New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-03
HARNESS RACING.
SPECIAL. CONGRESS TO REPEAL THE
RULE PROHIBITING HOPPLEs
LOOKED UPON AS \ MIS-
TAKE--NOTES

Tre returns from Cleveland afford furtAer PROOF
that the panic-stricken officers of the Nationa'
Trot,nC Association made mistake "heh my
called special congress 10 repeal the RUE pom"
icing ho2pcs in harness races. Although me '"'e
Colonel william Edwards. for many years pres'-
oepi and the controlling spirit OF the 'ieFeahu
Driving Park Association. was one OF Inc ''""-
era If tho fight against hopples. his SUCCESSORS
took the back track. with every other MEMBER OK
the Grand Circuit except New-Nork ana boS'on'
and advertised that hoppled PAGERS wouln oe pe'
United TO start at the Cleveland meeting NO"
that entries have closed for the instament purses
there VI is seen that Cleveland. like Detroit ana
hartford has fallen behind Boston in the number
Of entries received. The highest NUMBER OF e. t
n any pacing at Cleveland IS twcnEi "Ilne
Boson's list shows total Of thlrty-sN IN me COZ
responding Class. Wh1 BOSTON reccived nineteen
e1bscrintions cor the 2:l0 race. In the @16 class
cleveland got fifteen entries. as against twenty-five
for me 2;l4 class at Boston Cleyelands 'o'ai IS
1ftv-three. while Boston's Is seVenty-seVeh.
Resides barring hoppled PAGERS the managers OF
tho Nev-York meeting will put TO thorough test
.o- the first time in the Grand Circuit the much-
talked-os two-n-three style OF harness racing All
races A. the new track to be decided according
N this system this year. and the men who cam
ra,en trotters and PAGERS will get chance to win
some OF the largest purses hung up this season by
driving their horses only two winning heats. Ihis
departure from The old three-in-fve system has
caused good deal OF criticism IN certain quarters,
and many predictions have been made that short
races would not suit the men who make entries, so
that all eyes in the horse world are Just now fixed
on the books Of the Empire City Trotting Club
Secretary 5. :. Toman says he is confident that
horsemen going TO support the club in shorten
ing races well as in barring hopPes and and he
sure splendid meeting next September The irotcc
ting which Gose r9day aTe iTr for or
horses Of the 2s.class purse OF sS for horses
es purse p o. snG for rU stations the
free all-ciass purse Of 5000 Horses must be
named when entered in all races excepting the
subscription purse for 2:lo trotters.
The departures in harness racing OF the Empire
City Trotting Club will be put 10 the test to-day
when entries close for eight of the twenty or more
races TO be decided at the Grand Circuit meeting
next September The New-York managers have
hung up $50 900 for eight races. announcing that
horses wearing hopples will not be permitted TO
compete and that all races are TO be OF mile heats,
best two in three. NewYork and Boston are the
only points in the Grand Circuit where the danger
Gus and unsghty hopples have been banshed this
year and there is widespread interest among horse
men concerning the financial outcome OF the ex-
pertinent When the two Eastern associations de-
c!ded 10 make 4 stand agains. the appliances, II
was generally believed that tho move would result
In heavy financial loss 10 both tracks as nearly
one-fourth OF all the PAGERS in training require
the extra set OF harness 10 Keep them on tnelr
stride The experience at Boston. where entries
recently closed with the largest list of the season.
indicates however. that this widespread belief was
a mistaken one, and now Ii is hoped that owners
OF pure gaited natural PAGERS, VIII rally 10 the
support OF the New-York managers in their stand
agans: the straps and. by rolling up big entry
list here pave the way for putting the hopplcd
nncer ont Of business. The three pacing races
which close to-day for horses OF the $40. 21J
and 225 classes, the purse I'm the fast class being
& 600 while the other two are worth &'OU each.
and 2:25 races The go race is subscription
affair in which subscribers need not name their
candidates until August q, about two weeks before
tho day OF the race
Miss Sidney, 2:l4 and Egwood. 2141s, two crack
trotters Of last years campaign. will be shipped
from this port for Vienna within few days, John
splan having recently purchased them for Mrs.
Polly McPhce. the Austrian horsewoman. who has
owned such American hiers Bravado. 20i., by
Kentucky Wilkes: Colonel kuser. 2:llM. by
Stranger and Bismarck. 213A. by Bayard Wilkes
Mrs McPhee's latest purchases are looked upon as
being among the best OF many fast trOtters
ported within the last year. Miss Sidney came out
green in the Illinois circuit three years ago, and
PA mark at Lexington last fall. winning two fast
races within three days at the most important
meeting OF the year. She is seven year-old bay
mare by Sidney. 2:.9i. from Rachel Cossack by
Don Cossack: granddam Swigert's Naomi, by Alex
ander's Belmont Egwood IS n black stallion eight
years old by Eeber, from Vivian by Woodford
Msmbrino: grsnddsm. Virginia. ny Aexanders Alb
dallah He was bred by Merritt Brothers. of Read
ing Penn. who purchased his dam from W. +.
Redmond Of this city.