The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29
new FIELD FOR RUNNERS
MASSACHUSETTS MAY LEGALIZE
THOROUGHBRED RACES.
Boston Man VIII Pay Expenses of
Building n Track-Performnnce
on the Wichita Track.

A new field may be opened in the East TO
running horses by next season. A bill is to
be brought before the Massachusetts, Legis-
laturt which will have considerable bearing
on the future OF running races in that
State. George Livingstone Richards. the
wealthy publisher of Boston and WELL
known horseman, is behind the measure
and If the bill passes he promises TO give
lovers of the sport in that city plenty OF
racing.
Mr.. Richards and his attorney have had
the bill under consideration for some time.
His love of running races and not the
thought of gain has prompted him TO open
the way for tire sport. He is a great lover
of horses and has a string Of twenty thor
oughbreds, some of which have shown good
performances on the track
II the bill is passed and the way IS opened
for running races in Boston Mr. Richards
will secure land, build track and attend
to all other matters which are necessary
and stand all Of the expenses himself There
are thousands of followers OF running races
In that city and the sport would be very
popular should the Legislature legalize IL.
Inc idea or running races in Boston has
Deen condemned by many on account OF the
betting, and Mr.. Richards says IL the bill Is
passed he would be willing TO give the
The measure which will be presented to
the Massachusetts, Legislature will be pat
termed after the Percy Gray law OF New
York State, except that mutual pools will
replace the present system OF bookmakers'
1t is not often that a trotter or PAGER wins
first money in big stake without being lib
orally backed by either his owner or trainer
or by both, but such cases occur once I'm a
xrhf sue
Park Brew stake for 2:15 PAGERS, decided at
Providence during the Grand Circuit meet
ing there last fall This event fell to Star
Hal, the fast Brown Hal stallion in the
stable OF the Buffalo trainer, w. l.. Snow.
On account OF an accident two or three
years before the Hal stallion had a leg
which, while the horse had not been lame
on, still gave Snow all kinds of worry for
fear that 1t would go wrong. The horse lost
race or two because Snow was afraid to
give him the work needed to stay him up,
and, while he knew his horse was fast
enough to win the big event. he was so un-
certain as to how the horses leg would
stand the strain of such fast race as he
would have to go that he never had a cent
on him in the betting. Good odds were laid
against Star Hal and he was an easy win
ner.
Famous old Hal Pointer, the Tennessee
bred pacing gelding that once held the pac-
ing championship and whose performances
resulted in the engagement of Ed Geers to
train the Village Farm horses, died recent
ly at Village Farm. In 1891 Mr. Geers came
North with Hal Pointer and in the trip
through the Grand Circuit the gelding was
well-nigh invincible. Harry Hamlin be-
came charmed with the SON Of Tom Hal
and bought him. IT took but short time
to show that the horse would race for no
one else as well as for Geers and arrange
ments were made to have the Tennessee
roinSman m In
The elder Hamlin so favorably Inn
pressed with Geers's driving that he got
him to drive some of the Village Farm
campaigners and later he engaged him to
take charge Of the training department at
the farm, a position which Mr.. Geers has
held ever since and which he gives up this
fall after having campaigned more great
race winners for the East Aurora farm
than has been sent out by any other breed
ing establishment. After Hal Pointers
Grard Circuit days were over he was sold
by Mr. Hamlin and was raced over the
half-mile tracks for time Finally the
old hero was bought back by the Hamlns
and the last four or FIVE years of his life
We're passed in well-deserved idleness at
Village Farm.
The well-known trainer Barney Demar-
est, will be out with a novel exhibition
stable for the fair circuit next season. He
has engaged two young women to drive In
special races of half-mile heats and has al
ready made engagements to exhibit at
Rochester, Brockton, Mass, and Allentown,
Pa He promises that the young reins-
women will drive halves in time ranging
from 1:c5 to 1:07. in which case the attrac-
ton will be drawing one.
The talk that the track at Wichita. Kan.
is far inferior to the average Eastern tracks
does not carry much force with those who
remember that I'm the fall of 1899 Joe Patch
en- and John r. Gentry met In a
it and that the pair of great stations went
the fastest race over IL paced by them that
season. Joe Patchen was the winner and
although he was not the horse he was two
years before. when he made his record OF
2:011., he paced the Wichita track in 2:03
and 2:02h In only one other race did
PAtchen beat 2:03 that season and that was
in New York, where he won a heat in
2.02%.. That performance alone would stamp
the track on which Cresceus vent his great
mile as one Of unusual excellence.