The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-10
RACING IN PHILIPPINES.
Ponies, Long Distances and Heavy
WEIGHTS the Usual Order.

Weights the Usual Order.
J. I. Teesdale, in a letter from Ma
Mia to the Spirit of the Times, de-
scribes racing on the Isle of Luzon as
follows:-
1.-The animals that took part were all
native ponies originally of Chinese
stock, as are all the ponies in the Phil
ippines. The animals that race are just
the same as those that are driven in
the caramettas about the city OF Ma
Mia, without any difference In breed
ing or anything of the kind.
1.-The track is a turf one, the rail be-
ing made Of bamboo, poles and all. and
only one rail. On one occasion an an
imal was crowded on to the rail, and
down came the rail for about 80 yards.
THE horses run with the right shout
der to the pole, the reverse to the way
they run in the States. The track is
oval in shape and a little less than
quarters of a mile in length The
post is somewhat on the plan Of the
English winning posts. There is
large grandstand, a little lower than
American ones, and, of course, a band
of music. The method Of starting is
similar to the method in the States,
using two red flags. Notwithstanding
the fact that the horses run with their
right shoulder to the rail, the jockeys
hold the reins in the left. and the whip
| in the right hand
The distances these small creatures
run and the weight they carry seem
| enough to make an Anglo-Saxon blush
! NO wonder 1t takes them so long to 80
the distances they run. The ponies
stand from u to 13 hands high-that IS
from AZ to 81 inches in height. and are
marked on the program by inches, not
py hands. There seem to be few han
alcaps; as a rule they carry weight for &
inches instead of age. There is one
race called the Union Club, in which 4
ponies standing 80 inches carry, ac-
cordlng to their past performances, 1874
1875 l35, 139 and 140 pounds. The race
IS a mile and a quarter. The Derby
run on Thursday last in a torrent Of
rain, which had been falling for two
hours previous to the race, is two and
quarter miles for ponies. ali excep&
one standing so inches, the exceptloIN
40 inches, all ages, the 50-inch ponieI
carrying 1873 pounds. 0ii
In most of the races height alone 4
considered ponies standing forty-elgfA
inches carrying 1872; forty-nine. l3S
nfty, l34; fifty-one, 1876; fifty two. 1856.
Ihree-quarters of a mile is the shor
| est race; the distances are from III
| 10 Two and quarter miles three tim
round the track and the weights nev
Tess than l32, almost always 1874,
=, l was present on Saturday and to
the time Of the five races The tim
as took them, We're: One mile 2:
one and quarter miles, 2:5S: one
/ quarter miles, 2:59; one and q
miles, 3:S5; three-quarters OF a nj
i las.
of course, 1 have described
horses III you so call them) as b
/ very much smaller than the Amer
j thoroughbreds; the jockeys (if you
can them such) are very much la
tnan the American jockeys. think
! horses carry little dead weight
i though l saw lead being put into
j SADDLE pocket. The Jockeys sit up
all the time, carrying the whip ii
same manner that a major Of Al
can infantry carries his sword
4 mounted and giving Commands
battalion. They finish whippin
| morse on both TANKS. Gray horses
trary to the rule in America. Aus
and England) seem to be the bes
gray won on Saturday a mile
! quarter race, and then came OF
an hour later after drinking q
OF lemonade and whisky, and
mile and a half race, against
that had not run that day. 1t is
mon thing to run one horse tw
| same day, and even twice In sue
In fact, / see that one horse is d
three races in one day You ca
imagine then that almost even
runs every day.
! Much can be said i,
Jockey Clubs favor. TIE
three bells rung-one is
ready, two bells tor saddle
bells to go to the post. A Jews
only are allowed between bid
the ponies are out at the post ~
on the very minutes announces
| card. i need not inform youna
starting machine is not uses
| There are no breakways ancs
starts. The distance is 80 gref,he
| pace so slow that 1t matters nat
one and sometimes two arm
| left standing a few secondstM
others are well on their jourf are
IS no pedigree of the aninaths
race card. / question II Tires
OF any horse is known. Fl1e nd.
dock where the racers are aand
walked, to get into which B an
extra charge The admiss me
races is so cents American o.s
cal currency. A good crows al.
tendance-many American and
officers wives, and nsslsrs9
American only, the Spana IIer
having all left the islands, EFili-
pino soldiers beings enRae now
in racing of a different hi not
for amusement or recreee lther
Betting seems very briek |'4
She-Ilave you sent any sp,oeme
10 the magazines? ps "pVs
He-Yes; but merely as 49,, AZ
good faith and not neccshI nvbli-