and administrative burdens are involved when shooting schedules are arranged so that the favored can spend the afternoon at the races.
In addition, there is no evidence that a studio's personnel are improving their skill or attending to their chores by sitting at Santa Anita during working hours for which they are being reimbursed.
The business of movie making suffers when the minds of movie makers are on the track or the stables. There are executive offices in Hollywood in which radios are turned on to catch the 'fifth at Inglewood,' in which bets are placed all afternoon, in which there is more concern over a horse's rheumatism or the condition of the track than over the day's shooting schedule.
It also a well-known fact in the movie industry that the fanatical engrossment in racing presents serious hindrances to movie production during the racing season.
Hollywood's output suffers from the conflict - especially in the upper ranks - between the duties of creation and the echo of the race track.