Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

at the Benning meetings and should he
come down this fall he will be an object of
particular interest with the local sports,
many of whom have cashed in handsomely
on him while here. 1t was at the Benning
track that Go Between first showed that
he could go and stay route.
The jumps will receive particular atten-
ton in preparation for the fall meeting.
and tear and the effects of the weather.
and work will begin on their rebuilding at
once, as they must be in readiness for the
three days steeplechasing Of the United
Hunts Racing Association, which will hold
its autumn meeting at the track on Octo-
Der 25, q and 90 Some of the horses. or
tinlber-toppers, which are to participate In
this little meeting. which ought to be a
very successful one, though somewhat in
the nature Of an experiment in this section,
will be at the track in few days for pre-
liminary training and schooling purposes.
Some of the sports call these horses grass
hoppers," which, in view of the fact that
they run upon a grass course, and jump
obstacles composed of thickly and tightly
woven green brush, and not Of timber or
wood makes the term not 80 homogeneous
after all, the term "timber-topper'' more
befttingly applying to their ability to clear
the fences In hunts.
Might Be a Fast Track.
A local owner of a fair-sized stable which
will be shipped to the track in a few days
came down in the car with The Star man,
and he had this to say about the Benning
course:
lowing to the fact" he said, that our
racing meetings are held between seasons
in the spring and the fall, we usually ex-
perience considerable rain during both
events, while in the fall if the winter set
in early, the ground may be frozen some
what upon cold nights. 1t is for this reason
that they rebuilt the old course of sand.
hov had rpa
however, and I concur with other owners
that the sand cushion on the old course is
too heavy, and were about two inches Of
it taken Off not only would much faster
time be made but the horses would take
to it more kindly. Thoroughbreds do not
like to run on a heavy sandy track, and
this was shown coneusively when the new
courses a Belmont Park were thrown open
at the first spring meeting. The sand was
50 heavy that miles were run in Ia, and
all concerned were much disappointed.
During the ensuing summer, however, the
sandy cushion was leVeled to a reasonable
thickness, and with the opening of the fall
meeting there was such a revolution in the
time made that its correctness was ques-
toned by the sporting world. The different
distances on both the main course and the
straightaway were all resurveyed officially
to reassure the racing public, the owners
and the racing association that the dis
tances were correct, and that the change
in the tracks surface accounted for the
extraordinary fast time made thereover.
A Local Owners Conclusions.
cit is now the fastest track in the east
and holds with the now disused Chicago
tracks the worlds records for six furlongs
and the mile. both of which,. by the way,
were made by the same horse-kiamesha,
now a four-year-old bay filly.
Therefore 1 have been one of those own
ers who have believed in the possibilities
oF he oh IL
treated. and my view is sustained by the
results obtained on the new Columbia
course This course. until it conjoins with
the old course at the head of the stretch
of the latter Is built of the soil over which
it runs. and it is light sandy loan. 1t
dries out much more quickly than the old
sand track and the horses in running over
it when they reach the heavy sand at the
head of the stretch Of the old course can
be seen by the experienced eye to feel the
effects of the soft going and to perceptibly
slacken their speed.
1.-THE Benning track for mile track
has an extra long and fine stretch run of
quarter of a mile and Is not little col
lar box, circular affair as is the new ia
maica track. wkiGh Is SO circular that
mile races are Not run upon 1t, nor are
those at seven furlongs. 1t is my belief
consequently. that the record of the Ben
ming track. instead OF being at lao 3-5-
it stood at TAI for several years-could be
lowered to 1.3S were the plan suggested
followed.
ut is speed after all which Is one of the
main drawing cards at races and this was
proved by the Belmont instance, where the
owners, the public and the association were
alike disappointed at the initial slow time
made and the attendance was observed to
fall of. With the results upon the recon-
structed courses. however. there was an,
other story to tell. The fact that the Co
lumbia course. a loan surface. dries out
very much faster than the old track,
sandy surface. after a rainfall means that
faster and a better track could be made
at Benning were the old course either thus
resurfaced or the sand reduced by scrap
ing."