The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-01
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
Tuesday Morning, March l. 1870.
The Recent Trotting Consress-The Frs-
posed Reform Of the Turf.
PORTLAND.

The Recent Troitins Censress-The Pre-
posed Reform Of the Turf
One of the principal objects of the Conven-
tion of Trotting Associations of the United
States, held in New York in the early part of
February was declared to be "the prevention,
detection and punishment of frauds on the
trotting turf Of America, and the elevation of
the standard of trotting." A National Asso-
| citation was formed. The rules and regula-
tions of the turf were placed in the hands of
a competent committee who reported a code
which, after long discussion by the Conven-
tion, were adopted. A succinct summary of
| them we print below:
Entries.-ln future, in all entries of horses
for premiums, the color, sex and name OF the
horse shall be accurately and distinctly given.
| If the horse has ever trotted in a race under
| different name, the former name or names
must be given. II a horse has trotted in any
race without name, mention must be made
| in the entry of a sufficient number of his or
| her performances to enable persons interested
| to identify the horse. Any person found
guilty of making false and fraudulent entry,
or of Disgusting horse with intent to con-
| ceal his identity, or being in any way con-
/ CcIuCu III SuCA tlduSdCtiOH, VI VI uOSlu9 vi
| tampering with any horse, shall be punished
by the forfeiture of entrance money, and ex-
pulsion, which shall apply equally TO the
horse or horses. This is an excellent rule,
for hitherto an INSCRIPTIONS owner or driver
could enter horse either without name or
under false one, concealing his identity.
The punishment is short, sharp and decisive,
viz, expulsion; and this means, uncondition-
al expulsion from all the courses represented
in the Association, and not that alone ON
which the offence was committed.
QudlifcdtiOn.-A horse shall not be eligi-
BILE to start in any race that has beaten the
time advertised, prior to the closing of the
enteries for the race for which he is entered.
Time made in single or double harness, at
fairs or on any track, whether short or not,
shall constitute a record but time made un-
der the saddle, shall not be record in har-
ness or wagon races. The effect OF this rule
will be to cause the lengthening of short
tracks to their full and proper length.
Dec0rum. If any owner, trainer, rider,
driver or attendant of horse, or any other
person, use improper language to the officers
Of the course, OF The judges in the race, or be
guilty OF any improper conduct, the person or
persons so offending shall be punished by
fine not exceeding 500, or by suspension, or
by expulsion. 1t must be remembered that
when the word suspension" occurs in these
iulCo, IL luCduS SuopCuolOu HULL CutcIluS,
ing, driving, training or assisting on the
grounds OF any course belonging to the Asso-
citation. To those who have been present on
some trotting tracks, and heard with disgust
the language used by owners or drivers to
the judges IN the stand, the importance Of
this rule will be apparent.
PO,oer of Judges.-Judges are given entire
control and authority over the horses in a
race, and the riders or drivers and the assist
ants OF the horses, and any person refusing TO
obey their orders are liable to a fine not ex-
ceeding 500, or by suspension or expulsion.
Delay in ScOring.--Every visitor to trot-
ting track has noticed and condemned the
practice of drivers to waste unnecessary time
in scoring to get the word for start, and
much vexatious delay has thus been caused.
The new rule strikes an effectual blow at this
evil, for 1t enacts that "drivers or riders who
persist in causing delay in scoring after the
horses are called up, either by neglecting to
prepare for the race in time, or by neglecting
to come for the word, or otherwise, or by keep
ing so far ahead of oilers in scoring that the
judges cannot give fair start, shall be pun
ished by fine not exceeding 500, or may be
ruled out by the judges, and considered drawn,
but in all stakes or matches they shall be liza
BILE to forfeit. Drivers and riders persisting
in causing delay in scoring shall be fined not
over 500; by suspension, Lot to exceed one
year, or by expulsion.
Pulling horse, to fraudulently prevent his
winning race, is punished by suspension or
expulsion.
Improperly Conducting Race.--If the
judges are satisfied that race is being or has
been conducted Improperly on the part of any
rider or driver, they can punish the offender
by suspension or expulsion, not to exceed one
year. A repitition of the offence may entail
his complete expulsion.
Horse Purp0seIy Broken.-lf horse is
purposely pulled, or fraudulently broken to al
low another horse to win heat, the horse so
pulled or broken shall be distanced, and the
rider or driver shall be punished, unless this
decision shall be deemed to favor fraud, by
suspension not to exceed one year, or by ex-
puislon. But in case the judges shall deem
such decision as the above to favor a fraud,
they shall deem that heat "no heat" and
shall substitute another driver for the Offend
ing one.
Crossing on the Homestretch. In coming
out into the homestretch each horse must
keep the position first selected, except the
hindmost horse, which, when there is sufficient
room to pass on the inside or anywhere on
the homestretch, can do so. But any horse
crossing or swerving on the homestretch so
as to impede the progress of a horse behind
him, shall not be entitled to win that heat
aud If in the opinion of the judges such cross
rider or driver, he shall be punished by sus-
pension, not to exceed one year, for the first
offence, and by expulsion for the second.
Shouting, Gc.-Any rider or driver guilty
of loud shouting, or making other unnecessa-
ry noise during the tendency of a heat, shall
be punished by suspension, not to exceed $25
for the first offence, and for the second offence
by suspension during the meeting at the op-
ton of the judges.
Horses Breaking from their Gdit.-When
any horse or horses break from their gait in
trotting or pacing, their riders or drivers shall
at once pull them to the gait in which they
were to 60 the race, and any party neglecting
or refusing to do so, shall be punished by a
fine not to do so, sholl be punished by fine
not to exceed 800, or by suspension not ex-
ceeding one year.
Protesting Without Cause.-Any person
found guilty of protesting horse without
cause, or with intent to delay race, shall
be punished by a fine not exceeding 500;
or by suspension not to exceed one year; or
by expulsion. This is capital rule, the effect
of which will be to check the indiscriminate
and wholesale protesting against horses in a
race made by drivers without any cause or
foundation.
Purse or Stake Wronqf.lly Obtained.-A
person obtaining a purse or stake through
fraud shall return it to the Treasurer on de-
mand, or be punished by expulsion, together
with all parties interested, and the horses, I'M
til such restitution is made.
Fnes.-All fines must be paid on the day
they are assessed, or the parties will be SUBJ
jected to suspension until they are paid in
full.
Right of Appeal-Any owner, rider, driv
er or trainer who has been subjected to any
of the penalties provided by these rules, can
appeal from the decision of the judges, to the
association upon whose grounds the penalty
was imposed, and from their decision to the
Board of Appeals, provided they shall do so
within one week rom the announcement OF
such decisions, and provided also that where