Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-04
HUNDREDS IN TRAINING.
SCENE IN THE HORSE CITY
AT AGRICULTURAL PARK.
A Trainers Idea and Explanation of the
Way to Condition Racing
Steeds-Erc.

trainers, Hoped easily and gracefully round
and round the inner track, looking yeritable
pictures of beauty and speed; while in the
outer track whisked about numerous PAGERS
and trotters, carrying with them the usual
| skeleton sulky and scientific driver. All
were in active preparation for the coming
| District and State races.
pretty sight, isn't it?n remarked Gard
! ner, keeper of the Park.
Yes, indeed" answered the newspaper
man, you took the words from my
mouth. But, say. Mr.. Gardner, you are
| well up in horse culture-can't you ex.
plain to a novice what all this exercising
and training amounts to, and what it con-
| sists OFF"
"Well," responded the genial turfman, 81
| guess l could give you fair idea!of it. But
come with me, and we'll take walk,
| around among the stables first. think
| you can see enough there to initiate YOU"
The two started off down to the east end
| OF the Park and into what proved to be
veritable ''horse CITY,"
"Ah, now, here's flyer Just coming in
off the track" said Mr.. Gardner, stopping
just at the entrance to the stables, and
pointing to big black stallion steaming
and covered with froth, who was being
walked down through the Enclosure by his
trainer. "We will follow him and you can
see the operation"
They joined in the procession behind the
big trotter and accompanied him to his
stable. The trainer first tetbered the ami
NAL to a ring fastened in the wall of the
stable. Then. quickly removing the blan-
ket he proceeded to wipe the racer thor
oughly dry with piece of cloth. This &C.
complished, the currying process was gone
through lightly for few moments, and
then the cloth was resorted to again. After
the animal had cooled off sufficiently,
damp sponge was applied and then the
genuine rubbing down" process was in
dulged in. a stable boy was called in to
assist in this operation, which consisted of
liberal and vigorous application of the
bare hands. The polish" was put on by
means of light brush, and then the ami
NAL was taken into his own private box
stall.
"Whew!" exclaimed:the trainer, wiping
the perspiration flom his brow: that's
more work than a person thinks it is"
This is newspaper man, Tom, /" said Mr..
Gardner, addressing the dripping trainer
Can't you give him some idea OF why you
go through all that labor on your horses?'
Certainly. In the first place let me
start in, by way of Facilitating the explana-
ton, that training horses is like training
prize fighters, or any other athletes, for
their contests. They must be fitted for en-
durance. You have to watch them con-
stantly and attend to their every want. a
cold is the greatest enemy to training ath-
lete or horse. Now, when l take horse
out on the track, l never allow him TO cease
moving until he reaches the stable. As
long as he is in motion he never gets cold.
&c n nt No Gry In oaR hNrc har,
| training them. Ii is sufficient TO jog them
| around the track at a good pace for half
| or three. quarters of an hour. That fixes
their wind, as well as removes their SUPER
fiuous flesh and hardens them. That is all
that is necessary. Then the care begins.
In drying and rubbing the animal it must
be done that quickly and in such manner
that he does not cool off too quickly. Now,
before concluding, might add that no two
horses are trained alike. That's where the
trainers efficiency is tested. Some horses
are naturally 1.-THE and not given to taking
on flesh or losing their speed in inactivity.
These kind only need a Jogging once a
week-in fact, | have one which | only
! take out three times month when train
ing him. On the other hand, some horses
have to be taken out on the track every
other day or they will Immediately begin
to take on fat and lose their speed"
tured the reporter.
That's question upon which trainers
differ. Most of them think easy trained
ones are the speediest as a rule. Others in
cline the other way. For my part, | have
been unable to establish rule either way.
/ have had horses under my care who re-
quired the hardest kind of training, but
when once got in condition they could out
foot almost anything. Well, | guess /
have told you about all l know, and. as !
have two more trotters to take out before it
gets too warm, l must beg to be excused.
Good day.
The visitors thanked him for his inform
alton, and wendell theiI way into the heart
of the 'horse city"
Stables to the right of them; stables to
| the left of them stables in front of them.
This is bewildering," said the scribe,
| and he certainly felt as he spoke.
Mr.. Gardner laughed, but promised to
| uptapgle matters.
I'VE will start Systematically said he,
| land visit all of them in their order Here
| is the first. These are Frank de Poyster's
stables. He has number OF untried colts
| here which be is training for the Oakland
| meeting. Some of them are quite promis
ing
The gentlemanly proprietor of these sta
| bles hove into view at this juncture, anu
| promptly showed the visitor his charges,
As Mr.. Gardner had intimated, the green
colts did indeed look promising. After
these had been inspected some of the more
sturdy and tried animals were looked at.
| First of them was that great runner AL
! Farrow, sired by Conner, dam Della Walker.
| Farrow looks the picture of speed in his
| present elegant condition, and Frank says
/ he is going to astonish som body this year
This is the same horse over whose racing
| there was such an uproar at the last Bay
| District races in San Francisco. Farrow
| was backed heavily to win, and it was
| claimed that he was pulled" by his rider.
! The stable boys, as a rale, concede that
| Farrow is the fastest horse now being trained
| on the Sacramento track. he makes his
FIRST appearance this fall in Oakland, and
| will also make the usual circuit, including
the State races.
| General, 3-year-old. by Joe Hooker
Duke Spencer, By the Duke of Norfolk,
and Longshot, by the Duke of Norfolk,
were also in these stables, looking fit as
| fiddles"
Worth 0bers stables were the next
visited. Here were seen a string of beau
ties, that represented many thousands OF
| dollars in value. There were Ross s., bv
Nutwood; Ajax, by the son of General
Knox; Prize, by Lynvood Jessie c., by
| Bishop: Stoneman, pedigree unknown;
| Fioren, by Wild Idle; Colema, by Cologne:
| General Hamilton, by Langtry; and the
two yearlings, Psy-car and Hardnut, by
Ross S. Most of this string departs this
week for the lone races.
Matt Storms stable contained nine run
ners and one trotter, all in the finest of
condition. 81. Holloway, the trainer,
showed the visitors about. The runners
! were Lurliue. by Longfield; Glen Ellen, by
Kyrle DAILY Kofter, BY L1ng6eld; NorgoId
by Milner; Kildare, by Kyrle DAILY; For
roster, by Joe Hooker; Fannie + By Wild
Idle, and Laragetta, by Johnson. The
trotter is Belvidere, by La Grande All
were in shape and ready for The circuits.
The other stables were visited, and their
contents were as follows:
John Williams stable-Stallion Homer
p, by De ter Prince Fidelity, BY Nephew;
Johnny SHELTON (pacer), pedigree unknown;
Artist, pedigree unknown.
Sunny Slope stables, McCord, manager
| Tommy Benton, by General Benton; Mary
Lon, by Tom Benton; Ned Winslow, by
| Tom Benton.
a. Tie jen's stable-Maud. by Goldnut:
Norton (pacer), by Tilten Altmont; Ko Ko,
by Fallas.
DR.. Boucher's stable--Silver King, By
James Mulvenny; Gen. Logan, By Alex
Button Madura by Muiyenny: T. III