New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-02
HARNESS RACING.
A GRAND CIRCUIT MEETING IN NEW
YORK THIS YEAR
W II. CLARK's NEW TROTTING TRACK TO BIZ
READY FOR THE HORSES IN AUGUST


$4,000 ENTERPRISE.
Nearly two hundred men and a couple Of steam
shovels are now making the dirt fly at great
10 complete the new trotting track near
Yonkers. W. II. Clark. the sole protector and
hacker Of the $4,000 enterprise. says that the
course will be ready for harness racing about Au-
gust l. and that he will give Grand Circuit meet
inc there soon afterward. In August or september
Pennel & OHern under bonds TO complete the
grading Of the course on or before May TO- ai'er
which time Seth Griffin, the well-known track
builder will take charge OF the work OF surfacing
and finishing the track.
Nearly three hundred and fifty thousand cnnic
yards OF earth will be moved In constructing the
track and dwelling the nied. the cost OF TINS part
of the work alone amounting TO something IKE s'o'-
600 1t is said that Mr.. Griffin is confident that
with the material at hand he can construct one OF
the fastest trotting courses in the country Mr.
Griffin built the New England Breeders Associa-
ton track near Boston. where Star Pointer gained
his record OF 1:59i.. The track VIII be as nearly
level as the engineers and the graders can make H.
without rise or a drop from start to finish. The
homestretch and the first turn are TO be one nun
bred feet wide. that ten horses may score
abreast and get away from the wire without crowd
ing.
Before the graders nnish their work ir Clark
Will let the contract for steel grandstand seat
ing from five thousand to eight thousand persons.
projected fan meeting Adjoining the grandstand
there may be a small clubhouse. although it is not
certain that this will be ready for occupancy this
year Mr. Clark expects to secure place in the
Grand Circuit and will hang UP a long list of good
purses for his meeting. -Four or more OF these
purses Will be worth 5000 each and the others will
probably average 5000 in value. Horses wearing
hopples are TO be barred from all the
track Mr.. Clark says the three-in-fve style of
racing now In vogue will probably be done away
with giving place to the two-in-three or mileand-
repeat system
s S. Toman, who has been engaged to act as
secretary of the new track. will announce the pro-
gramme for the fall meeting within few weeks,
and will open at that time number Of early clos
ing purses. After this year il is Mr.. Clarks inen-
ton to hold two meetings every season-one IN
June and the other i'm September. II Is not uH-
likely that running meetings will be held at the
new track at some future time. although harness
racing is TO have the first call
The tract Of land on which the new track il 10 be
built is the one that James Butler selected IA
for the proposed Driving Club track last spring.
1t consists of one hundred acres, bounded on the
north by Yonkers-ave.. the west by Central-ave.
and the east by Trenchard-st. The course IL so
laid out that the homestretch will be nearly par
allel with Yonkers-ave.. and the grandsiand facing
the south, will be close 10 that thorouehfare on
which the electric street railroad runs from Yon-
kers TO Mount Vernon. NEWCOMERS who visit the
track go by the Harlem Railroad TO Mount
Vernon. by the New-York Central to Yonkers,
by the New-York and Putnam road 10 Dunwoode.
taking the streetcars from any OF these stations 10
the track Those who drive may go straight out
Central-ave.. distance of seven miles from the
Harlem River bridge.
The appointment Of committee TO revise the
prize list OF the National Horse Show will meet
with universal approval among the devotees OF
,rottine Experts and exhibitors have long been
.t,gaf he 1f.,Ht
harness division OF the show. and they are now
hoping that the prize list Will receive a thorough
shakins-1p at the hands OF Colonel Lawrence KIP,
known horseman said to a Tribune reporter d few
days ago:
THE conditions governing all the trotting classes
are too vague and indefinite. An exhibitor T. all at
when he makes entry. and the judges are
in the same boat when they set out to tie the rib
bons. You can't enumerate In five words .he quail
ties that go to make high-class trotter. or the
points TO be considered in judging such horses;
Who knows whether records are TO be considered
ample? The conditions say nothing about records
one OF judges this year will give weight TO pub
lie performances on the turf in making their
awards. Next year another set OF judges will ig
more public records altogether.
Some OF the classes now In the book might be
done away with, and two or three new ones ought
be added. There ought to be "A class for Speed
purpose Extreme speed and ability to go fast
without artificial appliances would be important
factors Demonstrated speed counts for nothing
in the driving classes at the Horse Show under the
state that records will not be considered. No New
Yorker would buy a real road horse in these days
ability make one. and the faster it was the
higher wod De the pre- eher 'nss Ge o
of the driving classes for trotters.
Show prize list IL one for trotting stations. suitable
for getting park horses or high steppers. The trot
morse Is now III Sa 10 zee e e Ts
iional Horse Show Association has never given him
any recognition whatever In this direction