The Washington times., 1906-02-25
STARTER CASSIDY'S
METHOD ASUCCESS
Made Brilliant Record at
Aqueduct Track.
MAY BE USED At BENNING
Went Back to Old Way and Failed to
Get Good Results-Stewards
Should Approve.
MAY BE USED At BENNING

NEW YORK, Feb. 24.-It was asserted
this week by a man high In racing at
fairs in this city that Starter Mars Cas-
sidy's use of the walk-up and stop sys-
tenn of starting on the metropolitan cir
cult is not due to a compulsory order
from the Jockey Club in so far as the
walk to barrier is concerned The gov
erning body OF the turf, according to it's
authority, insists only that the horses
shall be sent away from a standing
start
THAT part Of the method used by
Cassidy last year, IF walking the horses
TO the barrier from a point 50 or loo feet
back. is entirely his own idea" said this
gentleman, IF Cassidy had desired TO
dispense of the parade he could have
done so in minute. He believes, how
ever, that his original moving start is
the best and, deprived OF the opportunity
TO use all OF it. he has retained part.
Many Different Opinions.
THAT the walk-up method in connec-
ton with the standing start helps mat
tiers, is a mooted question. Personally
I believe he would achieve better results
by allowing the horses to approach the
barrier without a preliminary lineup.
Others hold Il different Opinioni but the
sists only on a standing start. Any
thing that occurs previous TO springing
the barrier is at Cassidy's own discTe-
zion. He is not tied down"
The question as to whether or not
the Jockey Club will order a change
Of method OF starting this year is one
being discussed at great length among
racing people through the winter
months. Especially has IL become 4
topic of conversation since Starter Cas-
sidy got into his stride at the City Park
track in New Orleans, using the sys-
TEN that he originated three years ago
OF walking the horse up TO the barrier
and allowing them to break while stiil
in motion
Improvement Over Standing Start.
The walking start was first introduced
10 metropolitan racegOers at Aqueduct
in the fall OF 1903. Cassidy's work at
that meeting was sensauonaIly good
and the method was hailed as q vast
Improvement over the standing start
previously in use. In the spring OF 1904
Starter j. &. Fitzgerald, now general
manager of the Brighton Beach Racing
Association, tried TO use the walking
up system, but achieved little success.
Neither did Cassidy appear TO get sat
jsfactory results, and the upshot was
that the Jockey Club ordered that the
horses be brought 10 a dead stop at
the barrier before being allowed to
break
Cassidy used the walk-up-and-stop
system all last season. and the results
We're far from being brilliant, At times
the starting was positively bad. The
real objection 10 this hybrid system is
that high-strung thoroughbreds grow
FESTIVE under the restraint of being
lined up back of the barrier and com
PEELED 10 walk slowly TO the webbing.
with the result that they break ranks
the moment they are brought TO a
stop.
Would Increase Public Confidence.
If the reports from New Orleans
about the excellence Of Cassidy's work
continue to the end of the winter sea
son, it would appear plain duty for
The Jockey Club to allow him the walk
ing start in the East next summer.
II the stewards cannot see their way
clear 10 order this. the original stand
ing start IS undoubtedly the next So
luton that will present itself. Prop
eTly used, either system VIII find more
favor with the racegoing public than
the Walk-up-anC-stOp method. The COM
bination Of the two systems IS consid-
cred a failure by raCegoers, and with
out public confidence racing cannot con-