Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-04
DIFFER ON NEW PLAN
Ottumwans Do Not Agree as to
Innovation on Race Tracks.
EVERY HEAT A RACE is PLANNED
Many Feel That Proposed Change is
ImpracticabIe = Driver Who Laid
UP" Caused the Memphis Club to
Take Action-Local Ideas.

| Ottumwa horsemen are divided in
opinion concerning the advisability Of
adopting new harness racing rules as
suggested by the noted G. X. G. Bill
lings, whereby the present system,
which has been in vogue since 1906, is
to be discarded and hereafter frame
all races on the dash system, the same
as running races are conducted at the
| present time.
Abandoned at Memphis.
The Memphis, Tenn, Trotting asso-
citation, through Secretary Murray
Howe, has announced the abandon
ment of the present system of harness
racing. c. X. G. Billings, the well
known Chicagoan, who is the owner of
the track at Memphis, is said to be
SO Disguised with the present system,
which he claims allows drivers to LAY
| up" heats at will, that he has instruct
ed Secretary Howard to frame all his
| races in the future on the dash syS-
TEN, in which one race decides first,
second and third money.
Fraud Too Easy.
! 1t is stated that the cause of Bill
lings determination to abandon the
style of harness racing which has been
| in use in this country for almost a
| hundred years, was the confession of
Willard Saunders, the California driv-
er, who, when called into the stand,
admitted to the judges on the first day
of the Memphis meeting, that he had
not tried to win the first heat with the
horse he was driving
New System Started.
The association will be the first to
start so-called revolution of harness
racing rules and Secretary Howe an
nounces that all stakes and purses for
future meetings will be offered for the
/ first, second and third horse to the
wire to every race.
/ ottumwans Disagree.
In order to ascertain the local sen
timent in regard to the propor ed
change. a representative of the Courier
called upon a number of the prominent
racing men of the city and their opin-
ions as to the wisdom of such a move
are in part as follows:
Ed Dassett.
Il am not in favor of the proposed
change" said Ed Daggett," for the
simple reason that running horse and
trotting horse are two different kinds of
horses. The proper method of con-.
Quoting all pacing or trotting races. is
to award the purse to the winner in
the two best heats out of three and un
a der no consideration to go more than
five heats and settle according to the
4 finish at the close of the race. This
will prevent much of the fraud that
they are talking about and do away
with laying up" for with that mum
Der of heats driver could not afford
i to lost single one What is wanted
is system that will allow the best
horse to win. On half mile track the
proposed change is all wrong. The
horse that draws the pole has a great
, advantage over The rest of the field
and it would not be right to Judge q
horse by single heat. l am not in
! favor Of the change suggested
A. B. Williams.
Il am very much in favor of the plar
as outlined by Billings. With the pres
ent system it is not the best horse thai
wins in many of the races. A driver
will lay back and let some of the other
:, horses fight 1T out and become tired
then will step in and win the race
Fines are imposed when a driver is
convicted of this offense, but wha
!, does 500 fine amount to in a race
for a purse of several thousand dol
lars? The game is being ruined ant
something must be done. The onl!
!, way to put a stop to such work, to pre-
: vent fraud, is to make them dasi
> races. have always been in favor o
: the plan and would like to see sucf
!, rules adopted"
J. P. =. Leinhauser
d ''In exclusive race meets such pla1
|. might do all right, bue at county fair
J such asystem would be very impracti
S cal. The great majority of the peopl
of the state depend upon the count,
J. fairs for their horse racing and an,
plans that are formulated in regard t
n rules. must be framed to meet the re
S quirements of the majority. | do no
l. like the present system of three out G
I five. I'm in favor of three heats, an,
/ divide the purse according to the sun
q mary of the horses standings at thu
S close of the race. A horse must the
II have two heats to win, consequent
Il ly there is no chance for driver
Q lay up if there is a tie. divide tn