New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-10
AQUEDUCT'S BAD RECORD.
PLENTY OF REASONS Fob ABOILsHING
THE TRACK
THE COURSE NARROW AND THE TURNS
SHARP AND UNBANKED-FEw RACES
TRULY RUN-HERE'S WHERE THE
JOCvE-Eyy C.TI-rs SI4OI-T n STE-T, ~

TRULY RUN-HERE'S WHERE THE
JOCKEY CLUB SHOULD STEP IN.
Probably the end Of no meeting ever found race.
goers OF the type known regulars more pro-
foundry grateful than that of the fan meeting az
Aqueduct. which came TO a close Saturday after
noon. Ever since the first day complaints have
been loud and long against the manner in which
the horses were running. and the Homecoming
trains after the days programme had been run on
little but harsh criticism heard. FavOrites
have not done particularly we'll at any OF the tracks
this season, but track have they done any
where near badly at Aqueduct this fail
There have. moreover. been several races that had
bad look, and which racegOers do not think
sufficiently investigated
While these complaints have a certain sweet
reasOnableness' behind them. they do not touch
the radical weakness Of the track the plague spot
from which all such evils have sprung and may
spring as long there is racing Adueduct and
II is TO 10 hoped that that time will not be Ions.
The manner in which the track is built is the
strongest argument against its continued existence
Somebody with stirgy eye laid out the race
course. II is to the point Of parsimony-so
narrow that at the start for the mile and seventy
yards there is not enough for eleven horses 70
start fairly, though frequently larger fields
started from that point In consequence OF this
failing the horse that gets away little behind his
fellows is shut back where he cannot get through
until perhaps it is too late
Every Of the four turns is so sharp that a
Jockey is forced to reduce his speed swing wide or
a very real risk of serious accident and the
unfortunate animal that happens to be on the out
side of field that is rounding turn is almost sure
to swing nearly to the outside rail- thereby losing
much valuable ground. Nor are the turns properly
banked II they We're, horses could maintain high
rate of speed without swinging nearly so wide. It
is not too much say that these conditions alone
are enough 70 condemn the track utterly in the
eyes Of every lover of fair sport It is not too much
TO say that not one race in ten can possibly be-
truly run such track. whether it be at Aqus-
duct elsewhere.
The principal sponsors Of thoroughbred racing
in this country are men Of influence and wealth.
whose motives without doubt OF the best. But,
If they not that the conditions that sur
round racing at Aqueduct such as make for
the degradation of the sport they ought to be
made aware OF it at once. AS matter OF fact.
very few indeed of these men are ever seen ar
Aqueduct and comparatively few OF their horses
ever there But the racing there is con-
Quoted under their sanction-that is to say under
the sanction Of the Jockey Club-and they have the
power to remedy the unpleasant and unworthy con-
ditOns prevailing there
IL is safe say that if the Jockey Club DEGREES
the end OF Adueduct before another spring 1t will
earn the thanks of the racing public and strike a
good strong blow for the dignity of a sport to
which hundreds of thousands devoted. both
in this country and abroad
The revivifcation of Saratoga brought about BY
William c. Whitney. r. T. Wilson. jr. the Hitch
sample of the thing is calculated 70 raise the
tone OF Faelng, ~ place OF what was little bet
associates have raised into being broad. spacious
noble FacecOurSe, where the best horse has ample
opportunity to demonstrate his claims % FecOgni-
ton. The track Is reached by noble approaches
surrounded by beautiful scenery, and
pointment is dictated by good taste and conven-
fence
II Aqueduct is to be succeeded by another track
the Jockey Club certainly ought. and doubtless
will. take steps to make that IL is a vast i'm
prOVement over the course of the Queens County
Jockey Club. Let its track be broad ana the turns
easy and we'll banked. Let the conditions be such
that races may be truly run. Let the best horse
have a fair chance win. These conditions are
absolutely requisite a tOlerable raCecOurse.
If the surroundings beautiful and spacious and
the grandstand thing of architectural beauty so
much the better: but at least such miserable
apology for raCetrlck as that at Aqueduct ought
again 20 receive the Endorsement Of the Jockey
Club. 1t is to be hoped that Aqueducts last sad %
rites were celebrated on Saturday. Graveseud next