The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-14
FAST TIME BY FLYERS,
RECORDS MADE BY THOROUGH
BREEDS DURING THE PAST SEASON.
Eumors OF an Improved Timing watch
for Next Season -Asome of the Remnritn-
bic Performances in tSSS--A Year That
Was Prolific Of Speedy Races.


Although cline as a test Of merit in
racing has, during the last few years,
ceased to be the factor it was ten or fif-
teen years ago, there is still great fasci.
nation for 1t by all race.goers and any
attempt to shut down on the ''hmers" at
a race meeting would be quickly resented
by the public, says the Post Dispatch.
The watch" is still in great demand,
says New York dispatch, and the
Coney Island Jockey Club at It's last
meeting aided the cause by putting up an
automatic timer, which showed "fifths"
of a second in place of the old.fashioned
quarters. The machine, however, did
not work, and watches which would split
on fifths were used for the remainder Of
the meeting. There are iumors OF the
improved timer" for next season, to be
started and stopped by electricity, which
will certainly be interesting to the gen
eral public.
Record-beating, however, at short dis
tances is not now frequent occurrence
Many races we're run during the past
season that were very close to the record,
much more so than is perhaps generally
known, especially at distances of a mile
or so and under. The quarter record is
still held by the unknown" Belle, who
did 1t in 0:21a. Alsic's three furlongs ut
Little Rock, Ark. in April, 1882, In
036l, was reduced July 4, 1888, at
Helena, Mont, to 0:84a, by the 6-year-
old Daniel B.. AT half mile the 2-year-
old Olitipas race, run at Saratoga. July
%, 1874, in 0;474, is still the best.
But those who saw the race have no
trouble in remembering that the current
report at the time was that it should
have been 494 seconds. But as no change
was made by the timers, the ATT seconds
has headed the half.mile record ever
since. The most prominent perform
ances at the distance during the season
of 1885, are as follows: Galen, Washing
ton Park, Chicago, July 10, 4S seconds;
Gentilly, Louisville, September 10, 4S4
seconds; Typesetter, Los Angeles, Cal,
April IL, 4Sa seconds.
Typesetter's performance was some
what remarkable. 1t was second heat
in heat race, and he ran the third heat
in 40 seconds.
The Goodwin Brothers give no records
at four-and. a-half furlongs in their an
nual for 1888. But the best for the past
season are: Minola, Latonia, July 2, SO
seconds; Sun Light, Louisville, Septem-
Der rs, So seconds.
AT the regular distance of five furlongs
double record of an even sixty
pounds" headed the list at the beginning
of the year, made by the 4-year-old filly
Kitty Pease, at Dallas, Tex, in Novem
Der, 1887, which was followed by the
well-known performance by Jim Rem
wick, with 115 lbs, at San Francisco,
in November, 1888, of 100R These two
records, however, were split at Jerome
Park on October 2. by Sam Harper, jr.,
who, with 11S lbs, is credited with run
ming over the straight five furlongs in
horses were well away from the post
before the flag. was dropped, a fact OBJ
served at the time by many of the re-
porters. The following are the ne xt
best: Britannia, Sheepshead, June IA,
1:01; Jim B., West Side, Chicago, Sep
TENDER 8, 1:01; Princess Bowling, Louis
vile, September, %, 1:0l.
The best at five and half furlongs run
this year was by the 5-year gelding
Jim b., by Harkaway, at the West Side
Park, Chicago, on August 20, in 1903.
At no distance is the test of time more
accurately made than at three.quarters
of a mile; II is the distance that major
ity of the 2-yearold stakes are run, and
the youngster that can carry full weight
close to the record classes among the
best, while even 3-year-olds and upward
that can average close to record time at
weight for age are classed as valuable
property. At the beginning of the season
the 2-year.old colt Oregon, by Monday,
headed the record, as having run at
Salem, Ore, with ITO pounds, in 1:12a.
1t was a doubtful performance.
The known record was 1:13 made by
Force over the Louisville straight track,
with 121 pounds, in September, 1888.
The best for 1888 were: Tom Hood,
Louisville, September 10, 1:19; Egmont,
Louisville, May IS, 1:131; Grimaldi,
Monmouth, July 26, l:l34; Salisbury,
August 4, lid; Proctor Knott, Mon
mouth, August IL, lid; Strideaway,
Monmouth, August is, 1:14: Lannes,
Louisville, September 20, lila
OF the above the races at Louisville
were run on the straight track, while
those at Monmouth were on the regular
oval track.
Racing over the Titan course at Je-
rome Park introduced q new distance.
1,400 yards-the best performance was
King Ernest, Cyclone colt, June IL, 1:2l.
At seven furlongs Kingston's 1871,
made over the Sheepshead Bay track,
with 11S pounds, September, 1887, is still
the best.
The best at seven and one half furlongs
is that of the 3-year-old Leo ii. with 50
pounds, run at Nashville on May 3 in
1874.
The best mile for 1888 was Eolian,
Sheepshead, June 81, 1:404.
Convenient Sleeping Car Service.
A Pullman sleeper for Philadelphia leaves
Washington on the 11;30 train via b. & o. X.