Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-17
ENGLISH RACING,
From the chicago Field, May 10. ]

Now, that Parole has earned for the Amerl-
can thoroughbred 80 good reputation in EGG
land, the American public are taking more in-
terest In the matter of horse racing generally,
and In the performances of American horses In
England In particular.
The triple success of Parole in the Newman
ket, City and Suburban, and Great Me5rOpoi-
tan handicapS has aroused both sections; the
racing men In England to the fact that we have
horses capable Of doing great things, and the
horsemen this side of the water that our syS-
tenn of breeding is sound and based On sound
premises. The English system for many years
mas been to breed for speed, to combine STAN.
secure speed at any cost. The result has been
that the general run of English horses Is very
inferior to the few frst-class horses that appear
each year and whose numbers are on the de-
When MIR. Sanford went over with his stud to
England he took over an Indifferent string OF
animals, with the exception OF Preakness. and
MS DEBUT was made In trying race, as he had
10 meet good horses. That he did not win was
no disgrace for his training was not such as to
prepare hun nm dor the English style Of racing
there is between racing here and racing over
there. 1t does not seem possible-climatlc in
fuenceS aSide-that there are such vast differ
ences existing between horse racing in England
and horse racing in this country. We run our
horses on regular leveled, prepared and true
tracks; the horses are timed from wire to wire,
and the time so taken Is given. More over our
horses are mostly run from end to end without
much easing anywhere, but at regular aver
on this pace on given days and under favorable
conditions cause improvement In the time rec
ord OF the horse.
I'm England the tracks are not made, graded
CT regular The course is laid out as bestit can
be On the turf. During rainy weather 1t is wet
and slippery, and after very severe dry spell
is as hard as iron; nature lays the track ana
natures conditioning is all it gets. Owing to
the dlfficultfes Of obtaining enough land the
courses are OF all shapes, run up hill and down
dale, and turn queer corners In starting, the
n0TE6Q fU mr. nv,nI I1,,f| ro1
yards behind the starting post and then mar
shaled In as good order as possible in single,
double or treble rank, as the number OF the
field may be. Here we know not OF really large
fields. A dozen starters with us for big race
is an extraordinary event, and half dozen give
US abundant satisfaction; but among our
cousins dozen starters for race is not much
OF field, although the size Of fields is falling Off
somewhat.
To start six or eight horses Off evenly and well
gives our starters considerable trouble some
times; but what must it be to handle twenty-five
or th1rty7 For the reason of this difficulty
and OF giving the starter fun scope OF assuring
himself OF good start the horses are taken
well to the rear Of the actual starting post;
then II they do not pass t1agman, who is him
self to the rear Of the actual starting post, We'll
not conducted on the principle to secure accu-
racy, even under the most favorable circum-
stances but as it is conducted it is no criterion
whatever OF the merits Of the horses running
The timer is in the judges stand; when the
horses get the word and start Off the watch is
started. II they are not called back, therefore,
they have been timed for running some fifty,
sixty, seventy or more yards before the race
really began, for distance is given from post to
post: Now, as the very last horse in that mass
OF starters may ultimately turn up as the win
ner, 1t will be seen that the time Of that race
will be Out some seconds.
,o AT the word they jump off, but some pulling
douple, others hard held, while the leaders are
making rair progress; thus they go all we'll In
hand and not at the top OF their speed II it is
a mile race they quickly increase The pace, but
hoy Inv ,,iyx,
long way before getting to business. About a
quarter of mile from home all are fairly ex-
TENDED, and the actual racing and hard riding
begins. Faster and still faster they fly, while
whips crack and spurs are driven home in the
last few strides to get the utmost tension, and
the nags that started out at an exercise galIop
not there. Those who found they were beaten
have ceased to persevere, and come canterlng
or trotting In at their leisure, while now and
again one ''walks in with the crowd"
The sharp turns and irregularities OF the
courses necessitate this careful handling early
In the race and again, the men that ride the
needed, and only to do that which he must do
to win. Such are the artists Of the profession,
and are men Wo can win by head In gallop
horses nose in front at the end of nght.run
race.
To the English system OF heavy weights is, OF
course, due these men In the saddle with arms
strong enough to hold horse in and heads ex-
per1enced enough to Judge Of pace and condi-
ton. At the finish there Is no windmill exhibit
ton OF arms and legs; no slashing Of whip on
the TANKS OF beaten, jaded horse; no plough
ing OF heav1ng sides nor wildly 1ourished heels.
When the whip comes down 1t comes as Wig
TO long suffering boot to make known cow
ardly opponent show the White feather When
spur is applied it is driven In to wake up
sluggard, and no more is given than needed
A comparison Of weights for age over certain
dist ances may here be useful to lead one to
understand the secret OF skilled horsemanShip
N OF NvnHA
VILE, Cincinnati, Nashville, New Orleans and
WESTERN WEIGHTS FOR AGE
Years Los. Years. Lbs.
Three.............. 95 Five. .115
-Four ...........11O Six ana aged. lis
In England the weights dlfIer for distances
also as the season advances. and for comparison
we quote English weights for age for the month
OF May for races over two and quarter miles
and under three miles:
QUEENS PLATE WEIGHTS.
T FnGes; L l1ci F Rs9,s. 1 b;
Four. Six and aged: .i4s
THE STANDARD WEIGHTS 1.-TWO MILEs}.
Years. Lbs. Years. Lbs
F Fo1se E Eye sna :;si
Thus it will be seen that four ear-olds at
least In cup and weight-for-ag age races, carry
men But when the races are confined to anil
ally are III lbs for FLIES and geldings and l2a
lbs for colts. These are the weights for the
gTeaL e-year-Old events, the Derby, st. LIE.
ger, Two Thousand Guineas and Oaks.
In handicaps the weights vary all the way
from Il to 40 lbs, which are the present limits
The poorest three-year-old is given the lower
weight, and the best horse, whatever his age,
generally gets the highest weight possible
Sometimes It is an aged horse, but more often
five-year-old.
Criticism On Candidates.
In Sweeney against Baker mot yet reportedD
tie Supreme Court OF Appeals Of West Virginia
considered at great length the question OF the
liability Of a newspaper for libel upon q candi-
date for Office. The court held that a ne VS.
payer has no greater license than indfvidu his
and is liable for what it publishes, to the ga ~.
extent and in the same manner that an indt-
vidual would be: that candidates for once ara
legitimate subjects for discussions that s.the
conduct and actions OF such candidate may be
freely commented upon, his acts may be can
vassed and his conduct boldly censured," and
that 1t Is not material that such criticism of
conduct should, in the estimate OF the Jury be
1ust-the person making the criticism having
himself the right to judge Of its business, and
that the only limitation on this right of crltt-
clsm OF the act Or conduct Of a candidate Is tnat