Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-11-01
HORSE EDlTOR'S COLUMN
A PLEA FOR ABATEMENT OF
POOL ROOM RACING.
Endurance Desired, not Speed on
ly-Joe Paichen's History Lo-
cal and General Horse Notes.

Now that the cold snap has
struck us and racing is over for
this year, excepting on the wint er
tracks, let our thoroughbred
breeders come together and see if
a different system of racing can be
inaugurated in this country, at
least where short dashes of 800
and up TO 600 yards prevail.
There are so many good sires and
dams in this country that trace
their lineage direct to Harry Bas.
sett and Longfellow, those horses
of the four mile heats, that it
seems possible for the territory to
produce something phenomenal
on the running turf. The system
Of short dashes is pernicious and
a crying evil to all concerned; the
horses themselves become mere
sprinters, and have to compete
with scrubs who have speed
enough TO go only the short dis
tance which have become the
fashion. He becomes degenerated
under the system of training re-
quired for this and all that is con-
sidered noble and enduring in the
animal is neglected for the mere
making of speed which enables
him to compete with the plebeian
who has nothing else to recon.
mend him than his ability to go
few hundred yards at speed.
Now why has this state of things
arisen2 Has the public demanded
it or is it the fault of the breeders
themselves2 In the opinion of
many the fault lies with both.
Winter race course owners and
pool room gamblers have set the
snare which has entrapped the
breeder to raising an animal not
quite as valuable as the old.fash-
ioned thoroughbred who in his
races made blood tell; but the one
who could be raised cheap enough
to race in snow and ice, in cheap
selling races which are rarely a
longer distance than four furlongs.
Will it continue TO pay the terri
tory breeder to raise this monde.
script animal? No; already a cru
sade against this kind of racing
has started in the northern and
eastern states and congress will be
petitioaed at its next session to
pass a law abolishing this sort of
hippodroming for it can't be called
racing, and with more than fair
show of success. Then the bree der
who has been raising scrubs will
find himself like Othello, with his
occupation gone. Horse racing
can never be abolished and the
day is not far distant when racing
like Col. McDaniels and Ten
Broeck raised horses for will come
again. The territory can produce
just as good horse as can be
raised on the blue grass and it is
all nonsense to think that no other
locality can compete with Ken
tucky in raising the thoroughbred.
Even Montana has produced a colt
that was able to give the best OF
the Kentucky colts few pounds
aud n beating at all distances, and
this climate is far superior to that
of Montana fOrthe raising of stock
There is just as good blood here as
can be found in either state aud
the only thing that is now lacking
is to raise and educate a colt that
can carry weight and go distance
enough 10 make a horse race with
out throwing his tail up. If the
owners Of sires and mares, the
men who breed them, would come
together and start the ball rolling
in the right direction by opening
stakes for colts bred in the terri
tory, they would find it a source OF
profit to themselves and attract a
good deal more attention to this
country as a profitable field for
horse raising than is now being
done by the Cook gang of outlaws.
GENERAL HORSE NOTES.
l.. w. Marks has got stable he
thinks of taking to one Of the win
ter race track.
Wyu an thompson, of Big Cab
in switch viii be on the turf next
year with one or two good ones.
"Uncle Duke" Kelley showed a
lot of colts by Buckton at the fair
that would be a credit to breeder
in any country.
Dick Kilgore has one of the
handsomest inbred Bassett fillies
in the country and the boys say
she can run some too.
There is pretty sure to be a
good many sports on hand Satur-
day Of next week, on the occasion
Of the race at the fair ground.
Bill Ingalls, has some running
stock up on Big Cabin that would
be worth a trip out there to see, A
match with John Beals is probable
one of these days
The calling of the heat between
Robt. J. and Jno. r. Gentry a
dead heat has caused much dissat.
isiaction as 1t is generally allowed
that Gentry won by a head.
One Of the fastest of the new pac-
ing stars to come to the front il
the horse Strathbury by Rose
berry who took a mark of 2.O6 IL
defeating a good field at the same
time.
Fifteen hundred people paid
irom $3.50 to s2 90 head TO wit
ness the Alix. Directum race a