New-York tribune., 1905-01-30
THE HANDICAP WEIGHTS.
Legislation ReLatiUe to CoIorS Ap-
proUed-The Starting Question.

prOUed-T'he Starting Question.
While the much mooted date question for the
coming racing season is still unsettled there has
been much to interest close followers of the sport
In the of the last week. 1t has been news that
10 have brought the racing of 1908
into place and prominence which make feel
that IL is close at hand. The weights for the
Brighten Handicap. the appointment of the racing
officials and the other business transacted by the
stewards of the Jockey Club have furnished plenty
s ad S bS if cal, tbs borsas
70 bs nos se b oneninp e s % NE @ Tastsr1 @ recine
season at washington, but from now on there VIII
much shorter 70 than has the last two months when
the winter racing or the doings OF last season were
Now that the weights for the Brighton Handicap
are announced and those for the Brooklyn and
Suburban due this week. every bit of intorma-
ton from the winter training quarters concerning
the horses engaged takes interest and
added Importance. The allotment of weights for
the Brighton Handicap has met with general ap-
proval There those OF course. who with some
study OF the intricate problem, have claimed a
luton in terms bold and decisive in favor Of this
horse that. "Beldame could take up ten pounds
and win.' Dainty is thrown in at 1IS
pounds" "Rermis has only to train sound to walk
home that way weighted" Dolly Spanker and
Bedouin have decided pull in the weights" are
few OF the expressions heard in the last few days
1t must be said however that expressions of Opin-
ion fewer than looked for, the most common
one being: IT'S one of the hardest handicaps
ever studied" It is a hard one. as Mr. Vosburgs
handicaps invariably are, and, better yet, the
weights seem TO- be SO equita6y ADJUSTED M - fnat feW
10. One well known professional Handicapped said,
the race the harder it gets One minute 70
think that the three particularly ArtfnI
but the next d9nt see how the oI ear 6s
Se5 ST5 HeTm sh Lad or The % Picket @ or
Dainty, of the older horses. loom up. and have TO
begin all over again.
The weights for the Brooklyn and Suburban
handicaps will be approximately the same as those
fsr the Brighton. but still they are being looked
forward to with much interest, there sew
eral horses TO be weighted which were not named
in the Brighton-notably Oiseau and Dalvay.
oiseau is in the Suburban. and 1t seems more than
probable that he may be asked 10 shoulder 10
pounds and consequently be ranked as the best @ OF
ering her allowance Is considered one pound
Tsho RSsS fa rs II oeau be ' PaceG
above sys9n6y as s ne oeat s o be IN
the Suburban earlier than the Brighton. ii
svsonby's ios pounds Hermis win unquestionaby
be top weight in both, with the others relatively
The resolution adopted by the stewards OF the
Jockey Club at their last meeting relative to racing
coors for 1905 cause for favorable comment.
The first step toward simplifying the colors, with
a view TO making them more distinctive and more
easily recognized in the running Of a race,
taken last year when certain shades OF color
Disseminated against. Now this further STEP
which provides that shoulder straps and braces and
hoops and bars sleeve, when allowed. shall be
wide enough to be easily distinguishable and the
/ refusal to register colors with initials embems
back vertical halves IN colors Is another
move in the right direction and a welcome one to
racegoers. Interest in a race is largely augmented
when any particular horse be followed closely
from pole to pole or quickly recognized in the
bunch. This, of course, is done by means of the
colors. and there is not follower OF racing who
does appreciate the difficulty often experienced
and who will not applaud the legislation which
en9s nc1e 10 sPIy ana an nm MAKE o Inc eoor more ds
has been heard often enough TO have become all
where it has led to conpIicatons Even the judges
at the finish have been forced on occasions to make
taking the colors so that the need of care, in the
The Sf 6snde af m p4 t2 IN the this yeFss Fespedt
now reduced to a minimum however.
CoIors IN vertical halves and initials or embIems
back abomination. The coIors of
the Patchogue Stable last year were crimson and
black halves. In racing the backstretch the red
was the only color seen. while in the run through
the stretch black was the distinctive color As
result. unless the horse with these colors I'D was
closely followed from barrier finish his relative
position in the race was lost sight OF in the quick
change on the turn from red TO black. This was
especially trying to casual racegoers particular
instance can be cited when Eagle ran in these
colors last year casual racegoer had a small
wager on Eagle to win and was watching the race
with every show OF interest. AS the field neared
the finish he remarked Eagle was running m
strong on the turn. but can't see him now and
guess he has dropped back beaten" At the time
| t.agle was In front and winning easily but tba
| ehange In color from red to black had caused him
| 60 be lost sight Of. Two years ago the coors ~
! w. C. DaIy-red. green cap-were almost Identical
| WIN those OF a Western owner who raced IN
| cuoator here for time the only difference being
/ 20 enplem on the back. This was a particular
! case which resulted in much confusion when both
wa tIxy
| the case. ~ A0HNei'l4S
one who stands high in the councils of the t,rr
governors said on Saturday that the appo,ntrnent
/ or Mars Cassidy the only starter did nor necas
/ sarlly mean that the plan adopted last wear of
having two starters alternate at the various meet
| ings had been abandoned. The stewards have re-
served the right 10 change the contract lust n,sda
| with Mars Cassidy to conform with that OF last
year This probably means that if the starter en-
saged for the meeting at Buffalo meets with an
maGe py the resignation OF c. j. FITZGERALD 'The
/ plhn OF always having two starters on cali iS "a
particularly good one. In case OF Illness or aoai
] osht 70 one, tried and competent man would he
nineoiately available. and. further the strain OF
/ sSLsIu unE Cay after day, by means a light one
- - ceGloeoly wearing. and precludes starter show
is .ne pest results IL is we'll for the stewards IN
.1se SIae an making a selection, however as onlv
Ine pest would be tolerated IN the metroDolifan
ostrlct -FOUR or tve starters have applied fnr the
pace. notably Hoffman and Murray and In
eIa en a,l prolDappity selection VIII be made by the