The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-09-27
RACING IN MANILA.
The Horses Are only Ponies In Size,
But They Run Long
Distances.


1t isn't all fighting at Manila. There |
Is some fun as well, and one of the fea |
lures of relaxation there Is horse rae. |
ing, which would indicate that after all
the Filipinos will ultimately turn into
good American citizens.
To be sure, the sport, as conducted |
there, differs greatly from the ways OF
the United States. The horses are small,
the distance long, and the weights
great, but still the "gee-gees run
round" and that gives a chance FOR ex.
element and betting. The following
is from n description sent to this city
by J. d. Teesdale, and contains both
information and interest. 1t may also
suggest a new line of enterprise for
American horse owners when the wal
in the Philippines is ended, if it ever is.
In part, he says:
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 these that are driven in
the caramettas about the city of Ma.
Mia, without any difference In breed.
ing or anything of the kind.
"The track is a turf one, the rail be.
ing made of bamboo, poles and all, and
only one rail. On one occasion an ami
NAL was crowded on to the rail, and
down the rail for about 30 yards.
1.-THE horses run with the left shout
der to the pole, the reverse to the way
they run in the states. The track is
oval in shape, and n little less than
three-quarters of mile In length.
There is no wire at the winning post,
but the post is somewhat on the plan
of the English winning posts. There is
large grand stand, a little lower than
American ones, and, of course, 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.
1.-THE distances these small creatures
run and the weight they carry seem
enough to make an Anglo-Saxon blush.
No wonder it takes them so long to go
the distances they run. The ponies
stand from ~ to 10 hands high-that
is, from 4S to so inches in height, and
are marked on the programme by
inches, not by hands. There seems to
be few handicaps; as n rule, they carry
weight for inches, instead of age. / see
! that there is one race called the Union
| club, in which ponies standing so inches
carry, according to their past perform
ances, 1874, 1873, 1875, 1870, and 140 pounds.
| The race is IN miles. The Derby, run
on Tuesday last, in torrent of rain,
which had been falling for two hours
previous to the race, is 2A miles for
| ponies, all except one standing 30
inches, the exception 40 inches, all ages,
the 50-inch ponies carrying 1874 pounds;
the 49-inch one carrying 1873 pounds.
"In most of the races height alone is
considered, ponies standing 4S inches
carrying 1872 pounds; 40, 1873; so, 1874;
81, 1876; SO, 1856.
"Three-quarters of a mile is the short
est race; the distances are from that to
| az miles (three times round the track ,
| and the weights never less than 1872, al
most always 1874.
|
the time of the five races, there being
five each day, five days races, Saturday
being the last day.
1.-THE times, rs / took them, were:
One mile, 2:15; ~ miles, 1858; ~
miles, $3.50; ~ miles, 1895, and three
quarters of a mile, las.
GAS to promptness, much can be said
in the Jockey clubs favor. There are
three bells rung-one bell to get ready,
two bells to saddle, three bells to go to
the post. A few minutes only are al
lowed between bells, and the ponies are
out at the post promptly on the very
minutes announced on the card. need
not inform you that the starting ma
chine is not used here. There are no
breakaways and no false starts. The
distance is so great and the pace so slow
that it matters little that one and
sometimes two animals are left stand
ing a few seconds after the others are
well on their journey. There is no
pedigree of the animals on the race
card. Betting seems very brisk.
don't believe there is any pulling on the
part of the jockeys, nor is there much
pulling on the part of the horses in the
last mile of a 2H-mile race, with 1874
pounds up."-Chicago Inter Ocean.
Artillery Against Lightning.