Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-02
RACE STARTER
HAS TRYING WORK
His Job is Not by Any Means a
Sinecure-Earns All
He Gets.
The WORK REQUIRES NERVE,
Getting ThorOugbbreds Of is No Snap
Jockeys and Horses Are ohen
Stubborn at Start


There are many devotees Of the race
track who entertain the deluded no.
ton that the starter has a snap-a sine
cure. as II ware, but In this they are
decidedly mistaken. That the JOB re-
oulres a man Of more than ordinary
physique Is not generally understood
but such is the case. Otherwise ne
could not stand the strain incident 10
the work and excitement he goes
through. 1t Is By no means a picnic 10
TO start say six races every afternoon
for several months, especially where
every horse has practically an even
break The money wagered at the
track, in poorooms and In fact all over
the country, makes II hard for the
starter because he wants everybody TO
have a SQUARE deal and there Is con-
siderable responsibility resting on his
shoulders.
A starter receives sometimes more
than 500 day for his work. AZ some
tracks he pays mis- assistants out OF
this amount. The men who rush
around with whips, trying to get the
borIs IN their places, receive NO a
day even though they run the daily
risk of being kicked TO death. The man
who looks after the mechanism OF the
barrier receives like salary. so that
Il the whole amount Is deducted from
the allowance the starter receives from
the race track II leaves him IN the
neighborhood Of $50 day for himself
III he works 300 days In the year ne
can command probably $4,000 In sal
airy Yet he earns every dollar OF II,
I'm the estimation Of horsemen.
Patrons Of the race tracks should
visit the post now and then 10 find out
for themselves what the trials ana
tribulations Of the starter are. II Is
often the case that a starter VIII work
himself into white heat over the an
tics of the horses and Jockeys before
he can secure a perfect alignment Yet
ne is compelled to keep IN mind from
the moment he mounts the rail that
no favorItes are 20 be played, and that
all must receive the same kind OF a
break.
A starter Is not supposed to know
which horse is favorite IN the betting
or whether a killing has been framed
lup with all kinds Of money down in
THE ring and IN the poolrooms. He sim
ply receives the horses as they are sent
from the paddock, aud his assistant as
signs them to the positions before the
barrier previously drawn by lot But
the starter has a keen idea, just the
same. as to which horse has the best
chance 10 win for the reason that he
cannot help being close student Of
form.
1t REQUIRES unusual nerve to start q
great race. Two year.olds are always
unruly at the post, and the starter
usually breads races In which horses
OF this age take part, With field OF
20 or moro youngsters facing the gate
and a high prize awaiting the winner,
the starter cannot very well help real
izing his responsibility The most IA
nous breeders, the richest turfmen In
the land, the best trainers, the Amerl-
can public represented at the track by
thousands OF men and women, await
the result A struggling start means
defeat, perhaps, for the fayorite, who
carries a fortune IN gold that has been
The starter IL on his mettle. So are
the Jockeys. Their employers have IN
structed them to get away from the
post as quickly as possible, Some OF
their employers have ordered them
perhaps, to beat the barrier and pay
no attention TO the penalties, which VIII
he made good The boys are hot
headed, nervous, impatient ambitious
They know what a futurity means 70
the winning Jockey. Perhaps he VIII
receive 81 900 in gold as present ana
he is sure to sit I'm the floral horse
shoe, while his picture will be printed
I'm the newspapers, and columns writ
ten about him and his family NJ
wonder. therefore, that the boys n
flashing silks are entirely forgetful 0I
the strain on the starters nerves
The thoroughbreds themselves ara eX'
cited. They seem TO know what Is OK
pected of them. and az they hear th'
bows "cucking' on feel the spurs ant
tugs al the brides, they Kick and whlr
until chaos relgns supreme. The start
er's nerves are under pressure, HI
roars instructions TO first this boy thei
that. He grows red I'm the face, an'
his assistants work away with thei
whips until their arms are tired. Al
hut two OF the horses are facing IN
barrier. but one 0f the dollnquents I
the favorlte and the starter has 4
turn back the whole field.
Three high-prIced jockeys are single
out for punishment They receive
scorching lecture, which II well dc
served. They make half-hearted reptile
with an injured air but they ore heavl
~ fined. The starter Is thorough
worked up and will stand no nonsense
Yet he cannot hurry matters, becaus
too much is at stake II Is his duty
get every horse In motion before h
springs the gate. by the time he sue
ceeds in this his patience Is exhausted
and when the horses dash down the ~
urity course the starter Chambers dow
TO the turf, hopping his forehead an
peerng after the flying thoroughbred
IL Is n relief for him to climb into NJ
carriage and ride back TO the steward
stand
II the start Ia good the starter receive
no thanks In the way Of applause, e
his work Is forgotten by the time u
race Is over. But II the favorlte shoul
be left at the post look out for a den
Onstraton Of dIsapproval Kisses an
boots have been heard on race tracl
because Of unfortunate starts and q
some occasions there have been sma
sized riots But on the great lracl
there Is never any trouble, for Plnke
tons are always on the alert and pc
Cons inclined TO indulge In holsteroI
criticism are quickly suppressed.