Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-17
TURF TOPICS.
MARVIN'z METHOD OF TRAINING THE
PALO ALTO CsLTs.
Horses in Training Rere-sn Interview
with William Mccormick
Some General Notes,

Leslie Macleod, assistant editor of Jtal.
ldces Monthly, wrote long account Of his
Palo Alto visit in the New York Tribune
Among ether things he says: "Charles
Marvin, Senator Stanford's trainer. is a
man of great resources in his profession. an
1ndefatigable worker, and close student
OF the mental traits Of the horses be trains.
He is far and far away the most successful
troting horse trainer of this age. ard a
man OF eSan temper and superior intelli.
gence. My visit 10 Palo Alto was for the
purpose Of preparing for publication a
WORK Oh training, written by Mr.. Marvin.
and necessarily l had to study the Palo
Alto methods closely. The usual course
was followed With sunol. The colt at Palo
Alto IS weaned at about five months old
and is then taught 10 lead by the halter
After he becomes thoroughly accustomed
10 this, ne IS given his first preparation for
his turf career. This is On a miniature
TRACK, or, IS call 1t, the kindergarten, and
n;i'k yoil, Inls innovation is one of the dis
unctVe features Of the system Of trsiniro
which Seaator Stanford and Mr.. Marvin
perfected. This is a covered track. abont
one-hfteenih Of q mile in circumference
ana IN fecI. counterpart in miniature of
the regulation mile track. The colt is led
around II Until the novelty wears of and
is then turned loose after being boo,ad
with perfect fitting shin and Quarter boots
vi course he colts fist impulse is to GAL
!op arouucNhe track, but be suon settles
into troI, and is thereafter kept at il as
much as possible, being controlled BY the
voices ana whips Of the trainers, bat he is
never struck or treated with the slightest
violence
The youngsters learn surprisingly fast
what is wanted Of them, and after a few
months take the exercise with scarcely q
mistake. Prominent among the good
features CT this training equipment. it NAV
be mentioned thst it Sits the good from
the bad, and enables the trainer to pick out
those tina; ere most promising. This is 10
small advantage az place of the extent of
Palo Alto, where there are about 800 brood
mares IN the stud and from 20 to 100 horses
and colts always in training"
HOW locg does this training on the
miniature track continue?"
u nth the colt is about fourteen months
Old 1t IS TIE only training. After that he
is WORKED, both in harness and OF the
miniature rack, until, say two wears old,
when ne sees he last of the kindergarten.
AT ABOUT fourteen months of age the colt
Is broken 20 harness and his work begins
on the mile track. This work consists in
snort sharp brushes to develop high
speed, anu this brush system is also
Palo Alto invention. This, with the min
lature track, mas been criticised by trainers
OF the old school, but their criticisms do
not have much weight against the fact
that horses bred and trained at Palo Alto
tos
lngs, tTo-y ear olGs, three-year-olds and
four-year' eds, and Sunol's three year-old
record Is within ore-balf second OF jay
Eye-Sees hve-year- old record"
AMONG SACRAMENTO HoRsEMEN.
Lockout" the Sacramento correspond.
ent OF the Breeder and Sportsman, writes
to that paper that. owing to the extremely
bad winter, our track had been in poor
condition for several months. 1t is true
that at times we have been favored with
one or two good days. but taken all in all
we have had very hard time in working
our horses. Within The last few DAYS our
worthy President ana Secretary have issued
very sensible order TO the Park Superin-
tendent, showing him the danger in hay
ing uottsrs and runners work. W or the
track at Inc same time, and now the
thoroughbTeds viii have the advantage of
morning work, while the trotters will c.
: ipy the course during the afternoon
providing ii don't rain.
Frank De Poyster's string loo.-s about
the best CT The lot here, and il NAV lust be
possible iEat If The horses which have
been winteTed at other sections are in 10
better condition than ours, those under
Franks cha,ge may be found leading the
van in April next.
Al Farrow aud Lon gshot are about the
best that Frank has in training Guido
also looks fairly well, and one, Gano
FLY, belonging TO Mr.. Paddock of Saa
Francisco. Is lille beauty and will be
heard from before long
Alb. S.enier Is looking after the Shippee
stables. Fsliowcbarm is the best in the
lo'; the Two yeaT-old, Longfellow, hes q
very slick appearance, and the Prince
Charles may soon be fit for race. The
King Ban colt is big, strspp!ng fellow,
and if he stands the Grand prep, is liable
to get to the front. Picnic has not grown
much.
Matt Stern has eight altogether in his
stable, the more prominent OF which are
Lurline, Ia-igoid Kildare and Larghette.
the latter he has lately bought from
Charles Absy of the Lsng;ry Stock Farm
for quite long figure. A three year old
colt by Ji}s johnson and out Of that great
old mare LevereIt BIZ Lever, is rather a
fairly vel until LAST summer, when he had
the misfortune ID spring al ugly curb
However, all signs Of that has now disap-
peared and ne is likely to make q moderate
good race horse.
VIM VI hurry is looking after num-
Der of youngsters, including kiro, which
is the best H"o Es- Lookout has ever seen,
and while al Of Mr.. Murry's horses are
locking wei, YET none OF them are fit TO he
seen on public course yet.
Colonel Harry /. Thorntcn's stable IS
about on q par w.h The bala ice as far IS
the amount Of work given them is con-
cerned. He aas some good two-y r-olds
amongst them lie Carrie C. FLY is very
taking to the ege. The big Darabir colt,
out of Bavaria, aud the John Happy
youngster are & pair cf good ones, and the
Colonel also has 3 Hyder Ali FLY which
will temp; many 10 back her for a little the
first tiule she g;aFiS; the old mare Abb, if
she has not lost Der speed. will be very
dangerous opponent for anything that may
start against her this year.
The Deunison Bros stable is doing well
but itisimpossioie to tell at present whether
Lucky Dal" has q good thing up his
sleeve or not.
TRAINER wM. MCCORMICK.
A RECORD. UNION reporter bad the pleas.
IRE OF a brief interview the other day with
Wm Mccormick, who recently resigned
his position IS trainer for the Winters sta
bic. 1t was Mr.. Mccormick who condi-
toned and trained the peerless FL Rio Rey
for his wonderful performance on the turf
last season, and hoIssmen have been Curl
GUS to know what could have occurred to
cause Mfr Mccormick. to take his leave of
Mr.. Winters or the latter to part with so
faithful and successful trainer.
In reply TO an inquiry by the reporter in
relation to this matter, Mr.. Mccormick
said that it was something he cd not wish
to talk about; that it was matter that
really concerned only Mr.. Winters and
himself, and he did not think it would be
proper for him TO discuss it merely because
friends Of them both had curiosity 10
know their private business
In the course OF lGe conversation that fol-
lowed Mr. Mccormick said he garded FL
Rio Reg as the greatest horse that has been
on tie American turf for many long years,
although his younger brother Rey del Rey,
was liable 10 come up 10 his furni. In bis
colt work thus far, said be, the youngster
has shown up qaiie as well ss Ii RIO Rey
had at bis age
Ia regard 10 the rumored movement by
Chicagoaus 10 purchase FL RIO Rey. MI.
Mccormick said it was not improbable.