Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-11
SPIRITED BRUSHES
ON THE SPEEDWAY
Every Afternoon May Be Seen
Contests Between Trot-
tiers and PAGERS.
By L. D. Sale.

Local light harness interest Is now daily
focused on the speedway. Every afternoon
one may witness contests between trotters
and PAGERS at all manner Of bitches, with
plenty of thrills on the SIDE Thursday was
especially red letter day among the sports
men of the District, and large crowd saw
finishes that raised the hair and stirred the
blood. John o. Gheen paraded with his
fathers latest purchase, Oakdaie. Baron,
2.16A; Harry Snyder tried out also his
latest purchase, Mary Tracy; j. J. o'Keefe
was up behind Finch, 2.15A the irrepressi-
BILE B. F. McCaully, with derby just at the
proper angle, held the relns over Charles
McDermott's gray fily; Harry Bowling
teamed Sweet Bells, and James Holmes
was again present with the usual chip on
his shoulder behind Trilby. jr. Others there
were who Joined in the general melee that
followed, but the hottest things handed out
were the brushes between the Baron and
Mary Tracy, with the former each time
several lengths to the good.
Sweet Be Is and the McDermott fily had
a mile brush. but the latter was too heavily
weighted to make a satisfactory showing.
The rivalry between owners of four-year-
olds owned in the District is now SO keen
that nothing but a race of mile heats be-
tween them can decide who owns the fast
est one, and even race may not decide
the queSllOH III lHe I1llluS OF tNelT respective
owners. Regarding Oakdale Baron, it now
looks. by the way he marched his miles to
wagon Thursday, that the unhobbled PAGERS
are few in this neck of the woods that can
take his measure right now. Wednesday
last he paced a quarter to wagon in thirty
three seconds over Brightwood track and
every one knows that quarters over Bright
wood are always slow ones as compared
with tracks that are kept in racing condi-
ton. Mr.. John II. Gheen, owner of Oakdale
Baron, is one of the few men in Washing
ton who have been exceptiona ly lucky in
the purchase OF fast horses He sold the
celebrated local trotter Douglas few
years since for larger sum than any other
trotter or PAGER has been sold for by res
ident of the District. Others that he has
parted with have brought several hundred
dollars more than he paid for them, SO that
he can figure up that he Is about IS, 500 to
the good.
1t is Of great personal interest to local
horsemen to know that the Riders and
Drivers Association has come to life again,
as demonstrated at the meeting held Fri
day night, and to know that the speedway
will soon be in first-class condition for fast
work without, endangering the safety of
horses and light vehicles. The election of
officers for the ensuing year is the next
important thing in order. and, as President
De Graw expresses a wish to retire in
favor of some one whose duties are net so
pressing as his own, there seems to be
strong sentiment in favor Of Mr.. Charles
McDermott for the vacancy. From the
very first he has taken intense interest in
the success of the new course. He is
man Of most excellent organizing capacity
used to managing large enterprises and not
only knows how to do things, but does
them. Quite as important as the selection
OF officers who know how to do things and
Will do them and not wait for some one
q leo N IN fhn 10 hn cnlA 30
mittee of not over three experienced horse
men to classify the horses for the several
events that may be decided upon. There
is but one true method Of classification,
viz, to class horses according to their
speed, and not according to their records.
Any other arrangement would not only be
unjust, but would tend to make events a
two-horse race. Only close contests are of
especial interest to spectators.
In view of the fact that the speedway is
soon to be opened for active operations
horsemen have already begun to group
their stables in close proximity to the
course. Mr.. McDermotts seven horses, in
charge Of Robert Brawley, are located close
to the War Department.; Leonard Acker
Is in the same vicinity. and in a very few
days Alonzo Corbin will have his stable of
good ones located within a few blocks of
the course. B. F. McCaully has force
Of men at work at his place of business
preparing stalls for speedway horses and
quarters where they may be properly cooled
out after their fast miles. ]. ]. O'Keefe
with his usual enterprise and eye for bust
ness, is about to erect cooling sheds within
a few feet of the head of the speedway
with men at hand in order that owners of
valuable horses may feel apprehension
that their charges will not be properly
cared for in cool weather.
Thomas Cannon the driver and trainer.
+ is back again from the races and has de-
cided to give his whole time during the fall
and winter season to balancing, ard also
to brushing horses over the speedway, at