The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-24
Race rock ord
Stable Gossip

York Telegram. During the past few
weeks he has swung around the lead
ing horse centers of the country, and
says that a greater number of more
promising trotters are now in train
ing for the coming campaign than was
ever known before, and the chances are
greater for record breaking.
Il certainly would not be surprised
to see the worlds record, held by Alix,
lowered next summer, as well as the
stallion record held by Directum,' he
said.
There are so many fast ones in prep
aration for next seasons work that
have proved their ability to cover a mile
very close to the records and are sized
up by their trainers as being able to
do better than ever, that a second or
so is liable to be clipped off the time
of the champions. The events pro-
grammed by the associations are of
such character, that is, the arrange
ment of the classes and the size of the
purses will put the best ones on their
mettle and make the contests keen.
I have never noticed such unanim-
ity among trainers and drivers in favor
of trying the two in three heat style
of racing. That matter has been agl-
tated before, but it never received the
general support that has obtained this
kind of way with more or less success
One trial of it on the Montana circuit
was successful, and l believe that that
fact has been somewhat of a factor in
the present general agitation of the
matter. The system had few advo-
Gates until this winter. HOrsemen could
not agree. and that is Why it has never
been generally tried. The coming sea-
son will see the plan thoroughly tried
on various prominent courses, and I
am of the opinion that it will prove
popular with the public and horsemen
as well.
THE call of President Johnston for a
special congress of the National Trot-
ting association is an indication that
the officials of the N. T. A. are intlu-
enced by the popular clamor for some
changes in the rules, and the chances
are that at the meeting this month will
be seen some radical changes in the
rules governing the light harness turf.
There is no doubt that rules have
been made that have not been popular
with the general run of hOrsemen, and
the call for this meeting is made for the
purpose of changing or adding to the
rules such things as will meet the
ideas Of the greater majority of men
who breed or race trotting or pacing
horses. The light harness horse is
bound to be the popular horse, and the
present boom in that direction will Sim
ply prove that the fittest survive, in
the face Of bicycles, automobiles or air
motors
Burns & Waterhouse are winning
with their stable right along at San
Francisco and are far in the lead of all
other stables racing there. Colonel Dan
Burns. the senior and active member
of the firm, is busy at Sacramento be-
ing elected United States senator while
his gallopers are heTding dollars at San
Francisco. The firm are making active
preparations for a double campaign this
season, sending to New York the pick
of their ownership and taking a second
string through the West. beginning ope-
rations at the St. Louis spring meet
ing.
In the Eastern string, and the star of
the stable, will be Napamax, the
Brooklyn handicap candidate. 1t is the
purpose to have the Burns & Water
house colors represented in an Eastern
classic by NapamaX, and an especial
preparation will be given for that event.
The Eastern stable will have Dan Stone
to guide its destinies, while Mike Kelly
Porter Ashes old jockey trainer, Will
be the director of the Western contin-
gent.
The firm has never done well in the
East. The horses seemed to have gone
off Immediately they got here, and were
it anybody but Dan Burns discourage
ment would have been certain result
of the ill-fortune which has followed the
colors on Eastern courses, but Burns is
man who fattens on adversely, md
he is coming again to try for anything
from selling race to the Futurity.
If California form means anything The
Watercress colt which they call Yellow
Tail is a good deal of a race horse. lie
mas good Eastern engagements, liJd If
he lands here right he may be 4 cen
tender, especially in the early stnies
There is story, though it has not gem
eral belief, that Burns & Watorh 1use
have been trying to buy the full brother
to Counter Tenor, which John Madden
has astutely corraled. Madden put too
high price on the youngster and the
Western firm refused the figure
That Ferguson family is a wonder.
they say. Blue Grass" Jim is a breed
en- starter and a money maker when
everybody else is losing, young Garnet
suddenly turns trainer-owner and
makes brilliant success, and now Mrs,
Ferguson, wife of blue Grass" James.
is coming out as an owner. She ,,ns
sent to Eugene Leigh from Lexington
couple of colts from the Kingston
stud, which her husband owns. One Of
ti'Niii 10 q ~. N1tbi &c anu the OI1Cr
Prince Royal and Leigh has sampled
them sufficiently TO say that when they
are ready for the money they will GER
tainly get some of it and be returned
among the first three
Leigh. by the way. has in his charge
more horses than any other trainer in
the country, and he is urging other
good men to follow his example and
open their stables to the general own
ers who have three or four horses to
race. He thinks it would be good idea
and would encourage many men to
have small racing holdings on the prop
osition that the horses could have first
class care at comparatively small eX-
penSe.
In Leigh's stable is quartered MAY
Hampstead, and she is getting to be
good mare again, which is pleasing
news, for when she began her 2-year-
old career. so abruptly ended by acct
dent May Hampstead was worthy the
consideration of the best of them and
might have been much better fil1y
than was Black Venus. When Hemp
stead was retired Black Venus was no.
WI no i,,T