New-York tribune., 1891-12-27

| the States south OF the Mason and Dixon 1ne ana
| was mainly INDUCED in by the rich planters OF
| that section. The Northern people Of that time
were not imbued with "a great liking for turf
sports and nothing short of great sectional
| match-North VS. South-would awaken enthusi-
asm. Racing, such as IL was then. was perhaps
enjoyable enough. The distance was hardly ever
| less than two miles. often four miles, and fire.
| quently four-mile heats As general thing, the
races were sweepstakes for large amounts between
| the owners OF the horses at weght-for-age. IL
| soon became manifest that under such conditions
the best horse had toe much advantage over those
who were inferior 20 him in speed " staying quail
| ties The old South Carolina Jockey Club gave
two or three handicaps, with but little added
money, AZ the Charleston racetrack In 1856 and
/ $50, hut perhaps the first handicap Of Inn
portance run In this country the Allen iiandi-
cap. two miles, ~, 500 added. which run nc
Newmarket Va. In 1885 and won by John
Hunters Nicholas Newmarket il a snail town
few miles from Petersburg. When tho war
ended aud racing was revived IN tho states OF
New Jersey and Ncw-iork, recourse Wa had, Tor
the purpose of equslizing tho chances Of ALL to
the English system Of handicappng. Tho n"t
experiments were tried M the old Secaucm track,
which was situated In the salt meadows In Tie
rear 81 ilohokcn. In the hll of isea where handi-
cop hurdle races. sioeplcchsscs and one o. two
m, raoes were given The nnt handicap IN the
nat was q, two miles and q quarter, and was won
Nv Colonel McDaniels horse Oakland hvcyeai.
old son n Revenue and Mafgrsye, who hca'
Thunder. nv Lexington out Of Hue Bonnet and
two ~ three others These handcaps ~ ~
caucus, however, were not alii.rng suceess
Two years later. however. Leonard W Jerome /
having In the meantime constructed Tho beautiful |
mark which stll hears his name, the Grand Va I
tional Fordham and Jockey Club handicap. wefe /
Instituted hy the American Jockey Club The, .
may he considered. and properly should ~ con F
a. lcrcd, A. the primary American hRndicais from .
the beginning they were races VI more Than .
ordinary importance Year by year handicapmng .
grew In favor until now the brooklyn Handicap /
and the Suburban overshadow every other con.
test of the racing season.
There are various systems Of handicapping
Some men keep books-that is, they daily write
down the names of the first three horses that
have oontsnded IN every ace Of which descrip
tion IL published with tho weights 10 which they |
nm and the distances between them NJ the
finish and oa ihe opposite siie ~ the page re-
handicap them ~ such variation Of inipos' as
might presumably hr,ng them 20 a dead heat
some keep only ladd,rs. that IL, long lists of
hones handicapped over various courses, from
five fdfiones upward, and rccast the weights con
stantly. Othefs like Mr Weatherby, for many
years handcappcr for the English Jockey Club, 20
through the book anew for each fresh compils-
tion. aided only by such notes as they have
made from personal observation.
When Captain Costet was the handicapper for
Monmouth Park his ladders" were sights
20 hehold The good Captains system was his
OWL ns he was blessed In the cradle with tho
altt lf siflct originality. lie was no respecter
fitis ana u was his Invariable practice To ilft
hu.se n,e pounds for winning and Drop hun
I've iHf losing race. A year ago, over the
sfafs sl veil lknowR thoroughbred, monument
tas rI. isi ana the front Of the pedestal bore
,his iusniis.ion lie carried top weight In
Oe~' - hahdi<ps ana won" Trainers cnuckle
| ~ Nwsn uul if.s'l me NBv they used TO hood
crsa,, %,ak We splaiu VIE perhss was more
Nothlns oovd w smpis, hsn tae siethod used
~ y ssc s,o nssh weigli on hg,e. tNcy wanted
%o,vins % mop hin, ht.lh.r ,hs ,opiosn had intended
Conspiracy would pfsip fheu,.riy,s ,sttt, hear.
ing ing Oi & .ne hanoicapp'i ,nd whspe' .os4b sN1st
| the hofses great wofk, upw ie bai at.s
| splendid trsl and was sure to i~.t sn,ika.s
| on tne track II the news Of the tti.l oosld =
| kept from the handicappcr Then suidsn, eaton
while the captain, suspectue nothing wuuii tste
ont bis ladder and Change the lUJ pounds w.
| l20.
But all bandicappers are imposed on a, times
None escape the machlnations Of the wicked
| trainer, and we continually hear Of hone, vinnng
handicaps with twenty pounds IN hand Turus's
Suburban. and Castaways Brooklyn landicap nre
instances OF this Scme Of the worst handi, applng
is done by committees We cannot fofgei the
work of the Linden Park trio--t oster. App by
aud johnson, with James f. Kelley as aguardian .
angel. Men cannot agree on handicap II they /
could there would he an end OF racing. Difference ,
OF opinion makes racing.
Nj Mcintyre will begin his next Brooklyn |
! Handicap by deciding what the top weight snail
| be aud will follow that with decision 10 the !
| bottom weight. Then h will 90 over the list !
| Of cntries, and, selecting the best and worst
hOrtes, place them at the two eAtremlties, giving
/ sHa = pfa and flsa ntrn
| The guide for S9l Ii then diligently studied till !
| the public form Of every horse entered is known.
after which all are divided into classes, the selling
! patrs being separated from the stake winners, |
the sprinters from the saycrs, the known weight
carriers from those unable 20 pack heavy burdens
! etc. The distribution of tLe weights between |
- and 90 pounds is made according to the best
public form of the horses engaged, the entire years
| record being taken into consideration
! Mcssrs. Lawrence Mcintyre and Vosburg unite |
10 declaring that al gicat handcaps are accidents |
President Philip Dvycr, Of the brooklyn Jockey |
the pace be slow, the nnisl viii in al probability
he close and exciting, with from four TO half =
| do1cn horses fighting FOR victory. while II tho
pace he very bot from the start the weak will |
IAN ls the waysidr.. leaving the battle 10 two
OF three hrt-clas animals Every hsbitual race.
soer will al'nit that Mr. Dwyer is right There
| because while over hcrc our races are rnn from
end 20 end, the H. i'sh"s do all their racing In
Mr.; voburgs sysem Of handlcappng is
slightly different from Mr. NcraIyres lie
divides his horses into 'hres classes. and
| handicaps on public form sd personal
| observation. You never see him 90 tne hnlshing
| post, but always about eighth ~ D. Ac-six-
tecnths Of mile from home. who're - can AXE
note OF the horses that are not trying re knows
that the papers will give full report Of The race,
~ far A. the first, second and third horses are
concerned. lie keeps q complete record of The
performances OF the horses under all conditions and
al distances, and is continually recas1ing The
ghfs a. they improve or 90 of. Mr. McIntyre's
RI 0ff s short and simple one. a. he concerns him
Ia Hataf hat a,,I oil.
ff asp horses. and of the best of these there |
more than thirty.
1fr docs not live who WAS ever satisfied !
~ flniiesp In which he had horse. We |
- Il - old Green Morris nd .lnLr |