The Minneapolis journal., 1902-10-25

FAVOR BARRIER START.
Many Horsemen Believe English
;'l
System Would Be Success =,
az
in This Country. =

The no-recall system Of starting run
ming races is gradually getting; foothold, :,
in the west, and this year comments upon
It's workings have generally been favor
able. When the system was first tried on,
an eastern track much criticism was
made, because a number of favorites We're.
left at the start. It was held by The ma
jotity this year., however, that where
jockeys did not try 20 get the best OF,
the start, they were in little danger Of
getting the worst of 1t.
Undoubtedly the system would work
better if it were more generally adopted,
in this country, and if both Jockeys ard
This summer jockeys have repeatedly
jumped from one track where the new.
system was in vogue, to another where:
the recall flag was the rule. More or less,
confusion naturally resulted.
An Engishrnan the other day in dis
cussing the styles of racing In England
and America, touched upon the no-recall
start. The brother Of the gentleman in
question owns a big stable of horses in
England, and is prominent figure upon:
the tracks in that country. FIe said upon"
this point: z.
1.-The barrier start is universal in Eng:
land, whereas the no-recall system has
only been introduced in America durir5
the last few years. I think the barrier a
1nuCn D6LCer pan lIhH Tie uO-ISCdll Will
out a barrier. The gate is work by elec-
tricity. and generally it works in a satis.
factory manner. OF course, as is the case
with all mechanical devices, sometimes
the mechanism ia lis to work properly, and
then some horse gets the worst OF 1t. My
brother had mare left at the barrier in
a very rich race year or two ago, when
he had a very good chance to win first
money had he got a good start. =
accustomed
barrier work, it seems a marvel that one
or two jockeys and horses are not killed
or seriously hurt In every race. OF course
every one of the boys is trying to get the
best of the start, and they crowd up to-
the barrier, sometimes getting the necks
of their horses clear over. II any one or
them is caught that way when the gate
rises. It means broken neck for the
horse. and probably a severe injury for
the rider. ~
II have just received a letter from
nv brother in which he aludes to the sus-@
pensions of Reiff, Tod Sloan and other.
American jockeys in England. He says
that the opposition to Americans ON the
English turf is not nearly great as is
generally believed in this country, and
that the majority Of the English horse
men are very glad to see such men as w.
c. Whitney racing their horses In thaI
country" -"
Another local man we'll versed in mat
ters pertaining to the race track, COM
mends the English system. Said he: -
If the barrier system, such as is IN
vogue in England, was adopted in this
country, I believe there would be much
less trouble over starts. Have gate.
worked by electricity, with clock device,-
and let the clock strike three times, the'
gate rising upon the third stroke. Then
every jockey knows just when to expect
the start, and he can be ready Tor II.
Starting the horses by flag there IS
always a chance for charge of favoritism
on the part of the starter. With the barr
rier there can be no such opportunities