Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-10
CASsIDY's BARRIER WORK.
Well-Known Starter Has a Fine Sys-
tenn for Benning

After a close observation of Mars Cas-
sidy's methods of starting race horses it
must be admitted that he has come nearer
to solving the problem of ideal starting
than any other man who has handled the
flag.
The last year that Mr.. Caldwell started
| horses-it was at Saratoga during the Wal
baum regime-he permitted the boys to
form in line back of the barrier and come
at the barrier in motion.
Mr.. Caldwell had the right idea, but did
not apply it in the right way. Perhaps If
he had he might have regained his title as
Prince of Starters
The objection to the old method of start
ing was that horses broke away too many
times and were often used up before race
started.
The objection to the fiat-footed method
of starting Is that in no race does the
starter catch all the horses in motion.
Others will break from a stand. The re-
| suit was that those horses in motion had
an advantage.
Turfmen have all along considered that
| there must be some way of combining the
| two methods so that horses could get away
| in motion.
| Finally a man named stedeker believed
| he could solve the problem, and he spent
| thousands of dollars in building barrier
| that lined the horses up some distance
| away from the starter and was then set in
| motion.
| 1t moved slowly toward the starter the
| theory being that horses would walk be-
| hind it and when all were In motion and
| in good order the tape could be lifted and
] the field sent away. But this thing failed
| Jockeys did not understand the theory
| and horses seemed to be afraid of the NOV
| ing barrier. The machine was discarded
/ Mr.. Cassidy then asked that he be al
! lowed to line horses up behind the barrier
| aftd frxr TO anil haY
was told that it was better to let we'll
1 enough alone.
But this season he determined to adopt
| the method despite all opposition He did
| try 1t on the Canadian circuit and the re-
| suit has been seen at Aqueduct
| That MIR. Cassidy has struck the happy
medium that turfmen have been longing
| for there is no question. The results have
| been excellent
1t must be considered in viewing Mr.
Cassidy's work that he has been compelled
| to break In lot of riders who have al
ways been accustomed to the old order of
! fiat-footed starting. And the results have
been splendid in spite of this handicap
| The method which Mr.. Cassidy uses is
| this:
| His assistants line up the horses about
forty yards behind the barriers. When
| the horses are quieted the assistants in
struct them to move forward keeping in a
| line. The laggards are instructed to keep
up and so the whole field walks toward the
barrier
If the line looks we'll the tape Is lifted
and the horses sent away. II not the field
| is sent back for another try
There is no doubt that Mr.. Fitzgerald
will be asked to send the horses away in
| this style next season. With seasons
practice the riders will take their horses
| to the post lineup and go away in full mo-
ton without any delay.
1t is, perhaps, fortunate that William c.
Whitney happened along at Aqueduct the
other day ana closely looked into Mr. Cas-
| sidys work. Mr.. Whitney is progressive
and as he was undoubtedly impressed by
| the new method he will urge upon the
Jockey Club it's adoption on the metropoli-
tan circuit.
Mr.. Cassidy will start them off at Ben.