The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-03-25
Interesting to Sportsmen.

In 1880 we organized Roman Char
lot Racing company, and fulfilled quite
number Homogeneous, snd the follow
ing spring.1S81, we gathered together
eight horses that could run half mile
under the saddle, with weight up, in
from IS seconds to J :04, and as the
color, size, and general appearance, as
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 for cam
paign through the eastern country. We
expected to be able to do a half mile in
:06.
We were, happily, surprised to find
that we had run the first heat in 1:02,
and as the meeting progressed our
horses steadily improved, their official
time being $50 seconds, both teams
passing under the wire at the same
time, head and head, making almost a
dead head. Many thought that the bay
team could have gone faster, and Specu-
lation was rife as to how fast that team
could run in four-in-hand harness.
Arrangements were made for a public
trial and pools sold, speculators laying
to l on 81 against the team, and 100
to nothing on Sc. The team started,
pulling a 350-pound chariot and $50
pound man, and finished the heat, half
mile, ip 554 seconds with the greatest
ease. None of these horses had ever
shown their ability to run a mile so fast
by several seconds under saddle We
next appeared in Michigan, where the
l. a i
and no heat was run slower than SO
seconds during the meeting. TIE fol-
lowing week the intelligent ones dropped
a few hundred, backing 56 seconds
against the teams, the time being 55
seconds. A slow track at Cincinnati
prevented reduction of the record, but
at Pittsburg, the following week, on the
occasion of the great Maud S. s wonder
full, and at the same time unequaled
2:103, these teams actually ran half
mile as officially timed in "a seconds.
At Chicago 544 seconds was the best
shown at the meeting Passing them
over a period of three months, during
which these teams ran forty-nine heats
in 50 seconds or better, and on Nov 10,
at Columbia, S. c., they actually ran
three-quarters of mile in the remark
able time of l minute and 21 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 a half-mile in less than 5S 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 ex-
perience that there is no doubt in our
minds about horse being able to run
faster and stay longer in harness than
to saddle.
We are of the opinion that frst-class
hOrse-say race-horse that can 90
mile under saddle in 1:43 or Id
could as easily 90 over the same dis
tance 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 a 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 endeavored 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 thoroughbreds.-
SDOrtSUldD