New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-12
TROTTING HORSE RULES
Results of Joint Meeting Last Week
in Chicago-Handicap Racing.


tion the American Trottng Association and the
American Trottng Register Association numerous
changes and innovations were discussed. Ano9'
who attended the meeting were p +. Johnson
president of the National Trottttng Associaeloh'
w p Hams president of the American irotliiis
Association; William Russell Allen. president OF
the American Trotting Register Association. ana
C. X. c. Billings.
A satisfactory adjustment was reached on al
questions under discussion between the Grano
Circuit tracks and the parent associations Ihere
will be presented at the congress of the National
Trotting Association. which will be held at the
Murray Hill Hotel in this city, this week. the roi
lowing ruling:
circuit Of five or tracks se39gng y
after incarceration have the authority 10 app ov
f5e nsc1 S & wnG o the Circuit The
OF these stewards shall be submitted to the tres s
and If the nominations are agreed TO by both tne
parent associations they will constitute govern
Ing body for the circuit by which they are nanleu
acting Jointly for the tracks and the parent ASSOC
the close of racing on the circuit for which they
Another matter of which the conference took
notice is the making of time records by trotters
and PAGERS At present the rules governing trials
against time are not observed in spirit by of
the tracks where trials made. new rule was
formulated. which provides, among other things
that not only must the meetings at which time
trials take place be In every respect bona fde. but
ing up each days programme must be real con-
tests. in which every horse tries all the time
A stop also is to be put to the practice of hav-
ing three colts making up a so-called race, ar
ranged for the purpose of giving each animal a
mark about as fast as 1t can 60 Another step
taken was to decide that hereafter. in order to
be registered at half the usual rate, application
behalf of each colt must be made before the
animal is a year old. Heretofore applicants were
eligible up to the age of two years.
iDnOn rIiO Of he
Horse Breeder" has come out in favor of handicap
trotting and pacing races. He says:
In considering the question Of handicap racing
I1r harness ne horses one objection that VIII MI
horses upon the track so that each horse may
start. The animal with the slowest record should
start from the wire. If there are several whose
tions. Those with faster records should be placed
them cover the mile and the additional distance
In the time represented by the record of the slowest
Any good mathematician who knows the records
or the different animals that 10 start can figure
out to the fraction of inch the distance above
the mile on equal terms with the $50 horse that
starts from the wire. No horses with records
slower than 2;$O should be allowed to start if
easily be prepared on ESQ basis and printed for
back of the wire at which any horse with a record
from 29 to the fastest record ever made should be
Some allowance must be made. however, for the
n e distance that horses with fast records
horse with a record of 2:36 that starts at the wire
mile cannot maintain that rate for one and one
fourth or one and oneeighth miles. and the faster
me record the greater the allowance should be.
rake Lou Dillon for instance. record 1:5S1s If she
f6e e tSa that rate Of speed for 100 seconds
she could cover 4O5 and small fraction rods. Then.
owa8ce for time owing to the distance NOR more than
post
little experience in racing would enable handi-
allowance
on account Of additional distance for the average
placed about eleven rods about feet above the
wire when starting against horses with records of
such horses would be placed q 60 rods 37 feet,
additional distance 'e'o o allowances Is maze r0r
Posts could be set by the inside rail at every six
feet from above the wire could be plainly marked
horses in such races must be given pT.' standing
start IT would be necessary to have patrol Judge
that none start until the signal is given.
viii be thu 5a aTe g29d aeaded and vel m
cap races OF this kind. They must be educated to
to start quickly Without Breaking from the trot o or
pace as the class may be. The education required
great Advantage to the animals and add consid
It Win Snconree the Use br s roaqsters.
doctle class Of horses and also tend 10 cause
b64reign buyers are as particular to secure horses
hat can not only go fast but stay the and
nght gameiy 70 the finish those which show
Horses must have animals ha a P W Pf PP6GGS rof
ana can get away quickly from a standing start 1t
seems that handicap racing is better adapted to
roster such qualities than any other system.
Another point in its favor is that 1t will do away
WIN me necessity OF mixed races such are open
TO both trotters and PAGERS Most OF the country
races Tor the last few years have been OF that
class because trotters are scarce the country
that track managers cannot afford to give straight
trotting class races such classes would receive
few entries. ''
Handicap races. which will permit horses with
last RECORDS 10 compete on equal terms with those
having slow records, should bring out large neIds
OF starters. Thew should not only prove an inter
Ssuhg noVeity 70 the public. but be profitable to
both horse owners and track managers.