Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-13


OF running into curve almost the moment after
the word Go" the field OF trotters will thun-
der up for the signal to keep right OH along a
straight road OF third Of . mile, before the
tribulations and difficulties and Disadvantages
Of curve begin. Many light-headed FLYER
has lost his otherwise certain chances through
encountering n turn and all its twists and
crowdings before being fairly settled in his
stride. That troublesome feature of trotting
races will be avoided here.
The kite, also, is distinctly safer Where col
lisions occur Is at tho first corner when the
sulkies are pulling up and turning after a false
start The long stretch will give a field so
clear that there should be almost no danger in
this respect
The straight courses for thorouehbreds have
caused the records for all distances from half a
mile up to one mile and q quarter to be lowered
within the past year and a half. 1t Is generally
conceded that there is fully three seconds diff
Terence between the form of thoroughbreds
over the straight and circular courses. There
fore. in reviewing the performances of the
trotters and PAGERS mentioned above, il is only
necessary to cite the slaughter Of the scythe
bearer to give an idea of the difference between
the kite-shaped track and the old-time oval
course.
The two-year-old PAGER Manager, whose best
previous performance was 2l9iS went mile
IN 2l61a, although there was quite stiff wind
blowing when he made his effort The pacing
stallion Roy Wilkes, whose best record before
going to Independence was not better than
z IL, had no difficulty in turning that course in
20s, and a few days later tripped OF another
mile in 20sH. The fve-year-old pacing mare
Cricket lowered her record from ala 10 q TO-
while the Canadian stallion Alvin, whose best
mark on an oval course was 2 1887 had no
trouble in trotting TO record Of AJAX. jack
by Pilot Medium, who conquered Palo Alto at
Detroit, but who was subsequently defeated on
two occasions by the California stallion,
lowered his record from Is to III. and Mar
garet B., the champion four-yea cam
paigner OF tho day, knocked spots off her old
record by trotting in 2l214. placing herself
second only to the peerless Sunol in the book
OF time. But nobody doubts Sunors ability to
trot this new-fangled track in 207L or los.
and 1t is probable that Palo Alto could approach
Maud 8. 3 record over il, and Guy should also
60 In record time over its long stretches which
would suit his action to a nicely.
But, after all, records made over IL will not
compare favorably with those made elsewhere
In the estimation OF the public, and the new
shaped track must become universal before
breeders and trotting horse men in general
VIII NOT look askance at records made over il.
1t will do very nicely for breeders who want to
give starters "A fast mark.
Salvatore l.951 il regarded as prodigious
feat by the followers of the thoroughbred. but
old timers are whining for some horse to come
out and beat Ten Broeeks L392< on a circular
course. Tenny tried it and failed miserably
1t will be the same way on the trotting turf
until the kite-shaped track becomes the course
Of the country.
In speaking Of tho departure, Mr.. Fasig saws:
II claim it is the fastest form of a track. 1t
Is capable OF being built on property that may
not be properly shaped for the regulation mile
track. If built on rectangular piece of land
it will give large acreage that eau be sold or
used for other purposes, like buildings. &C.,
and on that account would make a very desira-
BILE form for large fai- associations. In addi-
ton to the increase Of speed to be obtained in
cident to making one turn instead of two every
horse in a race, except the pole horse would
trot a shorter mile than On the regulation
Assuming the second position on a track to be
six feet from the pole-and il is undoubtedly
more than that distance horse in second
position trots, on regulation track
thirty-seven and seven-tenths feet further
than at the pole. On the kite
shaped track, in second position, he trots
but twenty-five feet further, making a saving
IN distance of fifteen and seven tenths feet
This difference applies in the same ratio to all
outside positions. 1t has but ono disadvantage
that occurs to me, and that 10 that no heat
longer than one mile could be trotted upon il
But for fast time at mile distances il would
certainly eclipse any other form. The turn
on this track, being lon2er than the other
form. need be thrown up but one foot in
twelve"
Mr.. Fasig acknowledges that the track has
its imperfeetions, and those same faults will
undoubtedly tend to make il less popular than
it would otherwise become, although trotting
races nowadays over a greater distance than
one mile are SO few as to be not worth talking
about nor especially provided for.