The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-28
More Comfort Is Promised for
the Racegoers.
Behind Times in Way Patrons
Are Cared For.
WEIGH HAS A SYSTEM
Grounds and Stand at Oakley
Best Kept in Country.
Other News of Interest in the
World of Sport.

!
That harness racing is entering upor
a new era of prosperity and popularity
seems assured. All the signs point to g
racing of trotters and PAGERS. and race
managers in all parts of the country
are already announcing their plans fol
the coming season
During the past winter all sorts of
plans have been discussed for the bet
| terment of our present system of rae
ing. Secretaries and managers have
proposed and a number of them will
inaugurate new systems which they
hope will result in a more satisfactory
condition of affairs. All of these things
will no doubt result in benefit to the
game and tend to increase its populari-
ty- But there are several other impor-
tant things connected with the conduct
of racing meetings which many track
managers entirely overlook.
One of these is the failure to look
after many small things which add to
the comfort and pleasure of the patrons
OF race meetings. The owners and driv-
ers should be shown every possible
courtesy and the plans and systems of
racing should be so adjusted as to pro-
vide not only equitable contests for
these men, but something is also due
the public who attend race meetings.
I am firmly convinced OF the opinion
that Andy WEIGH, of the Hartford and
Cincinnati associations, looks more
carefully after the comfort of the pa
irons of his tracks than any trotting
meeting manager in the United States.
The grounds and grand stands at both
Charter Oak Park and Oakley Park are
the most carefully kept ones in the
Grand Circuit. If the managers of the
hrst-class theaters of the country took
no better care of their houses than is
given. to. the grand stands and grounds
of trotting tracks there would be but
few people attend the theaters.
There is no earthly reason why the
patrons of trotting tracks should be
made to pay for programmes or score
cards. This system of making the pub
lie pay to see a show and then make
the patrons buy a programme is all
wrong, and should have been done away
trotting tracks in this country where
women can get a drink of water, and
they are forced to drink stale mineral
water or red lemonade, peddled over
the seats by bowling takers.
There should be at least some place
where the public could get a drink of
water during the long, hot afternoons
when. crowded together in the grand
stand Water is about the cheapest
thing we have in this country, and 1T
should be at least placed within the
reach of the patrons of the race tracks.
Harness racing bids fair to enter upon
should do everything possible
to keep alive present enthusiasm. At
tendance at a race meeting should be
made as pleasant, comforta BILE and at
tractive as attending a theater, and
mana gers should do more for the COM
fort of patrons.
All the new rules, new systems and
new plans of racing will not keep alive
the interest unless they are backed by
in the present manner of
looking after the comfort of patrons.
If there is any one thing in which |
trotting racing is behind the times it |
is the careless, way in which the pub |
tic is taken care of when it enters the |
grounds ,..-s
1t begins to took as if the day is not |
far distant when trotting under a sad |
die will be revived and made a part of |
the programme at trotting meetings. |
The Gentlenen's Driving club of Cleve- |
and the foremost amateur driving as
ISOLATION in the United States, may this |
season make trotting under the saddle
1 part of it's weekly programme, and |
Mr. H. K. Devereux, one of the leading
members of the club. is a strong advo
cate of this form of racing.
The ''three-heat' plan appears to
nave the call with the managers of the
Grand Circuit, and nearly all of the
zig classic events win be contested I'M
Ter this plan. The Merchants and Man
lfacturers' Stake at Detroit has always
been trotted as q three-in-five race, and
ne announcement lHSl II Will ILLS year
,e raced under the 'three-heat" plan
will excite considerable interest.
The NJ. and M. each year is the center
f every horseman's hopes, and to have
trotter able to win it is always con-
idered a high honor. Secretary Sny-
Ter has Just announced the condition
f his early closing events, and owing
0 the great interest which always at
aches to the NJ. and M. and the Cham
er of Commerce Stake for PAGERS, Sec
etary Snyder's announcement is pre-
ented here:
1.-The $4,000 Merchants and Manufac-
urers' Stake, 2:24 class trot, and the
5000 Chamber of Commerce Stake, 2:24
lass pace are the offerings.
Both of these classics will be raced
n the three-heat plan.''
By adopting this plan Secretary Sny-
er has met the popular demand of
wners and trainers, especially those {
yho prepare their horses in the north
IN climate.
Under the new plan the latter trained
orse meets the southern trained one {
q equally as good condition to engage
4 a turf battle of three heats Still, ,
lfouId the northern trained horse be a i
rifle shorter in his work than the