The Lake Charles echo., 1894-08-10
STARTING HORSES.
SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THIS is
A DIFFICULT BUSINESS.

Why 1t Is Harder Here Than In Other
Countries Bother of Short Daahss Pop
uIar Misunderstanding of Good and Had
Starts,
Starting race horses ia flhe art, and
the man who fanoies it isn't will never be
convinced until he stands, flag in hand,
facing 10, 900 PERSONS and with dozen
or 80 thOToughbreds, ridden by anxious
jockeys, upon tho track, each rider doing
his best 10 get an advantage over his
fellows In 10 cases out Of 30 it is not
the thoroughbred that il to blame for
tho trouble at the post, nor Is it the
jockey directly, but it is the owner,
trainer or some spoculatOr III the back
ground who has told the jockey to get
off in front, no matter what happens,
and who has promised to pay his fine or
reimburse him for any penalty he may
incur in carrying out instructions 1t
is all very wUll to sit in tho grand stand
and cHticiso tho work Of tho startor
One must try tho business himself to
appreciate its difficulties and its trials,
1t IL a much harder task to start race
in England France, Austria or Aus
tralia, whore the pace is very slow at
the start, and II length or two advantage
when the flag falls does not count for
much. With us, and especially of late
years, since the system of short dashes
has become so popular with horse own
ers, which, by the way, has had such a
inf
nent Of the blooded horse, tho style
has been to ride pellmell from the start,
and races are won and lost very frequent
ly when the flag falls, Judgment of
pace is fast becoming q lost art. and
even our best jockeys now, with very
rare exceptions, havo no more idea Of
race riding than to got away we'll and
take the shortest course home in tho
quickest possible fashion. Consequently
every boy becomes imbued with the
idea that to win he must get off iu
front
The reader can easily picture to him
self the scene at tho post when there
are b Or 20 horses, many Of thOm rid.
den by boys not l6 years of ago, all Of
whom have been tOld-~smno Of them
with threats aud others with promises
Of large TeWards-to get the best of the
start ANY visitor to our race tracks is
familiar with the scene at the post.
Half q dozen horses will rush away at
false break when there is no possible
chance for an equitable start, aud when
they come tTottiug back and before they
have had timo to wheel and get into
line those that remained bohind the
first time will dash out and run perhaps
q hundred yards, leaving the first squad
in their places This goes on indefinite
ly.
Tho public is also familiar with the
sight Of ono on more horses standing
motiOnless some lengths behind their
competitors. The starter asks tho riders
of the horses in advance of the laggards
to wait until they have taken their po-
sitions Each boy seelus ta think it is
his bOundoH duty to walk his horse
when those in the rear attempt to move
up at q walk and to break away madly
if an attempt is made by those behind
to como up at q FpR
A starter should have thorough
| kp0Wledge Of racing, should be man
Of high degree OF intelligence be
quick OF eye and hand and, above all,
be of uuimpeaChable integrity The is
sue Of many thousands of dollars often
| times hundreds of thousands of dollars,
is decided by the fall of his red flag,
and it is his duty to see that every
horse, no matter by whom no is owned,
has an equal chance when he leaves the
post Every effort is made 10 catch tht
horses in motion aud on aa nearly even
teTma a. possible. Tha eye must take
In the field in a twiukling, and If this
Judgment is that the start is Batisfaeto
ry the hand will act in unison with th(
eye and the brain.
Very often horses are in bad places
and what might look to be a good star
from the grand stand would be poo
ono in the Judgment of the starter, anf
the flag does not fall. Criticism fQll0ws
and generally it is Of the harshest ant
most unjust character. Some horses arr
quicker on their feet than others ant
will make a good start look like q poo
one through their ability to get pndel
way much more rapidly than their com
petitors, A good start when the flai
drops becomes to the Wuthinktpg anc
ignorant poor start, and abuse is heap
ed upon the head Of the official
From time to time mechanical appli
ances for starting race horses have beer
invented, but they have not been pgae
tical and have not achieved success
A swinging gate to be raised by electrici
ty was spoken of some time ago, bu
fractions thoroughbreds could not bC
got pear ii, There are, again, horse
that are not TO be contrqlled at times
and collisions with the obstacle woulf
undoubtedly be Of daily occurrence
Then, too, ii wonld take months Of drill
ing to get horses TO overcome the idei
that they were not going TO run int
the gate. This and many other obleo
tions can be raised against this SYSTEM
A western inventor has patented gat
to be lowered before the horses Will
they stand at tho post which may b
moved away from them AZ q rapid rat
II speed BY electric power, the barrie
moving onward and upward at the sam
time. New York Sun,