The San Francisco call., 1896-01-18

improve horseracing on this coast, has al
most completed its magnificent practice
track at the Ingleside course.
AT glance the full meaning of the term
practice track" conveys nothing unusual,
but those who understand it's value and
utility are frank to admit that it's intro
duction in the West was master stroke
in the interests and future of horseracing.
1t is the first to be constructed in this
section of the country and must neces-
sarily be followed by others. No track to-
day is complete without its practice track
as a side issue and none are more bene-
fitted by it than the horsemen.
One of the judges of the Pacific Coast
Association, gentleman whose horse
sense and horse knowledge are recognized
by all men who understand the ms and
outs of the business, said in a conversa-
tion yesterday:
'I have Travelled all over America and
have spent most of my time around the
raeetracks. But in the many years that I
have been engaged in that occupation I
have never seen track SO capable of abso-
lutte perfection as the Ingleside track. It's
drainage is simply perfect and the direc-
tors and president, Mr.. Spreckels, appear
to be deslrous of making it the paragon
course west of Chicago. When I first came
here there was nothing but a stretch OF low
hi lis and gulches where the track now
rests, but to-day tits in condition to Justify
the appearance of the best horses in Amer
ca on its level. We ali know how the
m ovement was started and but few people
in this City have failed to visit the result.
A II Of 1,olo 4
work there and over $50 men are still en-
ployed on the ground. They are not at
work on the main track, for that is COM
pleted and is a credit to the coast, but they
are occupied in completing the practice
ira ck.
"a practice track, you must understand,
serves many purposes that are not implied
in its title. First OF all it is principally
for what its name suggests and is invalua-
BILE for horsemen to train their animals on,
particularly because it at no time inter-
feres with the main track. Nomatter how
much racing is going on in the outside
course, the inside road is free from any
programme that interferes with training
For instance, will illustrate: If the reg
ular events of the day are being disposed
of and a Jockey wants to exercise his
horse, he must wait until the track is
track, and his hours for exercising are
necessarily limited. On the other hand,
when a practice track is a part of the
features of the club, the Jockeys and
trainers can 60 right on working their
horses all they please without interfering
with the prepared races. This in itself is
one of the principal advantages to be
derived from practice track, and the
owners of runners in consequence hail the
appearance of this particular track with
unbounded satisfaction.
"Now that is not all. There are a great
many things to be reckoned in this in
stance and 1 would not be surprised even
then if have forgotten something. Sup
pose, for instance, the weather is bad and
considerable rain has fallen, the main
track will become muddy or heavy, as the
horsemen term it, and the practice track is
then utilized as a temporary substitute,
during which time the main track answers
all practicing purposes and the horsemen
go right on without interruption training
and exercising their animals. Thus it will
be seen that both tracks perform double
function. Owners of horses are the first
to profit by this arrangement, as it per-
mits them to keep their horses in the very
best physical condition, and all men who