Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-20

poor send of or bad break would not loose
The race to the best horse as happens some
times in mile heats, mere jockeying would OF
OF little avail. think there would be two, ano
possibly three entries from this county, from
men who take great pleasure in driving thelI
trotters themselves, but who would under no
circumstances drive race with professional
drivers, or mount such an inelegant vehicle az
a sulkey. My own love of the sport has often
led me to do both and play rubber in addition;
but others who enjoy contest Just as wei
are more resolutely scrupulous as to tnelr
dignity"
The first section of Mr.. Grattan's PROPOSE
ton we feel confident will meet the hearty
concurrence of the present state fair manage
ment. 1t would be beginning toward reach
ing the point at which Mr.. Judson, the ener-
getic secretary, has been aiming for years
speed contests between Minnesota bred colts,
three, four and five year. olds, either for purses
or stakes, the latter preferred. In pursuance
of this aim stakes were opened for such races
by the fair management last fall. but neither
filled, that for three yearolds, to be trotted at
the fair this fall, having but one entry, by h.
G. Finkle, of Moorhead. 1t is too late, prob
ably, to now renew this stake for the coming
fair, but it is our opinion the fair manage
ment should provide IN their programme for
races at thier coming exhibition for three and
$3.50
by correspondence and personal interviews with
breeders, endeayor to get them sufficiently in
terested in the matter to insure annual stake
colt races at all state fairs after the present
year. The plan once started there will be no
trouble in keeping it up, and announcements
like the following we find in the
last issue of the The Spirit will then
be in order: "We are much pleased to
note that the nominations for the colt stakes
al 49, H. a Cpri
cultural society, have all filled very nicely.
For the 2-year old colt stakes there
are nine nominations; for the 3year
stakes there are eleven nominations, and for
the 4-year old stakes there are six nomina-
tions::'
With Mr. Gratton's second proposition we
cannot SO heartily agree. Our princi-
pal objection is as to the distance,
three miles. With the weights speci-
fed and the restrictions as to the
drivers, we greatly fear that such race would
be the means of working and injury to the
horses participating. 1t would require rare
good Judgment to drive aged and well seasoned
horses that distance and drawing that weight,
with the time incentive TO urge them forward
without over exerting the horse. How much
greater the danger, when the horses to be used
are to be, as Mr.. Grattan specifies, animals
"habitually driven on the road by the owner,
who shall drive the race, and who must never
have driven horses for pay" True horse
in such race does not travel so far as does
one in regular heat race of three in five, but
in these last named races, the horse has an
opportunity to rest his limbs and renew his
wind at the end of every mile, while under
Mr.. Grattan's proposition, an uninterrupted
strain must be kept up for three continuous
miles. A two mile race would fill the bill as
to novelty, and In our opinion sufficiently test
The endurance of road horses, especially when
handled by unprofessional drivers. However,
we are open to conviction If we err in our
conclusions, aud shall be glad to receive light
from breeders and horsemen upon the propo.
sition.