The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-02
EATS UP MONEY.
Costs Something to Campaign Horse
Through Grand Circuit.

Costs Something to Campaign Horse
Through Grand Circuit.
1t costs a lot OF money to campaign
horse through the grand circuit,
and if it We're not for the element Of
sport concerned in harness racing
there would not be many men follow
ing this branch of racing. When the
transportation is paid on Il horse
from the western end of the circuit
to Boston. and then back again. to
Cincinnati and on to Lexington, quite
an amount of money has been eaten
up.
The entrance fees to the various
purses must be paid. 5 per cent,
ut least, and In most events 10 per
cent. If the horse wins any part Of the
purse. Add to this the cost of a
trainers service, harness. sulkies.
boots and horseshoer's work. and one
will begin to realize the expense of
taking a horse through the big series
of race meetings.
The Lexington meeting does not
come properly under the grand cir
cult heading. but as nearly every
horse that is OF any importance In
the circuit takes part In the LeXing-
ton meeting. 1t Is customary to include
the results of the Lexington meeting
when footing up the winnings of the
various horses during the season.
This season, among the horses that
started one or more times in the
grand circuit Lexington included)
there were seventy-one trOtters and
seventy-four PAGERS which never won
a cent Of money.
AS some of these were owned by
men who owned some of the good
winners. the expense of campaigning
them must be figured out of the WIN
nings of the others when considering
the earning capacity of the stables
wins $4,000 he can hardly be called
profitable proposition. as CAM
paigner. and the horses which did
that last season number fifty-one-
thirty-five trotters and sixteen PAGERS,
as follows:
Louisville. Oct. Starting. as it
is done on metropolitan tracks. is not
satisfactory to either turfmen or race
soers." said veteran follower of the
thoroughbreds In an interview here.
1T is now an engrossing subject of
discussion among owners, trainers
and patrons of the turf and the CON-
ing winter horsemen md all others
interested in the turf will doubtless
give it ample consideration and re-
view its effect on the seasons racing
THAT it is responsible for most of
the inconsistent performances so far
recorded. as we'll as for the failure
of well-backed horses to get away
from the post. is at the present time
an opinion commonly expressed. Ex-
perience that has beer. at. times costly
to both owners and the public has
thoroughly demonstrated that the flat
footed system is not equitable. Some
horses break quicker than others. The
difference in this respect may be due
to conformation or disposition, and
may also be SO radical that neither
training nor schooling at the barrier
will enable all horses to have even
chances in standing start Neither
can jockeys Of different temperaments
be made equally alert at the post.
Starters are Condemned.
When bao start occurs. most OBJ
servers criticise or condemn the start
er. That is the height of absurdity.
Under the prevailing system the duty
Of the starter ia to get the horses
aligned and touch button, which
springs the gate. There his respon-
sibility ends. He cannot make a field
of race horses standing in a perfect
line break from that line and go away
on even strides. Even an exception
farfS I,N
bad by an animal that is much more
nimble than its companions. In any
event there Is no good reason for
railing at the matter.
AT New Orleans last winter CASH
dy adopted different system and his
success ELECTED praise from horsemen
and public. He made the jockeys walk
their mounts up to the gate, and the
result was that almost invariably they
got away in good order. The reason
was apparent. Every horse was in
motion and none obtained any special
advantage. Races we're not decided
by the start. OF course, quick break
ers showed in front in the first fur
long or quarter, but they did not Sc
cure leads that enabled them to de-
feat better horses which were less
rapid IN the opening strides. And no
jockey had any advantage over an
other at the post
FavOrs Alert Boys.
Under the system which the Jock
ey club favors both rapid breakers
and alert boys art favored. Among
the jockeys Miller Is a notable ex-
ample. While he Is obedient at the
post. he is keenly alert and reckless
His method is fraught with danger.
While other boys are watching other
riders and horses he watches the
starter, whose action he at times ap-
pears to anticipate. When the gate is
released he urges his mount away
and usually gains leading position.
Some time this practice may have a
serious result. He may not be able
to rush to the front. other horses may
close in on him and cause an acct
dent. Such accidents have happened
and may recur."
BY ]. l.. Hervey.
Van Zandt was bred on Gardner's