Depression Era and Horse Racing ?

Question

Why might teenage boys coming of age during the depression have been attracted to horse racing ?

Was it all for the money and their futures (Becoming famous)?

Answer 1

Thing one you gotta understand is that during the Depression era, seeking a career working with horses on the racetrack was not as unusual as it would be now.   Horses were an everyday part of the landscape, even in the cities; think of NASCAR today and how popular it is, and you have some vision of how people at the time viewed horse racing.

Working with horses was labor-intensive, so at least there was work available at a time when jobs were next to impossible to find.  A person might not make money, but at least they wouldn't starve.  (Many racetrack workers lived on the racetrack, turning an empty stall into a bedroom or living in a tackroom, so they at least had a roof over their heads.)  Workers didn't get rich, and the work was hard and sometimes dangerous, but at least they didn't starve and they had a place to live.

I think that was some of the attraction of racing during the depression.  Some of the major racetracks were opened during the Depression years-- Santa Anita, Hollywood Park among them.  Racing was one of the few "industries" that was expanding during this time.  It was a living, and that's how many people saw it.

Answer 2

Well, thinking about the depression, there wasn't a lot that a teenager could do for fun and jockeying in a horse race must have been very exciting as well as a way to earn a quick few bucks.  I doubt it had much to do with becoming famous since most of them would ride at little obscure tracks, not on major circuits with the greats.  But there was still a lot of romance to the sport at the time... there were great horses doing great things and they were getting a lot of attention.  I believe Seabiscuit actually got more newspaper coverage than FDR one year.  It was something that was exciting and getting a lot of attention and teenagers would be excited to be a part of that romance, even if it wasn't with the best horses.

And the accessability of the sport probably played a role... to play other sports, you have to have a lot of talent and a lot of practice.  to be a jockey, you just had to be small enough to make weight.  So long as you were competent on a horse, you could get a job and pay for your equipment fees out of whatever you win.  It's kind of a lot like how so many cajun jockeys are around nowadays... they start riding as teens at little tracks in Louisiana because it's fun, available, and you can make some bucks.  And if you're good enough, you can end up on a major circuit... look at Joe Talamo.

Answer 3

  Racing was still going on

And it was a job

Plus the kids back then where thin and hungry and would do anything to get a job

And like I said Racing was still going on so they could get a job ,,

Not all went  to the track ,,