The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-15
THE HORsEMEN DOING EARNEST
WORK.
Great Racing Season Promised-Some-
thing About the Trotters, PAGERS
and Runners Already in the Field.

Inc money raised recently Dy on-
thusiastic horsemen for the improve
ment of the Kapiolani park race track
is being judiciously expended under
the direction of Nat Goodwin, the old
time driver and turfman. During the
past week gang of men and teams
have been hard at work On the track,
and they will continue along the line
of improvements mapped out so long
as the available funds hold out. Only
about $500 has been subscribed thus
far, but it is believed that sucn Il good
showing can be made even with so
small pittance that it will cause n
revival of interest among horsemcn,
who have not yet been heard from,
and that as much money again can be
secured by subscription.
The greatest fault with the Kap,o-
lani park track has ever BEEN the
sharp turns at the quarter and the
three-quarter mile posts, where the
track is perfectly level. Naturally,
when going at fast clip, a horse los
es headway in making the turn, and
unable to understand just how ,t is,
loses more or less interest in the
game. And then, the track on the
dust is deep and the pulling hard.
Drivers have always complained OF
this condition of affairs, as it is dis
couraging to horses and drivers alike.
1t is upon these sharp curves that
the funds on hand are being expended.
A bank of earth has been thrown up
along the outer edge of the track.
along the curve, rising to height of
three feet at the center of the curve,
and earth filed in between it and the
pole in such way as to produce a
grade of an inch to the foot. making
bank similar in construction to the
Cyclomere bicycle track. The earth
for filing is secured from the Dla-
mond Head quarry. The construction
is such that the track will be hard
and firm on the bank, but soft and
more springy about 25 feet from the
pole. Drains will be so arranged that
| the bank cannot be washed out. nor
will there be any longer standing wa
ter on the track after rain storm.
| Just now Mr.. Goodwin's forces are
concentrating their energies on the
makai curve at the end of the track,
and it looks very much as if the
| funds on hand would not be more
than sufficient to complete that, but
the promters of the work believe that
once the horsemen in general see the
great improvement, they will respond
to another call for such subscriptions,
and sufficient funds can be raised to
complete the job. The track will be
much faster than ever before, and
much easier on the horses.
| ho ~, 1a
winter has been very marked. \ very
large number of horses have been
shipped here from the Coast, and al
the next meeting of the Jockey Cclu
many dark horses will be in the field
A prominent horseman ventures the
opinion that there will be at least 4
score of new horses in training within
the next six weeks. Some of them are
already at it, although in quiet
way.
Jim Quinn's new trotter, "290 Girl,
is one of the most promising of the
new comers. While she has not We,
gone into active training Mr.. Quinn
has tried her out sufficiently to be
satisfied that she can beat anything
on the Islands, and at the proper mo-
ment will be willing to back his judg
ment with something more substan
tial than words.
Ralph, Drectress and Creole, VIII
of course, be in the field, and Ton
Hollinger's Gustie, Imperial and Mar
guerite are ready to go on the track n
the proper time. David David has ;
new PAGER of which great things are
expected, and a down town merchant
has recently purchased boots and {
sull<y for horse that has attracted
a great deal of attention on the road
Little is known as to the number
and qualities of the runners on hand
At least a dozen have been shipped
from the Coast during the past few
months, but they are being held back
AS much of the general interest in
race meet centers in the running ra
ces the bringing out of these darl
horses will be watched with interest
1t is a safe prediction that the rae
ing season of 1898 will be the creates
in many years.