The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-04-02
Interesting to sportsmen.

In 1880 we organized Roman Char
lot Racing company, and fulfilled quite q
number of engagements, and the follow
ing spring, 1881, we gathered togC,her
eight horses thst could run half mile
under the saddle, with weight up. in
from So seconds to 1:04. and as the
color, size, and general appearance, us
well as speed, had to be considered. we
found that we had taken no small task.
However four bay horses and the same
number of gray ones were gotten to-
gether and put into condition fora cam
paign through the eastern country. We
expected to be able to do Il half mile in
LOG
We were, happily, surprised TO find
that we had run the first heat in l:02,
and as the meeting progressed our
horses steadily improved, their official
time being 80! seconds, both teams
passing under the wire at the same
time, head and head. making almost II
dead head. Many thought that the bay
team could have gone faster and sprcu-
lation was rife rs To how fast that team
could run in four-in-hand harness.
Arrangements were made for Il public
trial and pools. sold, spectators laying
2 to l on 81 against the team, and 100
to nothing on SO. The team started,
pulling 350-pound chariot and 100
pound man, and finished the heat, half
mile, in 55f seconds with the greatest
ease. None of these horses had ever
shown their ability to run Il mile 50 fast
by several seconds under saddle. We
next appeared in Michigan, where the
teams scored dead heat in 56 seconds,
and no heat was run slower than 30
seconds during the meeting. The fol-
lowing week the intelligent ones dropped
few hundred, backing So seconds
against the teams, the time being 90
seconds. A slow track ut Cincinnati
prevented q reduction of the record, but
ut Pittsburg, the following week. on the
occasion of the great Maud 5. S wonder
full, and at the same time uncqualed
2:l09, these teams actually ran II half
mile as officially timed in "a seconds.
At Chicago 541 seconds was the best
shown at the meeting. Passing them
over Il period of three months, during
which these teams ran forty-nine heats
in % seconds or better, and on Nov. 10,
at Columbia, S. c., they actually ran
three-quarters of n mile in the remark
able time of / minute and II seconds.
When the fast time is taken into con-
sideration, that these horses were only
half-bred and none of them being able
to 90 half-mle in less than SO seconds,
under the saddle, it must be admitted
that the vast amount of speed shown
and obtained during this long cam
paign must be attributed to the way of
going. The weight being entirely re-
moved from the back accounts for the
great rate of speed attained by these
slow horses. Such has been our en-
perience that there is no doubt in our
minds about Il horse being able to run
faster and stay longer in harness than
to saddle.
We are of the opinion that a iirst-class
hOrSe-say 4 race-horse that can 90 q
mile under saddle in 1:43 or Id
could us easily 90 over the same dis
lance with no greater effort in 40 or
better. We might 90 still further and
argue in support of this proposition that
by breaking thoroughbreds to harness.
giving them great share of this prepar-
atory work in harness, would not only
save the legs of the youngsters and
cripples, but would transfer their hand
ling to the hands of men of mature
Judgment and experience. In the fore
going article we have endeavorcd to
show that the speed of the runner has
not, nor, in our opinion, ever will be
fully developed until the breeder and
trainer fully recognize the Importance
of harness work for thoroughbred
Sportsman.